Battered or crumbed? That’s always the question when it comes to the fillets in fried fish sandwiches. Why decide? We opted for both for a rich, maximum crunch.
We developed a creamy batter that will stick to the fillets (thanks to the flour in the mix). Then we dredged the fillets in panko for tons of crunch per bite from an air fryer. Thus, we get the best of both worlds: a rich but still crunchy coating. If you like, you can raise the bar by adding a slice of sharp American-style cheddar cheese to each sandwich, or sprinkling the crispy fish fillets with malt vinegar before building the sandwiches.
This recipe was excerpted from 'The Look and Cook Air Fryer Bible' by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough. Buy the full book on Amazon.
What you’ll need
Air Fryer
$130 $70 At Amazon
Panko Bread Crumbs
$13 At Amazon
Smoked Paprika
$8 At Hive
Onion Powder
$7 At Amazon
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 4 sandwiches
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
With the basket in the machine or the tray set at the center level in a toaster-oven-style model, heat an air fryer to 400°F on the air fryer setting.
Step 2
Spread the bread crumbs in a shallow soup plate, small pie plate, or medium food storage container. Whisk the eggs, mayonnaise, mustard, flour, paprika, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a second shallow soup plate, small pie plate, or medium food storage container until uniform.
Step 3
Set all of the fish fillets in the egg mixture and turn them to coat. If your containers or bowls are small, you’ll need to work in batches in this step.
Step 4
Pick up one coated fillet from the egg mixture and set in the breadcrumbs. Turn repeatedly, pressingly gently, to coat all sides with the bread crumbs. Transfer to a cutting board and repeat with the remaining fillets.
Step 5
Generously coat the fillets on all sides with nonstick spray.
Step 6
Set the fillets without touching in the heated machine and air-fry undisturbed for 10 minutes, or until browned with a crisp coating. Gently transfer the fillets to a wire rack. Be careful to keep the coating intact. Lightly coat the cut side of the buns with nonstick spray. Set them cut side up in the machine and air-fry for about 2 minutes, or until very lightly toasted. (Be careful: They can dry out.) Work in batches as necessary.
Step 7
Transfer the buns cut side up to a cutting board. Slather the bottom halves with tartar sauce and top each with a fish fillet. Close the buns and serve with more tartar sauce on the side for dipping.
Recipe notes
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