Air Fryer Catfish Nuggets

Air fryer catfish nuggets are crispy, tender, and a healthier fried fish option for dinner. The air fryer cooks catfish with a crunchy texture and savory flavor without the excess oil and calories. These catfish nuggets are perfect for a quick and easy meal or tasty appetizer and are sure to become a favorite in your household.

Catfish nuggets in the air fryer cook up evenly so you end up with a crispy outer layer while the fish stays moist and tender on the inside. So, the next time you're craving catfish, give air frying a try and enjoy a delicious, guilt-free meal.

This was inspired by my air fryer haddock recipe and pairs well with this air fryer sweet potato fries.

Why You Will Love This Air Fryer Catfish Recipe

• Quick and Easy. All it takes is 22 minutes from start to finish. This dish is perfect for busy weeknights or last-minute entertaining.
• Great Texture and Flavor. The air fryer cooks the catfish evenly, ensuring juicy and tender fish within each nugget with a crispy, golden-brown crust on the outside.
• Family Favorite. The mild flavor and fun nugget shape make this dish a crowd-pleaser that even kids and picky eaters will enjoy.

Ingredients

You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. They're all easily found in your kitchen or at your local grocery store.

• Catfish: An inexpensive and easy-to-find option for this recipe but it will easily work with other whitefish like cod, haddock, or tilapia as well.
• All-Purpose Flour: The base of the crispy breading for the catfish but you can also use corn starch, almond, or rice flour instead.
• Large Eggs: Helps the crumb mixture adhere to the fish. Another option is using heavy cream instead.
• Panko Crumbs: For extra crunch! These Japanese-style bread crumbs are light, airy, and crisp, giving the fish the best crunchy texture but breadcrumbs will work in a pinch.
• Garlic Powder: For just a hint of flavor on our crispy breading. Use can swap it for a spice blend like cajun or Old Bay seasoning instead.
• Salt: A wonderful and necessary flavor enhancer.

See the recipe card below for the exact quantities of each ingredient.

Substitutions and Variations

If you're looking to switch up your catfish nuggets recipe, there are plenty of options for substitutions and variations.

• Skip the Homemade Breading: Use a store-bought breading or fish fry mix instead.
• Cornmeal: If you like the crunch of cornmeal you can swap out the panko breadcrumbs for cornmeal instead.
• Spicy: Add some spice to your breading with a pinch or two of chili pepper flakes, jalapeno powder, smoked jalapeno powder, or chipotle powder.

How to Make Air Fryer Catfish Nuggets

Making these easy catfish nuggets is just as easy as shopping for the ingredients. It only takes a few minutes and a few simple steps. That's it!

1. Cut the catfish into chunks and place the flour, egg, and panko mixture into separate bowls.

2. Dredge each nugget in the flour, egg, and panko, in that order.

3. Place the catfish nuggets in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
4. Air fry until golden brown.

⭐ Hint: Be sure to give your nuggets a gentle shake between each of the ingredients when breading to ensure an even coating and allow excess to drip or fall off.

If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy these air fryer fried chicken thighs, Baked Catfish No Breading, Easy Catfish Tacos or Best Catfish Sandwich.

Storage

• Refrigerator: Store leftover catfish nuggets for up to 3 days in an air-tight container.
• Freezer: Store fully cooked and cooked nuggets for up to 3 months in an air-tight, freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag.
• Reheat: Reheat them in the air fryer for 2 to 3 minutes at 350° F. If frozen, thaw them out in the fridge overnight before cooking.

What to Serve with Catfish Nuggets

Serve your crispy catfish nuggets in the air fryer with some of our favorite fried fish sides like:

• Sauce: The nuggets are even better with a dipping sauce. Try our 3 Ingredient Tartar Sauce, Kraft Tartar Sauce Copycat Recipe, or this Onion Ketchup.
• Vegetables: Slow cooker corn on the cob, sweet and sour green beans or sweet green beans.
• Fried Sides: French Fries and Onion Rings are classic additions!
• Comfort Food: For a heartier meal serve up your favorite comfort food sides such as Cheesy Twice Baked Potato Boats, Supreme Mashed Potato Casserole, or Slow Cooker Bacon Macaroni and Cheese.
• Add a Salad: Our Best Broccoli Salad and Bell Pepper Salad are simple additions!

Need more inspiration? Try one of our favorite side dishes from this collection of what to serve with fish sticks or starch side dishes for more!

Tips

• Preheat your air fryer before cooking. This ensures that the nuggets are cooked evenly and reach the correct temperature.
• Lightly spray your nuggets with non-stick cooking spray before frying. This helps ensure that the breading doesn't stick to the air fryer basket and becomes evenly crispy and golden brown.
• Evenly space the nuggets. Make sure the catfish nuggets in the air fryer are not touching or overcrowded in the basket.
• Let them rest. After removing your nuggets from the air fryer, let them rest for a few minutes. This lets the internal temperature equalize and allows the coating to set, ensuring a pleasant texture when you bite into them.

FAQ

More Seafood Recipes

Do you like seafood? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.

Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.