Whether it’s Mardis Gras, Lent, or just a normal night around here, my whole family loves some fried catfish. If you’re not looking for a whole filet, though, these easy air fryer catfish nuggets are the perfect choice. They only require 3 ingredients, and cook in under 15 minutes!
Why Make Catfish Nuggets in the Air Fryer
Around where I live, catfish is plentiful, meaning it’s a relatively inexpensive fish. However, that doesn’t mean it’s not delicious! The air fryer provides an ideal cooking method to deliver crispy breading and juicy fish, all in under 15 minutes.
These catfish nuggets are a perfect dish on their own or dunked in your favorite seafood sauces (I like remoulade personally) and dips. However, they’re equally great stacked on a roll for a classic fried po-boy sandwich!
I’m keeping the prep time to a minimum by using a pre-blended Louisiana style fish fry seasoning, which is cornmeal based. However, you can adjust it to taste, make your own, or swap things up with panko breadcrumbs. They’re all delicious!
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Ingredients For Air Fryer Catfish Nuggets
- 1 pound catfish nuggets or filets, skin removed (defrosted if frozen)
- 10 oz seasoned fish fry breading (such as Louisiana Fish Fry Products or Zatarain’s)
- 1 Tablespoon Cajun or Creole seasoning (such as Tony Chachere’s) – optional
- Nonstick spray
- Dipping sauce or sandwich fixings as desired (optional)
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Catfish. I find that filets are easiest to locate, but sometimes your local grocer or fish market will have nugget sized trimmings already. If you don’t like catfish, this recipe works with other white fish as well – try substituting tilapia, cod, haddock or bass.
- Breading. Use a cornmeal based breading mix. If you can find an air fryer specific one, feel free to use that and omit the additional oil (it comes with it in the mix). This amount breads between 2-3 pounds so if you want to make more you can
- If you prefer to make your own breading mix, use ½ cup each flour and cornmeal, plus 1 tsp salt. Add ½ Tablespoon each of garlic powder and Cajun or blackening seasoning
- You can also add some additional seasoning to the pre-made mix if desired. I sometimes add a little black pepper, paprika, onion powder, lemon pepper, Cajun, Creole, or Old Bay seasoning to my mix for some extra flavor!
How to Cook Catfish Nuggets in Air Fryer: Step By Step
- Cut your catfish fillets into 1” chunks, and pat dry with a paper towel
- Pour cornmeal breading mixture into a mixing bowl or Ziploc style bag. Add any other desired seasonings at this time and stir in well (optional)
- Add the catfish nuggets to the bowl or bag and toss to coat evenly in the breading
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F
- Spray the air fryer basket with nonstick spray
- Shake off any loose or excess breading, and add the catfish nuggets to the air fryer basket in a single layer. Don’t overcrowd; cook in batches if needed for the size of your air fryer
- Spritz the nuggets with a little bit of olive oil spray or other oil mist (optional, only if not using air fryer specific seasoning)
- Cook nuggets on air fry setting for 5 minutes at 400°F, then flip and reapply oil
- Continue cooking for an additional 5-7 minutes, or until breading browns and catfish reaches an internal temperature of 145°F
- Serve with a squeeze of lemon juice (or lemon wedges), your favorite sauces, or on a sandwich!
Serving Suggestions For Catfish Nuggets
- Coleslaw
- Collard greens
- Cucumber salad
- Fried green tomatoes
- Mac and cheese
- Hush puppies
- Cornbread
- Creamed corn
- Fried okra
- Potato salad
- French fries
- Onion rings
- Grits
- Tartar sauce
- Hot sauce
- Remoulade
- Lemon wedges
- Peach cobbler
Try these air fryer catfish nuggets with my Air Fryer Frozen Hush Puppies, Air Fryer Fried Green Tomatoes, crispy Frozen Onion Rings in the Air Fryer, easy Microwave Grits, or this creamy Air Fryer Corn Casserole for the perfect side!
Some Air Fryer Peach Cobbler makes the perfect dessert as well to round out your meal.
Recipe FAQs
How Long Does Catfish Go in the Air Fryer?
Catfish typically goes for about 20 minutes in the air fryer as a whole filet. The smaller nuggets only need to cook for 10-15 minutes, depending on thickness.
Cook catfish to an internal temperature of 145℉ for food safety.
At What Temperature Do You Cook Catfish in an Air Fryer?
Catfish should be cooked at a temp of 400℉ in an air fryer.
This temperature ensures that the fish gets cooked through without drying out.
Can You Fry Catfish Nuggets Without Breading?
Yes, you can fry catfish nuggets without breading. Coat them in a small amount of olive oil and seasonings for flavor. Start with 8 minutes of cook time at 400℉.
This is a great option if you’re on a gluten free or Keto diet.
Do You Rinse Catfish Before Cooking?
It is good practice to rinse catfish before cooking, to remove any outside contaminants. Pat dry before breading to ensure that it adheres well.
Additionally, you may soak your catfish in milk or buttermilk to help eliminate any fishy odors.
How Do You Know When Catfish Nuggets Are Done?
The best way to know when catfish nuggets are done is to check the internal temperature, which should be at least 145°F.
Otherwise, telltale signs are a golden brown breading, and the flesh of the fish should be opaque and flake easily with a fork.
Should You Soak Catfish Before Frying?
Soaking catfish before frying is entirely optional, but it can help to reduce the fishy taste and smell.
If you choose to do so, soak the fish for about 20 minutes in milk. Then, rinse and pat dry before proceeding with the recipe as normal.
Recipe Pro Tips For the Best Air Fryer Catfish Nuggets
- You may soak your catfish nuggets in milk ahead of time to eliminate any fishy smells. Just make sure to still pat them dry before breading
- My nuggets were perfectly cooked after 12 minutes in a Ninja Foodi Dual Zone air fryer. Other air fryers, thickness of nuggets, and how densely you place them into the basket will cause this to vary slightly
- If you don’t pat your fish dry well, you’ll end up with less crispy breading. They’ll still taste good, but you won’t get the crunch!
Storage and Reheating Tips
- Store any leftover catfish nuggets in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For longer term storage, store in the freezer up to 2 months
- To reheat catfish nuggets in the air fryer, use a lower temperature of 350°F, and heat for 4-6 minutes, until heated through and recrisped (I usually shake the basket once for even heating). Note that the times can vary slightly between different air fryers and nugget sizes, so adjust as needed for your specific situation
More Air Fryer Fish Recipes
Final Thoughts
These crispy air fryer catfish nuggets are so easy to make! Whether you’re cooking them for Mardis Gras, Lent, or just loading up your favorite po-boy on a weeknight, they’re a quick but satisfying option.
Plus, with only 3 ingredients and under 15 minutes of cooking time, you really can’t go wrong with this easy meal!
I love to serve them with coleslaw and hush puppies, but they’re really great any way you enjoy your fried fish!
Easy Air Fryer Catfish Nuggets (Cornmeal Breading)
Equipment
- Mixing bowl (or Ziploc bag)
Ingredients
- 1 Pound catfish nuggets or filets, skin removed (defrosted if frozen)
- 10 Ounce package seasoned fish fry breading (such as Louisiana Fish Fry Products or Zatarain’s)
- 1 Tbsp Cajun or Creole seasoning (optional) such as Tony Chachere’s
- Nonstick spray
- Dipping sauce or sandwich fixings as desired (optional)
Instructions
- Cut your catfish into 1” chunks, and pat dry with a paper towel1 Pound catfish nuggets or filets, skin removed
- Pour cornmeal breading mix into a mixing bowl or Ziploc style bag. Add any other desired seasonings at this time and stir in well (optional)10 Ounce package seasoned fish fry breading, 1 Tbsp Cajun or Creole seasoning (optional)
- Add the catfish nuggets to the bowl or bag and toss to coat evenly in the breading
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F
- Spray the air fryer basket with nonstick sprayNonstick spray
- Shake off any loose or excess breading, and add the catfish nuggets to the air fryer basket in a single layer
- Spritz the nuggets with a little bit of nonstick spray or other oil mist (optional, only if not using air fryer specific seasoning)
- Cook nuggets on air fry setting for 5 minutes at 400°F, then flip and reapply oil
- Continue cooking for an additional 5-7 minutes, or until breading browns and catfish reaches an internal temperature of 145°F
- Serve with lemon wedges, your favorite sauces, or on a sandwich!Dipping sauce or sandwich fixings as desired
Notes
- Catfish filets are usually easiest to find, but sometimes your local grocer or fish market will have nugget sized trimmings already. If you don’t like catfish, this recipe works with other white fish as well – try substituting tilapia, cod, haddock or bass.
- This recipe uses a cornmeal based breading mix. If you can find an air fryer specific one, feel free to use that and omit the additional oil (it comes with it in the mix). This amount breads between 2-3 pounds so if you want to make more you can
- If you prefer to make your own breading mix, use ½ cup each flour and cornmeal. Add ½ Tablespoon each of garlic powder and Cajun or blackening seasoning
- You can also add some additional seasoning to the pre-made mix if desired (like I have here). Cajun, Creole or Old Bay seasoning are great options for extra flavor or spice
- You may soak your catfish nuggets in milk ahead of time to eliminate any fishy smells. Just make sure to still pat them dry before breading
- My nuggets were perfectly cooked after 12 minutes in a Ninja Foodi Dual Zone air fryer. Other air fryers, thickness of nuggets, and how densely you place them into the basket will cause this to vary slightly
- If you don’t pat your fish dry well, you’ll end up with less crispy breading. They’ll still taste good, but you won’t get the exterior crunch
- Nutrition assumes use of the entire container of breading (which won’t truly be the case) so adjust expectations accordingly. In addition, values will vary based on brand, additional seasonings, any sauces added, and total amount consumed, so consider this a guideline only
Nutrition
