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Air Fryer Catfish Fry

Air Fryer Catfish Fry

This catfish fry is a quick and easy fish fry made with a catfish fillet, all purpose flour, eggs, and bread crumbs. In an air fryer, this takes about 7 minutes. It's truly the simplest way to make a fish fry at home, without having to deal with deep fryers, which tend to be a pain to try and keep at home, or baking the fish, which tends to dry out the fillet and never quite give the right crispness that is quintessential to a fish fry!
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 1 serving

Equipment

  • 3 Bowls
  • Air Fryer

Ingredients
  

  • 1 fillet catfish
  • 1/4 c. flour
  • 1 egg whisked
  • 1/4 c. bread crumbs
  • dash salt
  • dash pepper
  • dash cayenne pepper
  • spritz oil for coating

Instructions
 

Breading

  • In 3 separate bowls, add the flour, whisked eggs, and bread crumbs.
    You can also flavor the bread crumbs with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and any other spices of choice. This is optional. You can add the seasonings on after the cook. I often do both.
  • Dip the fish fillet into the flour. If you don't have bowl or Tupperware container the right size to fit an entire fillet of fish into, you can also put the fish on a plate, sprinkle the flour on top, and then pick the fish up and shake slightly to remove the excess flour.
    Just make sure that the fish is lightly coated all of the way around, or the egg wash and bread crumbs won't stick to it!
  • Dip the fish in the egg wash.
    Again, just make sure that the fish is lightly coated in the whisked egg. However you get the egg onto the fish works! I tend to dip it in one side at a time until it's completely covered.
    Just try not to handle the fish too much because that can take off the flour and egg wash, which defeats the purpose in the first place. If this does happen, just add a little bit more flour and egg wash to your fingerprint smudges.
  • Dip the fish into the breadcrumbs. Like with the flour, it can again help to pour the breadcrumbs onto the fish and lightly press it in to coat completely.

Air Fry

  • Spritz the fish fillet generously with olive oil and place in the air fryer basket.
  • Cook at 390 degrees Fahrenheit for about 7 minutes, or until the crust is a lightly fried golden brown. Make sure to rotate the fish fillet halfway through.
    If the breading isn't browning quickly enough, adding more oil will help.
  • Serve immediately. Fish tends not to reheat well! Especially when breaded.