So much better than store-bought: This Crispy Oven Fried Fish gets super crunchy and will be a new favorite for kids and adults alike.
It is basically baked breaded fish, but I always have a few tricks up my sleeve to make anything oven fried extraordinarily good. My homemade breaded fish blows frozen fish sticks out of the water by far!
Baked breaded fish
Is it any secret that I’m obsessed with all things oven fried? And breaded fish might just be my favorite oven fried recipe.
- My foolproof breading method ensures a crispy, batter-like coating without making a fuss. It’s quick and easy!
- The fish comes out flaky and juicy on the inside, with a super-crispy coating on the outside.
- It is perfect served with French fries and tartar sauce as a healthier, homemade fish and chips!
Ingredients you’ll need
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!
Ingredient notes
- Fish: I prefer skinless cod for this recipe, because the fillets are quite thick and firm. Tilapia will also work, though the fillets tend to be much thinner and will cook faster, but they also come out a little less juicy.
- Cornmeal: I use this to make the coating a little crisper. But if you don’t have any cornmeal on hand, you can just use more breadcrumbs instead.
- Breadcrumbs: If you’re using Panko in place of the breadcrumbs, I highly recommend dredging the fish in just seasoned flour first (vs dredging it in the mix of all dry breading ingredients). This will ensure the breading comes out right.
- Seasoning: Old Bay Seasoning can be used in place of the single spices the recipe calls for. I would go for 1 tablespoon, but use more or less according to your taste.
- Fat: Even though this is not deep fried, you do need some fat to get the breading to cook and the fish to crisp up. I like using butter for the taste, but you can also use vegetable oil or, for a very lean version, cooking spray. The cooking spray tends to be not quite enough to catch all of the dry flour, so I recommend using a little bit of oil to brush on any dry patches around 5 minutes before the baking time is up.
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 your breading ingredients ready: Combine 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
For the breading to stick, it’s important to follow the breading method closely (thin coating of dry ingredients, dredge through egg, thick coating of dry ingredients).
For the thick coating of the dry ingredients, I recommend the following procedure to make the breading stick well to the fish:
scoop on dry breading pound breaded fish
- Always use the same spoon to remove the egg washed fish from the bowl with the egg and drop it into the bowl with the dry ingredients without touching the flour (this spoon remains your “wet spoon” and you want to keep it away from the dry ingredients, otherwise things get messy).
- Once you have dropped the fish piece into the dish with the dry breading mix, use a different spoon or small measuring cup to scoop dry breading on top of the fish fillet piece (this is your dry spoon, keep it away from the egg wash).
- Use the measuring cup or the back of the spoon to pound the breading onto the fish. Pounding/pressing on the breading will slightly flatten out the fish, but it also helps to make the breading stick very well.
- Turn the fish over, scoop on more dry breading mix and pound again.
For a super-thick coating, repeat the egg wash and breading once more. This is not necessary, but if you want to have a very thick layer of “batter” on your fish, you can double up on the breading.
4. Melt butter on your preheated pan (or grease it with a generous amount of vegetable oil; OR spray your fish pieces generously with cooking spray on both sides).
Place the fish pieces on the pan (make sure there is enough space between all pieces, do not 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.
Recipe tips
To cook the perfect battered fish in the oven, there are a few things you HAVE to do (yes, HAVE TO. Nothing is optional in this recipe ?):
Bread the fish correctly
The trick to getting batter to stick to fish for oven frying is pretty simple. It’s all about dipping the fillet pieces in the right ingredients in the right order:
- First, into a mix of breadcrumbs, flour, cornmeal, seasoning and baking powder (the baking powder helps the batter to rise a little, so the moisture from the fish makes it less soggy) for a thin coating.
- Then into beaten egg.
- And finally thickly coat with the breadcrumb mix again. So simple!
Bake the fish correctly
- do NOT line the pan
- use a DARK pan (I will often use a roaster like this one so I get less splattering in the oven – this is an affiliate link and I will make a commission for purchases made after clicking through)
- 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!)
- let the fish rest for 3-4 minutes after baking, but not for much longer
Serving ideas
We love this so many different ways!
- in a sandwich bun with coleslaw
- with French fries or mashed potatoes, peas and homemade tartar sauce
- with rice and a big salad
- other delicious vegetable sides: creamed corn, creamed spinach or roasted asparagus
PS If you try this recipe, please leave a review in the comment section and add a star rating in the recipe card – I appreciate your feedback! Follow along on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram.
Printable recipe
Crispy Oven Fried Fish
Recipe details
Ingredients
For the dry breading
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons fine cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons ground paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
For the eggs
- 2 large eggs
For the fish
- 1 pound thick white fish fillet I prefer cod cut into pieces, I do about 8-10 pieces
For the pan
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 430°F (220°C). Put a dark-colored roaster OR baking sheet in the oven to heat up – the pan you use to bake the fish on needs to be hot to melt butter on!
- Make breading: Mix all ingredients for dry breading in a shallow dish.
- Prep eggs: Add eggs to a SEPARATE bowl and beat well.
- Bread fish: Dip fish into breading to lightly coat. THEN coat fish with egg. FINALLY, coat fish with breading again, this time you can really pack on as much as will stick! (Just place breaded fish pieces on a plate until you've breaded them all.)
- Melt butter: Remove pan from oven – careful, it's hot! Add 3 tablespoons of butter to pan to melt. Spread all over pan and put fish pieces on.
- Bake: Bake fish for 10 minutes. Flip, add remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and finish baking for 5-10 minutes or until coating is crispy and fish is cooked through. Finish under the broiler for 2-3 minutes.
- Finish: Let fish pieces rest on the pan for 5 minutes after baking, then serve immediately.
Notes
Ingredient notes
- Fish: I prefer skinless cod for this recipe, because the fillets are quite thick and firm. Tilapia will also work, though the fillets tend to be much thinner and will cook faster, but they also come out a little less juicy.
- Cornmeal: I use this to make the coating a little crisper. But if you don’t have any cornmeal on hand, you can just use more breadcrumbs instead.
- Breadcrumbs: If you’re using Panko in place of the breadcrumbs, I highly recommend dredging the fish in just seasoned flour first (vs dredging it in the mix of all dry breading ingredients). This will ensure the breading comes out right.
- Seasoning: Old Bay Seasoning can be used in place of the single spices the recipe calls for. I would go for 1 tablespoon, but use more or less according to your taste.
- Fat: Even though this is not deep fried, you do need some fat to get the breading to cook and the fish to crisp up. I like using butter for the taste, but you can also use vegetable oil or, for a very lean version, cooking spray. The cooking spray tends to be not quite enough to catch all of the dry flour, so I recommend using a little bit of oil to brush on any dry patches around 5 minutes before the baking time is up.
Recipe tips
Neat breading- Always use the same spoon to remove the egg washed fish from the bowl with the egg and drop it into the bowl with the dry ingredients without touching the flour (this spoon remains your “wet spoon” and you want to keep it away from the dry ingredients, otherwise things get messy).
- Once you have dropped the fish piece into the dish with the dry breading mix, use a different spoon or small measuring cup to scoop dry breading on top of the fish fillet piece (this is your dry spoon, keep it away from the egg wash).
- Use the measuring cup or the back of the spoon to pound the breading onto the fish. Pounding/pressing on the breading will slightly flatten out the fish, but it also helps to make the breading stick very well.
- Turn the fish over, scoop on more dry breading mix and pound again.
- First, into a mix of breadcrumbs, flour, cornmeal, seasoning and baking powder (the baking powder helps the batter to rise a little, so the moisture from the fish makes it less soggy) for a thin coating.
- Then into beaten egg.
- And finally thickly coat with the breadcrumb mix again. So simple!
- do NOT line the pan
- use a DARK pan (I will often use a roaster like this one so I get less splattering in the oven – this is an affiliate link and I will make a commission for purchases made after clicking through)
- 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!)
- let the fish rest for 3-4 minutes after baking, but not for much longer
Nutrition
More recipe information
Recipe first published on 03/08/2019. Updated with new photos and text on 04/02/2021.
Diana says
This was really nice. The coating was crispy and the fish perfectly cooked. I took another reviewer’s suggestion, I coated the fish with cornstarch, then dipped in egg, then covered in pakno and spices. It was delicious. Served with roasted brussels sprouts. Fast and easy dinner. Thank you!
Betty says
Hi, tried the recipe and it was delicious. I baked some in oven and pan fried the rest. Both were very good. I added a scant 1/8 t cayenne to the breading mix, that gave a little kick.
debbie gorton says
Very easy, and good! I used cornstarch instead of flour. No cornmeal only spices in the cornstarch and panko as the breading. Next time I’d salt the fish first before breading. Mixed a little oil withe the melted butter in the iron skillet to help from burning the butter. Used Costco fresh cod. So yummy! Thanks! Great recipe.Debbie
Kay says
The best recipe ever for rock fish. I did reduce the flour to 1|2 cup but left everything else the same. We love this
Cecilia Corbett says
Very easy and very good. I’m a lifelong fish ‘n’ chips fan but never tried to make it myself, because I thought I couldn’t make anything as good as our local seafood restaurant. Happy to report that I was wrong. Thanks for your recipe.
Sue says
This was a great recipe! I used haddock and cut my filets into 4-5oz pieces. It was something different from my traditional baked fish with cracker crumb topping. Made my own tartar sauce & served it with fresh steamed broccoli & fresh lemon wedges. Delicious 🤤
Hilary says
Delicious. Some of the coating stuck to the pan, so more oil next time.
Emma says
Made this twice now and I’m impressed of the turnout.
Erin says
Crispy and delicious! My kids loved it! I followed the directions, they were clear and easy to read. I used safflower oil instead of butter and I skipped the final broil step.
Heather says
Great alternative to frying fish. Not low calorie because of the butter, but came out crispy. Used crappie and baked it 10 minutes, turned it and baked 5 more until I broiled it for 5.
Sherri Hancock says
We have fish a couple nights a week. some like it fried some like it grilled or baked…i will NEVER fry it any other way than OVEN FRIED! Golden, crispy on the outside, flakey on the inside. I followed the cooking part as directed but I elected to go with Louisian fish fry instead. lazy me. And I used catfish my father caught… Thank you!
Debra says
Pay attention to the recipe and enjoy! For the first dredge I used flour only with old bay seasoning. I received many compliments and have been asked for the recipe. The coating stayed on and was crisp. Very yummy
Judy says
Yum! I made this in a cast iron frypan in the oven. Lots of this some of the best fish I ever had.
Kathy says
That’s a great idea! Thanks!
Kimberly says
Wow! This is better than the church fish fries during Lent, which I look forward to every year. I eat fish every Friday, and switch it up based on whatever is on sale. I don’t often bread my own fish, usually just seasoning and either light pan fry or bake. I just got a hankering for breaded cod tonight, and couldn’t remember how much baking powder to add to the breading, so I just wanted to find any old recipe just to refresh my memory of the amount, and this looked like the best one for that. I ended up deciding to stay pretty faithful to your recipe, and it turned out to be amazing. I made a bigger batch of the breading than your recipe, which I usually do with my own recipe, to have it ready next time. I freeze that and my own chicken breading, and it keeps up to 3 good months. I’m single, so I only cook one serving of fish at a time, and that amount of breading will last that long. By the way, I use 100% whole wheat bread, and I process the heels of each loaf and freeze that to have on hand. So that’s what I used in this recipe. It was delicious!
Sharon Ianzito says
The recipe was an excellent alternative to frying in a pan. We catch fresh walleye from Oneida Lake in NYS, which can be slightly thinner than cod depending on the season caught. I cooked 8 minutes, then flipped for 5. I did not broil as the crust was golden. The 5 minute rest is essential and game changer! I did have to keep my husband from touching it before it was ready as I smelled and looked as good as it tasted.
Well Done!! This will be a staple in our walleye rotation!