Air fryer fish nuggets
Crunchy golden bites of white fish with a honey mustard dip, the easy way to make a fish dinner that disappears.
- 35 min total
- 20 min hands-on
- Anyone can make this
- Serves 4
- About $1.63 a serving
- 300 calories
- Dairy-free
Dolly says: Read the steps once before you start. Everything goes smoother after that.
Ingredients
For 4 servings.
- 1 lb frozen white fish fillets, thawed, patted dry and cut into 1½-inch pieces
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp yellow mustard
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
From your pantry
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Each serving has about 300 calories, 22 g protein, 27 g carbs and 12 g fat, and costs about $1.63 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No honey? Maple syrup works.
- No yellow mustard? Dijon mustard works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
Set out three shallow bowls: the flour mixed with the salt, garlic powder and paprika in the first, the beaten egg in the second, and the panko with the oil in the third.
Stir. Stirring means moving food around with a spoon or spatula so it cooks evenly and doesn’t stick. Unless the recipe says constantly, every so often is plenty, and it gives food time to brown.
How you’ll know: When you drag the spoon across the bottom, nothing is sticking or scorching.
the fish pieces dry, then coat each one in flour, dip it in egg and press it into the panko.
Pat dry. Patting dry means pressing paper towels onto food to soak up the moisture on its surface. Wet food steams instead of browning, so this is how you get a good sear and crisp skin.
How you’ll know: The surface feels tacky, not wet, and the last paper towel comes away barely damp.
Dolly’s tip: Use one hand for the dry bowls and one for the egg. It keeps your fingers from turning into breaded clubs.the air fryer to 400°F for 3 minutes.
Preheat. Preheating means turning the oven on before you start, so it’s fully hot when the food goes in. Food that starts in a cold oven cooks unevenly and doesn’t brown the same.
How you’ll know: The oven beeps or its light clicks off, usually 10 to 15 minutes after you turn it on.
Timer: 3 min
Lay half the nuggets in the basket in one layer and air fry for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway, until and the fish flakes inside.
Golden brown. Golden brown is the color of good toast, somewhere between yellow and light brown. It means the outside is cooked and crisp but not burnt.
How you’ll know: It looks like toast and smells toasty; dark brown with a bitter smell means it went too far.
Timer: 9 min
Food safety: Fish is done at 145°F, when the middle looks opaque and flakes apart easily with a fork.
Repeat with the rest of the nuggets.
Timer: 9 min
the honey, mustard and mayonnaise together and serve with the nuggets for dipping.
Stir. Stirring means moving food around with a spoon or spatula so it cooks evenly and doesn’t stick. Unless the recipe says constantly, every so often is plenty, and it gives food time to brown.
How you’ll know: When you drag the spoon across the bottom, nothing is sticking or scorching.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
