Air Fryer Cod

Perfectly Crispy Air Fryer Cod, seasoned to perfection and lightly coated with crispy panko breadcrumbs. Our favorite way to do Friday fish fry – no frying necessary!

Let’s talk Friday night Fish Fry. Is it a thing where you live? Here in Wisconsin, everyone LOVES a good fish fry… especially on Fridays! And you can pretty much guarantee that every restaurant, tavern, supper club, and even church has their own version of it.

And while they’re are absolutely delicious, there’s only so much fried fish one can eat. Which is why I figured it was about time I come up with an air fryer version. And let’s just say it does NOT disappoint.

This Air Fryer Cod is lightly breaded and perfectly crispy – just like your favorite restaurant, but without all the oil. So we can all enjoy a little more fish fry… and feel good about doing it!

Speaking of feeling good about the food we eat, I recently had the opportunity to travel to Indiana with an organization called Best Food Facts to learn all about sustainable U.S. aquaculture. (In other words, fish farming!) We visited two Indiana farms that raise sustainable fish and seafood and spent 3 days learning from farmers and other experts about where our fish comes from. I learned so much about farm raised fish and why we can ALL feel good about it. (Read more about my experience below! As always, all opinions are my own.)

what you’ll need for this recipe

Cod – 1 pound of fresh cod loins or fillets. I would recommend loins for the most even cooking, since loins are the thickest sections from the middle of fillets, while fillets include thinner portions.

Breading – All purpose flour, beaten eggs, and panko bread crumbs create a crispy breading that sticks to the fish and holds up well in the air fryer.

Seasoning – Any seasonings of your choice. I used a combination of garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt & pepper.

how to make air fryer cod

Prep the fish & breading. Cut the fish into 6-8 portions and set aside. Using 3 bowls, add the flour and half of the seasonings to the first one, add the beaten eggs to the second one, and add the panko crumbs and remaining seasonings to the third one. Mix the seasonings into the flour and bread crumbs.

Coat the fish. Using a fork, dip each portion of fish into the flour mixture, followed by the egg mixture and finally the bread crumbs. Be sure the fish is fully coated after each step, and use your hands to press the bread crumbs onto the fish if necessary.

Air fry the fish. Transfer the breaded fish into an air fryer that has been pre-heated to 400°F. Spray lightly with olive oil. Air fry for 8-10 minutes, flipping after 5 minutes and spraying with additional oil as desired. Fish is done when internal temperature reaches 145°F.

As I mentioned, I recently traveled to Indianapolis with Best Food Facts to learn about aquaculture practices in the U.S. Best Food Facts is an organization that addresses important questions and concerns about food and agriculture, aiming to provide objective, fact-based information to consumers.

We visited two different farms, where we spoke directly with farmers and learned about the practices they implement to ensure a sustainable, high-quality product. We started our day at Hanilu Farms In Frankfort, Indiana, a family-owned farm run by 4th generation farmer Leland Meador.

Hanilu produces about 2,000 pounds of Australian barramundi each week, all year-round. They use a Recirculating Aquaculture System, which is a state of the art system that reuses and filters water to maintain an optimal environment for the fish while minimizing environmental impact. It is widely known as one of the most sustainable methods of fish farming, with 99.1% of the water being reused.

Lesson #1: Sustainability is key in U.S. aquaculture.

I was impressed, not only with the sustainability measures at Hanilu, but also by the measures they take to ensure water quality and fish health.

Leland explained that they check the water quality in three different systems every single day, and also monitor the health of the fish on a daily basis using visual cues and looking for any changes in the appearance of the fish or the water.

They use a customized feed blend to maximize the health of the fish, sort the fish by hand based on size and growth, and test the fish regularly for bacterial or viral infections according to federal and state regulations.

In Leland’s words, “People in America don’t eat enough fish… it’s one of the healthiest things you can eat. Farm Raised in the USA has so many regulations… you can trust it. In fact, you should eat it above and beyond anything else you can find. If it’s raised in the USA, it’s good to eat.”

Lesson #2: Healthy fish and a high quality product is a farmer’s first priority, and they take a hands on approach to ensure it.

oven instructions

To make this in the oven, place panko crusted fish on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 10-12 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F.

storing & reheating air fryer cod

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat, transfer to your air fryer basket and heat at 350° for 5-7 minutes or until heated through. You can also reheat it in the oven at 350° or a small skillet over medium heat.