Air Fryer Catfish Nuggets
Golden, crunchy catfish nuggets made in the air fryer with a simple cornmeal-based fish fry mix. Oil spray before and after breading helps the coating crisp while keeping the fish tender and flaky. A fast, lower-mess alternative to deep frying that’s weeknight friendly.
Equipment
- Air fryer
- Shallow dish for breading
- Cooking oil spray
- Instant-read thermometer
- Tongs
- Wire rack (optional)
Ingredients
- 2 lb Catfish nuggets cut into uniform 2-inch pieces if not pre-cut
- 1 box Fish fry mix cornmeal-based, 10–12 oz
- as needed Cooking oil spray for basket and tops of nuggets
- to taste Lemon wedges for serving
- to taste Hot sauce optional, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 3 minutes.
- Pour the fish fry mix into a shallow dish.
- Pat catfish nuggets dry with paper towels.
- Coat each nugget completely in the fish fry mix, shaking off any excess.
- Spray the air fryer basket with cooking oil.
- Arrange nuggets in a single layer in the basket without touching.
- Spray the tops of the breaded nuggets generously with cooking oil.
- Air fry at 400°F for 12 minutes without opening the basket; no flipping needed.
- Check that the internal temperature reaches 145°F in the thickest nugget.
- Serve immediately with lemon wedges and hot sauce.
Notes
- Check at 10 minutes if your air fryer runs hot; smaller 1-inch pieces may finish in 9–10 minutes.
- Spray oil before and after breading is key for a deeply golden, crispy coating.
- Use a wire rack in the basket for better airflow and even browning.
- Reheat leftovers at 375°F in the air fryer for about 5 minutes; avoid microwaving to keep the crust crisp.
- Storage: refrigerate up to 2 days in a paper towel–lined container; for best results, freeze nuggets raw and bread just before cooking.