Fish and Chips in an Air Fryer

Fish and Chips is a classic British dish, it is everyone's favorite meal and could be found in a variety of restaurants around the world.  

Classic Fish and Chips is a combination of deep fried fish ( typically white fish such as cod or halibut) dipped in a crispy batter, served with chips which are also known as French Fries.  

Can you make this dish at home? Absolutely, the easiest way to make it is out of frozen ingredients. There is nothing wrong with that and it will taste really good. It takes about 15-20 minutes and it is a super easy dinner. 

However, today, let’s take it to the next level and make this dish from scratch in the Air Fryer. This way you can really control the flavor, use your favorite beer for the batter, experiment with spices and trust me, you will be impressed with the taste of the homemade chips also known as steak fries.  

Step#1 Making chips 

To make perfect chips we need russet style potatoes also known as Idaho potatoes. These types of potatoes have thick skin, high starch content and are lower in moisture, which makes them perfect to achieve an outside crispines when making french fries. 

Peel on not to peel? 

Personally I prefer to keep the skin on, but it is just a personal preference. Skin has a lot of fiber and it is kind of good for you….so why not. 

Now, wash potatoes really well with the brush. Cut them as evenly as possible so they will cook through at the same time. I prefer larger wedges which are about ½ inch thick ( aka Steak fries ), but you can adjust it based on your preference. 

Rinse potatoes with cold water until the water is clear. We need to remove all the starch from the outside, this way potatoes are less likely to stick together. Now soak potatoes in cold water, add some ice and put it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. 

Soaking potatoes in water before frying is a secret of crispy potatoes. 

Now, dry potatoes well with paper or kitchen towel. If you like your potatoes crispy, you want to avoid putting wet fries in an Air Fryer.  

Toss potatoes in the bowl with 1 ½ tablespoon of oil. I prefer to use Avocado oil. I have about 3 layers of potatoes in the basket. Cook for about 7 to 10 minutes at 375°F. If you have less potatoes, time needs to be adjusted. Remember to toss potatoes halfway . 

Now, take potatoes out, toss them in the bowl, add a bit more oil, salt, pepper and some spices of your choice. I am using paprika, garlic powder and this new pickle seasoning from Trader Joes. it will add a nice kick to the fries. 

Toss it well and send it to an Air Fryer for another 7 to 10 minutes at 400°F, toss a few times in the process so everything is cooking evenly. Final product should be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. 

Step#2 Making Fish ….not just any….beer battered. 

For fish and chips you can use pretty much any white fish such as cod, halibut, pollock or haddock. 

Today I am using frozen cod which is more traditional for this recipe. 

Take fish straight from the fridge. Dry it well with the paper towel. 

We need 3 medium size containers to deep the fish in the coatings.  

Container #1:  1 ½ cup of all purpose flour. You can also use rice flour which is supposed to add more crispines. Mix in sugar, salt and pepper. 

Container#2: We will use it to make coating batter. Sift flour and mix it up with 1 egg. Slowly mix in beer to get batter to desired consistency. It needs to be heavy, not too liquidy. And yes, you can drink it too, Cheers! 

Container#3: Mix breadcrumbs with some salt and pepper. This last layer will add some nice crispiness to the fish. 

• Now coat fish with flour, then beer batter and finish with breadcrumbs. To avoid mess I recommend using a fork to dip fish in the coatings…..I personally forget to do that and create a lot of mess.  Spray fish with the oil on all sides and send it to the air fryer for ~10min at 375-400°F ( or until internal temperature is 145°F )  and gently flip half way. Also remember to spray some oil on the Air Fryer basket. Don't overcrowd the fish and do it in a few batches. 

All done, it is crispy on the outside and nice and flaky on the inside. 

Step#3 final step, making Tartar sauce  

Mix well all the ingredients listed in the description and it is all done. 

Quick and simple. It is everyone's favorite and super easy to make.