Name: Crispy Air Fryer Fish
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 tilapia fillet, or other white fish fillets; ¼ tsp. Kosher salt; ¼ tsp. black pepper; ⅛ tsp. garlic powder; ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs; 1 Tbsp. olive oil

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Piping hot, crispy air fryer fish fillets are ready in just 10 minutes! You’ll love this simple weeknight dinner for two.

I really love fish but my kids are less crazy about it. Making it nice and crunchy like this recipe is one way to get them to gobble it up! They like my homemade tartar sauce too so this crunch and that sauce are the way to go.

We’re already covered how to cook fish fillets perfectly (and how to cook fish from frozen!) here on the site, but today I’m sharing my new favorite way: crispy fish in the air fryer!

Crispy fish fillets on white plate with lettuce and tartar sauce.

In just 10 minutes of cooking time, breaded tilapia fillets come out wonderfully golden and crispy on the outside, with tender flaky fish inside. You’ll never be tempted to buy pre-breaded fish again.

Since you can only cook two fillets at a time, this recipe is perfect for a dinner for two. If making it for more people, you can keep the fish warm in an oven set to 250F while the next batch cooks.

I love serving fish fillets with a big salad, tartar sauce, and a squeeze of lemon or a splash of malt vinegar.

What Kind Of Fish To Use

Any white fish filet will work well in this recipe. I used tilapia, but you can also use swai or basa. These all have a delicate flavor that goes really nicely with the crispy breadcrumb coating.

If you like a fishier fish, you can also make these crispy air fryer fish fillets with flounder or sole.

If you have frozen fish, try my Air Fryer Fish from Frozen recipe instead.

How To Season Fish Fillets

This recipe is all about that CRUNCH. I keep the seasonings pretty simple with just salt, pepper, and a little bit of garlic powder. That way, the flavor of the fish can really shine through.

A little bit of acid helps perk up the fish’s flavor once it’s cooked, so I always serve it with lemon wedges or, my favorite, malt vinegar and tartar sauce for dipping.