Oven Fried Fish

My roots are straight up Mississippi so you know I was practically raised on fried fish and regular fish fries. When I first created this oven fried fish recipe, I was trying so hard to get all that Southern flavor with a crunchy flavorful crust but tender flaky inside. And trust me, I tested it over and over until I straight up nailed it without a pot of grease in sight. My fam absolutely adores this recipe so much that they request this as much as my OG fried catfish. Now that’s saying something.

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Oven fried fish fillets on a white platter with lemon wedges

Video Tutorial

How to Make Oven Fried Fish

Mixed cornmeal and spices in a ziptop bag

Step 1: Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper liberally sprayed with non-stick olive oil spray. In a brown bag or ziploc bag, add cornmeal, flour, salt, pepper, cayenne, lemon pepper, and paprika and shake together.

Eggs and hot sauce whisked together

Step 2: In a deep pie plate or large shallow bowl, whisk together eggs and hot sauce.

Breaded fish added to whisked egg mixture

Step 3: Add each fillet to the bag of cornmeal breading to coat then dip into beaten eggs on both sides.

Breaded fish on greased parchment paper

Step 4: Then lastly add back into the cornmeal breading and shake liberally to coat well. Place the fillet on the coated baking sheet. Repeat with each fillet.

Sprayed breaded fish on a parchment lined baking sheet

Step 5: Liberally spray the tops of each fillet with non-stick baking spray coating the fish well until completely covered in spray. 

Completed oven fried fish on a baking sheet

Step 6: Bake for 25-30 minutes depending on thickness of fillets until golden brown but still juicy in the inside. Remove fish and cool for 5 minutes before serving.

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Oven fried fish fillets on a white platter with lemon wedges

Oven Fried Fish Recipe

My oven fried fish recipe tastes just like the real thing without the frying! I keep the batter perfectly seasoned and crunchy and golden with the fish inside flaky, tender and moist.
4.64 from 96 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course: Main Course
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • Non-stick olive oil spray
  • 2/3 cup fine yellow cornmeal
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2-2 teaspoons seasoned salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons hot sauce
  • 1 pound catfish fillets or other fish like tilapia, flounder, and cod

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper liberally sprayed with non-stick olive oil spray.
  • In a brown bag or ziploc bag, add cornmeal, flour, salt, pepper, cayenne, lemon pepper, and paprika and shake together.
  • In a deep pie plate or large shallow bowl, whisk together eggs and hot sauce.
  • Add each fillet to the bag of cornmeal breading to coat then dip into beaten eggs on both sides, then lastly add back into the cornmeal breading and shake liberally to coat well. Place the fillet on the coated baking sheet. Repeat with each fillet.
  • Liberally spray the tops of each fillet with non-stick baking spray coating the fish well until completely covered in spray. Bake for 25-30 minutes depending on thickness of fillets until golden brown but still juicy in the inside.
  • Remove fish and cool for 5 minutes then serve with lemon and chopped parsley.

Video

Notes

To Store

To store any leftovers, allow it to cool completely and then place it in an airtight container lined with paper towels to absorb any excess moisture. Refrigerate for up to 2 days.
When reheating, warm it in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 10 to 15 minutes to help recrisp the coating and ensure the fish heats through evenly. An air fryer also works really well.  Avoid the microwave as it can make the fish soggy.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 276kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 158mg | Sodium: 1010mg | Potassium: 525mg | Fiber: 2g | Vitamin A: 355IU | Vitamin C: 2.3mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1.9mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @GrandbabyCakes or tag #grandbabycakes!

Recipe Tips

  • Go fresh: The smell will tell you a ton. If you smell a super fishy scent coming from your fish, it ain’t fresh boos. I sometimes will buy frozen and it works well.
  • For more crunch: Double dredge. You can dip the fish in the cornmeal batter then into the egg then back into the batter for more crunch.
  • Spray really well: And I’m really talking well. Coat every ounce of that fish so that it is oil sprayed and lacking any dry spots. The dry spots won’t get crisp and golden if you don’t.
  • Remove from baking pan: After the fish cools a little, I remove the fish and serve pretty quickly because the bottoms can get soggy if they sit too long.
Tender flaky oven fried fish being cut open

Serving Suggestions

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Filed Under:  Dinner, Oven, Seafood

Comments

  1. I just tried this Southern Style Oven Fried Fish recipe, and it was absolutely delicious! The seasoning was perfect, and I loved how crispy the coating turned out. Definitely a keeper for my weeknight dinners. Thank you for sharing!

4.64 from 96 votes (36 ratings without comment)

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