Are you a fan of crispy crunchy textures? We sure are! Air Fryer Crispy Fish with Dill Tartar Sauce is a quick and easy meal that your family will really enjoy, made in your air fryer is just minutes.

Air Fryer Crispy Fish with Dill Tartar Sauce Recipe

A white platter loaded with crispy golden brown fish fillets.

Howdy! Chef Alli Here. Let’s Get You Cookin’…. Shall We?? 🙂

The very best thing about air fried foods is the crispy texture…especially foods that are breaded.

Instead of tons of oil for deep-fat frying, all an air fryer really needs to make food crispy and crunchy is a light spritzing of oil.

We use our air fryer for all kinds of things, you name it. From roasted vegetables, to French fries and sweet potato fries, to chicken tenders and fish sticks.

Gosh, I even bake quiche, French toast sticks, biscuits and doughnuts in our air fryer. Nearly anything you bake in the oven can be baked in an air fryer, as long as it will fit inside.

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What to love about this easy fish recipe –

You will love the texture – crunchy outside and tender on the inside.
Super kid-friendly….well, except for the coleslaw. 😉
Double the recipe and freeze some for a quick freezer meal later. Fillets can be cooked from frozen!

Here’s what you’ll learn from this recipe –

How to cook fish fillets in the air fryer
Why panko bread crumbs make the best breading
How to know when fish is fully cooked
Why it’s important to spritz breaded foods with oil during the air fryer cooking process
How to reheat leftover fish fillets in the air fryer
Why it’s important not to use non-stick spray in your air fryer
How to freeze breaded fillets to cook later
How to cook fish fillets from frozen in the air fryer

Golden brown and crispy air fried fish topped with a dollop of tartar sauce.

Here are the ingredients you need to make this air fryer fish recipe –

Any type of mild fish fillets, such as tilapia, swai, haddock, crappie, cod, or flounder (use whatever you prefer)
Olive oil, for basting the fish
Panko bread crumbs
Spices: paprika, garlic powder, onion powder
Your favorite coleslaw as a side dish, if desired

How to make Crispy Air Fryer Fish in 6 fast steps –

**Full, printable recipe card below – just scroll on down within this post to find it!

In a shallow bowl, combine the Panko bread crumbs with the spices; season to taste with salt and pepper.
Brush the fish fillets with oil, using a pastry brush or your fingertips. Brush the air fryer rack with oil as well.
Dip the fillets into the prepared bread crumb mixture, placing each one onto the oiled air fryer rack in a single layer. Spritz or very gently brush the top of the fillets with oil.
Air fry the fish at 350 degrees F. for 4-5 minutes then turn the fillets over; spritz the top of the fillets with oil. Continue to cook the fish for an additional 4-5 minutes or until the fish is cooked throughout and flakes easily with a fork at the center (or the thickest part of the fillet) when tested. The fish should be golden brown and crispy on both sides.
Meanwhile, combine the tartar sauce ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well to combine.
Serve the fish warm with the tartar sauce on the side.

Golden brown and crunchy fish served on a white platter with coleslaw.

Answers to Common Questions Asked About This Recipe

Helpful tools for making air fryer fish

Well, first of all, you need an air fryer! We like the rack-style of air fryer (as opposed to the basket-style) since you can spread foods out better, allowing them to cook more quickly and to get more crispy. The air fryer I have and recommend is the Cuisinart TOA-60.

For spritzing air fried foods with oil, I like this oil spritzer.

You may also want to get a good metal spatula for lifting the fish from the air fryer rack once it’s cooked.

Panko bread crumbs make food more crispy

Panko bread crumbs are irregular is size and shape with a light and delicate texture – exactly why they make the most wonderful breading! Because panko absorbs less oil that traditional bread crumbs, it makes food much more crispy and crunchy on the exterior when air fried.

How to freeze fish to air fry later

To freeze the fish, proceed through the step of breading each fillet. Place the fish onto a greased baking sheet not touching each other.

Freeze the fish until solid, then remove them, still frozen, to a freezer bag. Store in the freezer for up to 6 months.

How to air fry fish from frozen

Place the frozen fish fillets onto the oiled air fryer rack; spritz with oil. Air fry the fillets at 350 degrees F. for 6-7 minutes, then turn them over, spritzing the second side. Air fry the fillets for an additional 6-7 minutes. Voila – you have hot, fresh, crispy fish from frozen!

No non-stick spray for the air fryer – only use oil

Nonstick spray is a big no-no for any and all air fryers, pretty much. Nonstick spray from aerosol cans is known to cause chipping of the exterior coating on air fryer trays and baskets. It’s best to stick with oil for coating surfaces.

Golden brown fish fillets with dill tartar sauce as a garnish.

More Favorite Air Fryer Recipes to Enjoy

Printable Air Fryer Crispy Fish with Dill Tartar Sauce Recipe

Air fryer fish fillet perched on a white platter.

Crispy Air Fryer Fish with Easy Dill Tartar Sauce

Enjoy some crispy air fryer fish. Golden brown and crunchy on the outside, tender and velvety on the inside. Best of all? They're ready in just minutes.

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 20

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 291kcal

Ingredients

Crispy Fish Ingredients

4 fish fillets, such as tilapia, swai, haddock, cod or flounder (we use flounder and tilapia a lot)
olive oil, for brushing the fish
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 tsp. paprika (I like to use smoked paprika)
1/2 tsp. granulated garlic or garlic powder

Dill Tartar Sauce Ingredients (Tartar sauce is optional but so good!)

1 cup mayonnaise
2-3 Tbs. dill pickle relish
1/2 -1 tsp. dried dill weed
1 tsp. granulated sugar

Instructions

Prepare the Fish

In a shallow bowl, combine the Panko bread crumbs with the spices; season to taste with salt and pepper.
Brush the fish fillets with oil, using a pastry brush or your fingertips.
Dip the fillets on all sides into the prepared bread crumb mixture then place each one onto an oiled air fryer rack in a single layer; spritz with more oil, if desired, to make the topping more crispy as it air fries, if desired.
Air fry the fish at 350 degrees F. for 4-5 minutes then turn; spritz the top of the fillets with oil.
Continue to cook the fish for an additional 4-5 minutes or until the fish is cooked throughout and flakes easily with a fork at the center (or the thickest part of the fillet) when tested.
Serve the fish warm with the tartar sauce on the side.

Prepare the Tartar Sauce

Meanwhile, combine the tartar sauce ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well to combine.

Notes

Be sure to check the blog post for tips and tricks, specific recipe instructions, and FAQ’s!

Nutrition

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Let’s Get You Cookin’,
Chef Alli

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Air Fryer Crispy Fish with Dill Tartar Sauce