Fish and chips is Britain’s most loved takeaway, and for good reason. There is nothing quite like a piece of golden battered fish with a pile of fluffy chips, a wedge of lemon and a spoonful of tartar sauce. The trouble is the traditional version needs a vat of hot oil and a chip shop queue. The air fryer changes all of that. Hot air circulates around the food, so the batter turns shatteringly crisp and the chips come out golden on the outside and soft in the middle, with only a fraction of the oil. This guide walks you through the whole thing, from cutting the chips to the final squeeze of lemon, so you can make proper chip shop style fish and chips at home on a Friday night, any night of the week.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- 4 cod or haddock fillets, about 180g each, skinless and boneless
- 120g plain flour, plus a little extra for dusting
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 150ml cold sparkling water
- 4 large Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and cut into thick chips
- 2 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil
- 1 tsp fine sea salt, plus extra to season
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp paprika (optional, for colour)
- Lemon wedges, to serve
- Tartar sauce, to serve
Method
Step 1 – Soak the chips. Cut the potatoes into thick chips, about 1.5cm wide, and drop them into a large bowl of cold water. Leave them to soak for at least 30 minutes. This washes away the surface starch, which is the secret to chips that turn crisp instead of soft and floury.
Step 2 – Dry and oil the chips. Drain the chips and pat them very dry with a clean tea towel or kitchen paper. Wet chips steam instead of crisping, so take your time here. Toss them in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of the oil and a good pinch of salt.
Step 3 – First cook for the chips. Heat the air fryer to 190°C. Spread the chips in the basket in a single layer, with a little space between them, and cook for 15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. They should be pale gold and starting to soften. Tip them out onto a plate while you cook the fish.
Step 4 – Make the batter. While the chips cook, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper and paprika together in a wide bowl. Pour in the cold sparkling water a little at a time, whisking until you have a smooth batter about as thick as double cream. Let it rest for 5 minutes. The bubbles in the sparkling water are what make the batter light and puffy, so keep the water as cold as you can.
Step 5 – Prepare the fish. Pat the fillets completely dry with kitchen paper and season them with salt and pepper. Dust each fillet lightly with a little extra flour, shaking off the excess. That thin dusting helps the batter grip the fish instead of sliding off in the basket.
Step 6 – Batter the fish. Turn the air fryer up to 200°C and let it heat for 3 minutes. Working with one fillet at a time, dip it into the batter, turn it to coat, then hold it over the bowl for a few seconds so the excess drips off. Lay it gently in the basket and brush or spray the top lightly with oil. Leave space between the fillets so the hot air can reach all sides.
Step 7 – Cook the fish. Air fry at 200°C for 10 to 12 minutes, turning the fillets carefully halfway through. The batter should be deep golden and crisp, and the fish inside should flake easily with a fork. If you have a food thermometer, the thickest part should read 63°C.
Step 8 – Crisp the chips and serve. While the fish rests for a minute, tip the chips back into the basket and cook at 200°C for 5 to 7 minutes until deep golden and crackling. Serve everything straight away with lemon wedges and tartar sauce, and a good sprinkle of salt.
Tips for the Best Results
Pick the right fish. Cod and haddock are the classics for a reason. Their firm white flesh stays juicy inside the batter and flakes beautifully. Pollock is a good cheaper swap. Avoid oily fish such as salmon or mackerel here, as the batter never quite sets the same way.
Do not overcrowd the basket. This is the single most common mistake. If the fillets or chips are packed in tight, the hot air cannot circulate and everything steams instead of crisping. Cook in batches if you need to. It is better to wait two extra minutes than to serve soggy fish.
Get the batter consistency right. It should coat the back of a spoon in a thick ribbon, like double cream. Too thin and it slides straight off the fish. Too thick and it turns heavy and doughy. If it feels too thick, whisk in a splash more sparkling water.
Keep everything cold. Cold sparkling water, cold fish, cold batter going into a hot basket. That contrast is what makes the batter puff up and set crisp. If the batter sits around warming up, it loses its fizz and turns flat.
Serve immediately. Fish and chips wait for no one. Chips go soft within minutes if they are covered or left sitting, so have the plates ready, the tartar sauce out and the lemon cut before the fish comes out of the basket.
Leftovers reheat well. Any cold fish and chips can be brought back to life in the air fryer at 190°C for 3 to 4 minutes. They come out almost as crisp as when they were first cooked.
Serving Suggestions
The classic plate is mushy peas, tartar sauce, a lemon wedge and a splash of malt vinegar. A few pickled onions on the side never hurt. If you want something fresh alongside, a simple coleslaw or a handful of rocket with lemon dressing cuts through the richness nicely. Thick white bread and butter is the old chip shop way to mop up the last of the tartar sauce, and a strong cup of tea is the proper drink with it.
FAQs
Can I use frozen fish?
Yes, but thaw it fully first and pat it very dry. Frozen fish releases water as it cooks, and that water pushes the batter straight off. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then dry the fillets well with kitchen paper before you dust and batter them.
Can I make this gluten-free?
Yes. Swap the plain flour for a gluten-free flour blend and use the same amounts. The batter may be a touch thinner, so let it rest for a few minutes to thicken. Check that your tartar sauce is gluten-free too.
Why did my batter go soggy?
Usually one of four things. The basket was overcrowded, the fish was wet when it went in, the batter was too thin, or the air fryer was not preheated. Dry the fish properly, keep the batter thick, give each fillet space, and always preheat.
Can I cook the fish and chips at the same time?
It is better to cook them separately. Chips need a lower temperature and a longer cook, while the fish needs high heat for a short time. Cook the chips first, keep them warm, cook the fish, then give the chips a final few minutes at 200°C to crisp up again. Everything lands on the plate hot and crisp together.
