Fish and Chips (2024)

This easy beer-battered Fish and Chips recipe is perfectly crispy on the outside and tender and flakey on the inside. Pair it with my homemade tartar sauce and fresh fries for a truly remarkable meal!

Want to try more seafood recipes? Here are my favorite Crab Cakes, the most delicious Clam Chowder, or learn How to Cook Crab Legs!

Why I love this recipe:

• Crispy – This is a traditional fish and chips recipe, fried with a wet batter. It gives the perfect crispy texture with a moist, flakey fish inside.
• Restaurant Quality – Follow my tips for the best fish to use and step-by-step photos and video to make sure it turns out just as great as your favorite restaurant! I’ve had Fish and Chips in England, and I’ve got to say–this recipe stacks up!
• Easy – It may sound intimidating, but you won’t believe how easy it is to make your own fish and chips.

Ingredients:

In traditional fish and chips, the fish is dipped/battered in a wet batter, then immediately put in the frier so that the batter cooks thick and puffy and crispy on the outside, followed by a little chewiness, and the fish inside is flakey and moist. Some fish and chips recipes use a “dry batter” made from breadcrumbs to create a crispy coating, which works for baked or air fryer fish and chips.

• Fish: Cod, pollock, haddock, catfish, perch, or mahi-mahi will all work in this recipe. I prefer fresh, thick cuts. If you use frozen, make sure it is completely thawed.
• Beer: Club soda or sparkling water can be substituted, but beer adds a much richer flavor to the batter. The bubbles create pockets of air in the mixture for a light, crisp batter. The end result doesn’t taste like beer.
• Baking Powder: Helps with the light, crisp batter texture.

How to make Fish and Chips:

Heat Oil: Pour 1-2 inches of oil in a large pot and heat to 350 degrees. PRO TIP:

• PRO TIPS: The oil temperature is key to success: Make sure the oil is at the right temperature. Use a thermometer to monitor the oil temp (at least 350 and no higher than 375). If the oil is too hot, the fish wont cook fast enough before the coating is overly crisp. If the oil is not hot enough, the coating will be soggy/soft instead of crisp.
  Also, don’t overcrowd the pot, which can lower the oil temp, and keep the coating from crisping.

Prepare Fish: If frozen, thaw fish completely. Depending on the size and shape of your fillets, cut them into strips that are long and at least 1 inch wide.Lay the fish fillets on a paper towel and pat dry. Season them with sea salt and pepper and then dredge each filet in a little bit of flour.

Make Batter: In a large bowl, mix the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Whisk in the beer (or sparkling water) to the flour mixture and continue mixing until you have a slightly thick, smooth batter. If it’s too thick, add a little more beer.

Dip Fish in Batter: Dip prepared fillets into the batter and use a spoon if needed to help coat the entire fillet. (If you have any leftover batter, you could also dip and fry onion rings, calamari, or shrimp!)

Fry Fish: Working in small batches so you don’t overcrowd the pans, carefully lower a few dipped fillets at a time into the hot oil. Fry for approximately 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally, until the batter is crisp and golden and the fish is perfectly cooked. I like to cook just one at the beginning to get an estimated cook time, before cooking more. You don’t want to overcook the fish! Keep in mind the fish will continue to cook a little more as it cools off on the paper towel.

Remove to Paper Towels: Once cooked, remove the fillets from the hot oil and drain on paper towels.You can keep the cooked fish warm in a 200 degree oven while you cook it all, if you want.

Serve: Use the same pot of hot oil to make French Fries, or make my Baked French Fries or Air Fryer French Fries. Serve with homemade tartar sauce (it can be made days ahead of time!) and malt vinegar, for dipping.

These are the BEST fish and chips, I can’t wait for you to try them!

Storage and Freezing Instructions:

To Store: This traditional fish and chips is best served fresh, but leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat in the air fryer at 380 degrees, just until crispy.

To Freeze: Let the fried fish fillets cool completely then store in a freezer safe bag or container for up to 2 months. Reheat in air fryer at 380 degrees until hot and crispy. Serve with tartar sauce and a slice of lemon.

Recipe Variations:

• Baked Fish and Chips would require a dry breadcrumb coating. Try this recipe!
• Air Fryer Fish and Chips: I suggest using a dry batter, like this air fryer fish and chips.
• Gluten Free Fish and Chips: substitute gluten-free all purpose baking mix, for the flour. Use gluten free beer, or club soda.

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