Air fryer frozen fish fillets
Plain frozen fish fillets go straight from the freezer to the air fryer and come out flaky and golden under a lemon garlic butter.
- 25 min total
- 5 min hands-on
- Anyone can make this
- Serves 2
- About $2.21 a serving
- 210 calories
- Gluten-free
Dolly says: I’d make this on a weeknight. It’s on the table in 25 minutes.
Ingredients
For 2 servings.
- 12 oz frozen white fish fillets, 3 or 4 fillets, still frozen
- 1 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
- 1 tbsp butter, melted
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 lemon, half juiced, half cut into wedges
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
From your pantry
- 1 tsp olive oil
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp paprika
Each serving has about 210 calories, 27 g protein, 4 g carbs and 10 g fat, and costs about $2.21 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No butter? Ghee works.
- No lemons? Limes work.
- No fresh parsley? Cilantro works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
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
the frozen fillets under cold water to off the icy glaze, then them dry.
Rinse. Rinsing means running cold water over rice or canned beans in a strainer while you swish them around. It washes off loose starch and can liquid, so rice cooks up fluffy and beans taste clean.
How you’ll know: The water running out goes from cloudy to mostly clear; it doesn’t have to be perfect.
Melt. Melting means gently heating something solid, like butter or cheese, until it turns liquid. Low or medium heat keeps it from browning or burning.
How you’ll know: It’s smooth and liquid, and butter may foam a little but hasn’t turned brown.
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: Ice on the outside turns to steam and keeps the fish pale. A quick rinse and a pat fix it.Brush the fillets with the oil and sprinkle both sides with the lemon pepper, garlic powder and paprika.
Lay them in the basket in one layer and air fry for 8 minutes.
Timer: 8 min
Flip and air fry 5 to 7 minutes more, until the fish is opaque all the way through and flakes easily in the thickest part.
Timer: 6 min
Dolly’s tip: Thick fillets need the longer time. Cut into the thickest one to check.Food safety: Fish is done at 145°F, when the middle looks opaque and flakes apart easily with a fork.
the butter with the garlic and lemon juice, spoon it over the fish and scatter the parsley on top. Serve with the lemon wedges.
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.
Melt. Melting means gently heating something solid, like butter or cheese, until it turns liquid. Low or medium heat keeps it from browning or burning.
How you’ll know: It’s smooth and liquid, and butter may foam a little but hasn’t turned brown.
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.
