Perfect Fried Fish
Classic comfort food with a crispy golden crust and flaky inside. This fried fish recipe walks you through every step—from seasoning to frying—to achieve restaurant-quality results at home.
Equipment
- Deep fryer or cast-iron skillet
- Wire rack
- Kitchen thermometer
- Tongs
Ingredients
For the Marinade
- 1 cup buttermilk or use regular milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
For the Breading
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 2 eggs beaten
- 2 tbsp milk
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Fish
- 4 white fish fillets such as cod, tilapia, catfish, or haddock
For Frying
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix the marinade ingredients. Add fish fillets and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
- Set up a breading station with seasoned flour in one dish, beaten eggs and milk in another, and the cornmeal mix in the third. Pat fish dry, then coat in flour, dip in egg wash, and coat with cornmeal mixture.
- Let the breaded fillets rest on a wire rack for 10 minutes to set the coating.
- Heat oil in a deep fryer or skillet to 350°F–375°F. Fry fish for 3–5 minutes per side or until golden and internal temp reaches 145°F.
- Drain fried fish on a wire rack. Serve hot with lemon wedges, tartar sauce, and your favorite sides.
Notes
For gluten-free: use gluten-free flour and cornmeal. You can also bake or air fry for lighter versions. Fish fillets can be frozen raw (breaded) and fried directly from frozen.