Air-Fryer Fish Fillets
4 (113g to 170g) cod fillets, or other white-fleshed fish
¼ tsp table salt
½ tsp plus ¼ tsp finely ground black pepper, divided
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup cornstarch
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp sweet paprika
2 large eggs
2 tbs water
1 tbs hot sauce, such as Tabasco 2 cups panko breadcrumbs cooking spray lemon wedges, for serving cocktail sauce, for serving
COCKTAIL SAUCE:
In a small bowl, combine ¾ cup tomato sauce, juice of 1 lemon, 2 tablespoons horseradish and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (optional). Mix well, cover and chill until needed.
Set the air fryer to 200ºC and preheat for at least 5 minutes.
While the fryer is preheating, pat the fish dry and season both sides with salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. If the fillets are long, cut them in half or thirds.
Small, thinner fillets are easier to flip and turn out crispier edges.
Set out three shallow bowls.
In one, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika and the remaining ½ teaspoon black pepper. In the next bowl, whisk together the egg, water and hot sauce. In the third, add the panko.
Working with one piece at a time, coat a fillet with the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Then dip it into the egg, letting the excess drip off, and finally place it in the panko, pressing the breadcrumbs into the fish on all sides. Place the fillets on a baking rack and lightly spray them on one side with cooking oil. Repeat with the remaining fillets.
Carefully remove the air-fryer basket from the preheated fryer and lightly spray it with the cooking spray. Never spray the cooking spray directly into the fryer. Place the fish in the basket and, working in batches to avoid crowding, cook for 5 minutes. Then, remove the basket, flip the fillets and spritz them with the cooking spray. Cook for another 5 minutes – the fish should be golden and flake easily with a fork. If not, cook for an additional minute or until cooked through. Serve the fish with lemon wedges and cocktail sauce. Serves 4-6. | The Washington Post
If using a convection oven, position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 200ºC. Follow the recipe as directed, placing the fish on a heatproof rack set inside a large rimmed baking sheet. This method may require slightly longer cooking time, about 7 to 8 minutes per side, especially for thicker fillets. In our tests, the air-fryer fillets were crispier and cooked more evenly.