This Crispy Oven Fried Fish is so much better than store-bought. It gets really crunchy and will become a new favorite for both kids and adults.
I always have a few tricks up my sleeve to make anything oven-fried taste really great. This is basically baked breaded fish. My homemade breaded fish blows frozen fish sticks out of the water by far!.
What can I say? I love everything that’s baked in the oven. And breaded fish might be my favorite way to bake fish.
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities!.
Breading fish is a great way to add flavor and texture, but getting the breading to adhere properly can be tricky If the breading falls off during cooking, you’re left with a soggy, naked piece of fish Fortunately, there are some simple tricks to help make your breading stick to fish perfectly every time.
In this complete guide, we’ll walk through the key steps and ingredients to create a flavorful fish dish with a crisp golden breading that stays put from fryer to plate.
Why Breading Falls Off Fish
Before diving into solutions, it helps to understand why breading often detaches from fish during cooking There are a few main culprits
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Moisture – Fish naturally contains moisture. If the surface isn’t dried properly before breading, steam from the moisture will push the breading off during cooking.
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Insufficient binding – The breading needs something sticky underneath it to adhere properly. An egg wash or buttermilk soak provides this tacky binding layer.
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Oily fish – Fish like salmon and tuna contain oils that can prevent breading from sticking. Choosing leaner fish is best.
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Frozen fish – Ice crystals in frozen fish lead to the release of extra moisture during cooking. Thaw fish completely before breading.
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Delicate fish – Soft, flaky varieties like sole are hard to bread as they tend to break apart easily. Heartier fish hold up better.
Choosing the Right Fish
The type of fish you select will impact how well the breading sticks. Your best bets:
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Firm, thick fillets – Halibut, cod, tilapia, etc. Thin delicate fillets are prone to overcooking.
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Low oil content – Lean fish like tilapia, cod, catfish. Oily fish leads to soggy breading.
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Fresh over frozen – Fresh fish has less surface moisture than thawed frozen fish.
Ask your fishmonger for recommendations if you’re unsure which fish works best!
Prepping Fish for Breading
Proper prep is crucial for getting breading to adhere. Follow these steps:
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Pat fish dry – Use paper towels to remove excess surface moisture. Let fish sit out briefly to air dry further.
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Season fish – Salt and pepper or spice rubs enhance flavor. Avoid wet marinades.
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Chill fish – Place fish on a baking sheet and refrigerate 30 mins to an hour before breading.
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Dredge in flour – Lightly coat fish in flour seasoned with salt and pepper. Shake off excess.
These simple prep steps remove moisture, add flavor, and ready the fish for breading. Now let’s look at how to create the all-important tacky binding layer.
Creating a Binding Agent
An egg wash or buttermilk soak act as a “glue” to make breading stick to fish.
Egg Wash
The classic binding option.
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Whisk 1-2 eggs with 1-2 tbsp water or milk
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Thoroughly coat fish with egg mixture
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For extra flavor, season the egg wash
Buttermilk Soak
A tangy, Southern-style binder.
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Pour buttermilk into a shallow bowl
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Soak fish 5-10 minutes, turning to coat
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Remove fish and let excess buttermilk drip off
Both egg wash and buttermilk work wonderfully to adhere breading. Use your binding agent of choice.
Choosing Breading
With a binding layer in place, next up is the breading. Consider these options:
Dry Breadcrumbs
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Panko – Light, ultra-crispy Japanese crumbs
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Fresh breadcrumbs – Toast bread, then pulse in a food processor
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Store-bought dried breadcrumbs – Look for varieties without added salt or sugar
Wet Batter
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Beer batter – Light, crispy coating made with beer & flour
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Cornmeal – Adds crunch and nutty flavor
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Cracker crumbs – Crushed saltine, Ritz, etc for extra flavor
Mixtures & Add-Ins
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Flavored breadcrumbs – Lemon pepper, ranch, garlic parmesan, etc.
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Shredded cheese – Parmesan, cheddar, etc.
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Chopped nuts – Pecans, almonds, etc.
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Dried herbs – Rosemary, thyme, oregano work well
Get creative with flavors and textures! Press the breading onto the fish firmly so it adheres.
Frying Breaded Fish
To cook breaded fish:
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Preheat oil – 1/2 inch depth in skillet. 350°F for frying.
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Cook fish – Lower fish gently into oil and fry 3-5 minutes per side.
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Don’t crowd – Avoid overcrowding to prevent sticking. Fry in batches.
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Blot oil – Drain fried fish on paper towels. Season with salt.
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Oven alternative – For healthier baking, coat fish in breadcrumbs and bake at 400°F 15-20 minutes.
Troubleshooting Common Breading Problems
Follow these tips if you’re having issues with your breading:
Breading falls off
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Fish wasn’t dried properly before breading
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Insufficient binding agent (egg/buttermilk)
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Breadcrumbs weren’t pressed into fish firmly enough
Breading is patchy
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Egg wash or buttermilk wasn’t evenly applied
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Breadcrumbs weren’t evenly distributed
Breading is soggy
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Oil wasn’t hot enough for frying
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Fish released extra moisture during baking
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Excess wet batter on fish soaked breadcrumbs
Breading burns
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Oil was too hot for frying
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Fish cooked too long and breading overbrowned
Storing and Reheating Breaded Fish
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Refrigerate breaded fish up to 2 days before cooking
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Reheat fried fish in a 375°F oven 5-10 minutes
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Microwave breaded fish 1-2 minutes with a splash of water
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Enjoy leftover baked breaded fish cold or reheated
With the right techniques and a little practice, you can become a breading pro! Use this guide to make restaurant-quality breaded fish at home any night of the week. Let us know how your breaded fish creations turn out.
Bake the fish correctly
- do NOT line the pan
- Use a DARK pan. I like this roaster because it prevents splattering in the oven. This is an affiliate link, which means I will get paid if you buy something after clicking on it.
- preheat the pan in the oven until it’s sizzling hot
- don’t skimp on the butter
- finish under the broiler (but don’t burn the fish!)
- Do not let the fish sit for too long after baking. Give it three to four minutes to rest.
We love this so many different ways!
- in a sandwich bun with coleslaw
- with peas, homemade tartar sauce, French fries or mashed potatoes
- with rice and a big salad
- Creamed corn, creamed spinach, or roasted asparagus are some other tasty vegetable sides.
PS: If you make this recipe, please rate it with stars and leave a comment below. I value your opinion. Also, please follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram.
How to make Oven Fried Fish
1. Start by preheating the oven to 430°F. Place a dark-colored sheet pan in the oven to heat up.
2. Get the ingredients for the breading ready. Put the dry ingredients in a shallow dish and beat the eggs in a bowl. Cut the fish into 8-10 equal pieces and lightly season with salt/pepper.
breading ingredients
breading prepared
3. To bread the fish, toss the pieces carefully in the dry mixture first, to create a thin coating. Shake off any excess.
Then, dredge each piece through the beaten eggs, and finally thickly bread with the dry breading mix.
toss fish in flour
dredge through egg
breaded fish
Note: How to get the breading to stick
Pay close attention to the breading method (thin coating of dry ingredients, dredge through egg, thick coating of dry ingredients) so the breading sticks.
To make the breading stick well to the fish, I suggest the following steps for the thick coating of dry ingredients:
scoop on dry breading
pound breaded fish
- To move the egg-washed fish from the bowl with the eggs to the bowl with the dry ingredients without touching the flour, you should always use the same spoon. This spoon is your “wet spoon,” and you don’t want it to touch the dry ingredients because it will get messy.
- After putting the fish fillet into the dish with the dry breading mix, use a different spoon or small measuring cup to add more dry breading on top of it. Be careful not to get this spoon wet with the egg wash.
- To put the breading on the fish, use the measuring cup or the back of the spoon. Pressing down on the breading will make the fish a little flatter, but it will also help the breading stick very well.
- Mix in more dry bread crumbs and pound the fish some more.
For a super-thick coating, repeat the egg wash and breading once more. If you want a very thick layer of “batter” on your fish, you can double the breading. No need to do this, though.
4. Melt the butter in a pan that has already been heated, or grease it with a lot of vegetable oil. Spray both sides of the fish with a lot of cooking spray.
On the pan, put the fish pieces. Make sure there is enough space between each piece; don’t stack them! Bake for 10 minutes, flip (add more fat as needed) and finish baking for 5-10 minutes.
You can finish it under the broiler for 1-2 minutes for a super crispy finish.
There are some things you HAVE to do in order to cook the best battered fish in the oven. Nothing is optional in this recipe ?):
How to get Breading to Stick to Fried Foods
Does breading stick to fish?
To get breading to stick to fish, it is important to start with a dry surface. Use paper towels to blot the fish dry and remove any excess moisture. This will help the breading to adhere better and create a crispy texture when cooked. Another tip is to let the fish sit in the refrigerator, uncovered, for 30 minutes before breading.
How do you bread fish before cooking?
Use paper towels to blot the fish dry and remove any excess moisture. This will help the breading to adhere better and create a crispy texture when cooked. Another tip is to let the fish sit in the refrigerator, uncovered, for 30 minutes before breading. This will help to dry out the surface of the fish and give the breading something to stick to.
How do you bread fish with flour?
Flour is an important step in the breading process, as it helps the breading stick to the fish. Choose all-purpose flour, as it is finer and will create a more even coating. Before coating the fish in flour, make sure the fish is dry, as any moisture on the surface can cause the flour to clump.
Do Crumbs stick to fried fish?
If they’re wet, the crumbs will stick to your hands instead. Start by dredging the fish lightly in flour. Then dip it into your beaten egg. Then, with your dry hands, pat the crumbs all over the piece of fish. The crumbs should stick to the egg. Some people find that the batter or crumbs come off the fish and stick to the pan when they are frying.