Air Fryer Fish Nuggets

Fish nuggets were kinda’ an experiment but they were so yummy I thought I’d share! Bite size pieces perfect for little fingers and full of protein for the win. Just one more air fryer recipe even my kids love after school.

Now we’ve made a lot of air fryer fish lately. We just can’t get enough of it. I would say these are a bit like air fryer fish sticks but you can make them any size you want and know exactly what is in it. They are high in protein and low in fat it is something on our menu each week.

If you’re looking for an easy Ninja Foodi recipe you’re in luck. Using the air crisp function on that machine, and our directions, you’ll love this meal too. Use your favorite fillets cut into bite size pieces and your favorite seasoning, even your kiddos will want seconds.

Ingredient Notes

The seasonings I just threw together. Of course you can swap out what you love more but Old Bay is my go to really. I personally like to add flavor but tone down on the salt. You can always add more of that when it is served.

I just used all purpose flour and egg as a coating for this. You could alternatively use a bagged fish breading mix of sorts and go that direction too. I’m sure the timing would be the same as ours using that on the outside.

What Kind of Fish to Use for Fish Nuggets

The one thing you should remember is that your filet should be on the firmer side. If you are just beginning with learning to love fish I might start the journey with some cod and some seasoned breadcrumbs. That is a very mild flavored piece of seafood and you can work your way up from there to things like air fryer fried shrimp and even air fryer bang bang shrimp.

Catfish Nuggets

This time I chose a few cod fillets because it was on sale really, and I knew it was somewhat firm. That is important but there are several other varieties that would work just as well, like catfish too. Any way you “slice it” just make sure that they are equal sizes so they cook evenly to a crisp golden brown texture.

Salmon Nuggets

If you love this pink variety, I get it, we do as well. You may have cooked our filet of air fryer salmon but especially if you have kids, finger foods are way more fun to eat. Since each piece is coated it has more flavor too and you can just pop them into your mouth!!

Can you use frozen fish?

It would not be recommended to use frozen fish even if it was cut into cubes like this. For one it won’t bread well, it will fall right off. Second of all the middle will be cold by the time the outside gets crispy so it is advised to buy fresh or defrost first.

Can you cook frozen fish nuggets in air fryer?

Yes, if you bought a bag that is already breaded like cooking air fryer frozen chicken nuggets those will work. You’d surprisingly use the same timing as below. Reason this works is the fish is breaded when thawed initially and then frozen.

Can you make fish nuggets with no breading?

You could but they aren’t nearly as good. You’d want to decrease the timing to about 4-6 minutes depending on their size and toss halfway. I would recommend seasoning quite a bit or there won’t be a lot of flavor but yes this is an option.

You can throw this into an fish tacos when you’re done too if you want. Wrapped inside a small flour tortilla with some white sauce and cabbage it will fill lots of tummies, not cost a lot and tastes amazing as well.

Step by Step Recipe Photos

How Long to Cook Fish Nuggets in Air Fryer

You are going to want about 8 minutes or so but the cook time will vary depending on how thick and large your pieces are. Flipping halfway thru is important to rotate the food and allow each side to get really crispy. This is when the non stick spray comes in really handy, so all your breading doesn’t fall off when you rotate them.

Like I said before, if your pieces are quite thick your timing may be closer to 10-12 minutes versus my 8. I would check after 8 though and break one piece open to check. Air fryer oysters are about the same time, sometimes we make both for a seafood dinner.

How Long to Cook Fish Fingers in Air fryer

If you chose to slice these into longer pieces like frozen chicken tenders in air fryer they would take a bit longer. I wouldn’t increase time by more than a minute or so though. I would use more bite size pieces though just to ensure the texture is the same all the way through.

Remove fried fish, taste, sprinkle more salt and pepper on if desired and enjoy with tartar sauce.

Should you flip them over?

The key is placing your fish bites into a single layer. This is important. Not only do you not want them sticking together but you need the hot air to touch it all the way around. AND you will want to flip them halfway thru for every piece to get crispy golden brown.

Tips for Success

MAKE sure you spray the basket with non stick spray first though! These will definitely stick with the flour coating and you don’t want any to fall off. I learned that the hard way on the first round because I totally forgot to do it, after that they just slid right out.

This is what I found to be the best method to add the most seasoning but not overdo it. I lightly sprinkled the walleye fish pieces with salt and pepper, then dunked into the flour, then the egg, and the flour again.

If you have a Foodi you could do this same method but make air fryer fish and chipswith french fries on the bottom! Air frying is a game changer when you’re a busy family who’s meal planning for a group.

What do you dip fish nuggets in?

You can serve the fish nuggets with a variety of dipping sauces, such as tartar sauce, ketchup, or ranch dressing but think outside of the box….. My family loves fry sauce too and/or for a spicy kick serve with some chili sauce.

Next you should try air fryer catfish too and go from there. A little spray will get the outside crispy yet keeping the inside nice and tender.