Air Fryer Fish Nuggets Recipe

Fish nuggets are a delicious, family-friendly, and versatile dish you can serve for dinner, an appetizer, or even a snack. The taste and texture of homemade nuggets made with unprocessed ingredients outshine their store-bought frozen counterparts any day. While you can bake or deep fry the nuggets, making them in the air fryer saves time and cuts back on mess. Our air-fried version turns out delightfully crispy on the outside and cooked to perfect tenderness on the inside.

Recipe developer Michelle Bottalico has created a recipe for air fryer fish nuggets featuring fresh cod. Cod is sturdy enough not to fall apart, yet stays nice and tender and flakes beautifully. The cod is dredged in a seasoned breadcrumb mixture and popped in the air fryer. The outside has serious crunch and loads of flavor, while the inside is soft and moist.

In this recipe, we serve the nuggets with simple wedges of lemon or lime, which complement the terrific flavor of the breaded fish without overpowering it. However, a little ketchup, tartar sauce, or cocktail sauce would work, too. To save time, you can make a larger batch ahead and freeze the breaded but uncooked nuggets for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Don't thaw them, but give them about 5 more minutes of cooking time, and you can enjoy the flavor of homemade nuggets with the extra convenience of frozen food on busy nights.

For this recipe, you will need a cod fillet. You will also need salt, black pepper, all-purpose flour, beaten egg, breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Have olive oil on hand for brushing the breaded nuggets and greasing the air fryer. Finally, lemon and/or lime wedges are an optional ingredient for serving.

Cut the cod into 1-inch pieces. Sprinkle it with salt and pepper and set it aside.

Place the flour and beaten eggs in small bowls.

Place the breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper in a third small bowl and stir well to mix.

Dip 1 piece of cod into the flour and rotate to coat it on all sides. Shake off the excess flour.

Submerge the piece of cod in the egg to coat, and then let the excess drip off.

Place the piece of cod in the breadcrumb mixture and rotate to coat it fully.

Repeat the breading process with the remaining pieces of cod.

Lightly brush both sides of the breaded cod with olive oil.

Grease the air fryer tray or basket by wiping it with olive oil.

Preheat the air fryer to 400 F if your machine requires it and place the breaded cod in the tray or basket in a single, uncrowded layer with spaces for air in between. Work in batches if needed rather than overcrowding the machine.

Air-fry the cod for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway.

Serve the fish nuggets warm with lemon and lime wedges if desired.

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Knowing a few simple tips will help your air fried fish nuggets turn out great. First, make sure to pat the fish dry if it's moist or wet. This is especially important if you use frozen fish (make sure to thaw frozen fish completely before using). The breading will adhere better to dry fish, which will mean the nuggets get crispier. Do your best to cut the fish into pieces that are the same size so they cook evenly.

It's not a good idea to use cooking spray in your air fryer, so wipe the air fryer tray with olive oil or use a pure olive oil spray. You can use parchment paper liners specifically made for the air fryer for easier cleanup if you like. These are useful with wire mesh racks that are harder to clean. Make sure to preheat the machine if it requires it. Not all models do. Even if it doesn't need preheating, letting it warm up for a couple minutes first can help all the batches cook evenly.

Definitely cook the nuggets in batches if needed rather than overcrowding the air fryer tray. It's important to leave space between them for air to circulate so they get crispy rather than letting them steam and get soggy. Finally, if you have leftovers, you can reheat fried fish in the air fryer by cooking them for 5-7 minutes at 320.

You can bake or fry the nuggets if you prefer. To bake them, preheat the oven to 425 F and follow the recipe as written up to and including the step to brush the breaded cod with oil. Then place the nuggets on a greased baking sheet (or one lined with parchment paper if desired), and bake them for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway.

If you don't mind a little cleanup, you can bake the fish nuggets directly on the oven rack. If you choose this method, preheat the oven to 475 F. Grease the rack first so the nuggets don't stick. They will cook in about 12 minutes, and you don't have to flip the fish. It's a good idea to line the bottom of the oven (or a second rack placed beneath the main rack) with aluminum foil to catch any crumbs or spills. Make sure to clean the oil off the rack and remove all the crumbs before you use the oven again.

The method for frying the nuggets is a little different. You'll skip the beaten egg and instead make a batter with the flour, the spices, and water. Coat the fish in the batter, and then in the plain breadcrumbs. Pour frying oil into a frying pan and heat it on medium until hot. Then, fry the fish for 4-5 minutes per side. As with other methods, make sure not to overcrowd the pan.

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