This perfectly flavorful Oven Fried Fish recipe has a spicy edge. Get that fantastic Southern flavor of Fried fish without the extra fat from frying.
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I’m not from the South contrary to popular belief (even mine sometimes). My roots are so deep in the South of Mississippi that I sometimes forget I was born in the urban city of Chicago and raised in the burbs. We love fish fries. We have them at family reunions and Thanksgiving and are even planning a fun family one this summer. This recipe is a tribute to those wonderful recipes but a little lighter. I make this recipe at least once a week because my daughter loves it so much.
The Heart and Soul of this Oven Fried Fish Recipe
Cuisine Inspiration: Southern
Primary Cooking Method: Baking
Dietary Info: Pescatarian-friendly, Nut-Free
Key Flavor: Savory with a touch of spicy warmth
Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Sweet Highlights:
Crunch Factor: A golden, crispy crust that satisfies with every bite, without the grease of traditional frying.
Spice of Life: A seasoning blend that’ll make you feel like you’re down in the Delta, with the perfect mix of heat and herb.
Healthier Twist: You get all the soul-food vibes, minus the extra calories, making it a guilt-free indulgence.
Simplicity is Key: This dish may taste complex, but the preparation is super easy.
Family Favorite: Loved by folks of all ages
Ingredients
In this recipe, the flavor is perfectly spicy, the breading is crunchy, and the fish is flaky and moist yielding the most spectacular results.
This recipe works great with many fish. My favorites to use are catfish fillets. You get that crispy texture like in these fried catfish nuggets but without all the oil. It’s my Southern roots after all. They have a mild and not overpowering flavor that is the perfect canvas for the seasonings. It also has a wonderful texture. It is firm enough to hold up to the bake or even frying and becomes tender and flaky once cooked. It stays moist so its nice and juicy after the bake too. Also you can find it anywhere so its widely available.
If you aren’t a fan of catfish, you can also use tilapia, code, haddock, flounder and even halibut.
For the added flavor for this, I use these ingredients:
- Cayenne
- Paprika (smoked paprika is always a nice selection too!)
- Lemon pepper
- Hot sauce, you get all that Southern spice you crave without the guilt.
How To Make Oven Fried Fish
The reason why this recipe works so brilliantly is because it truly tastes like fried fish. This recipe achieves the crispy and crunchy exterior that we love along with the tender inside of the fresh fish. In order to create that, here are the methods that work so well:
Method 1: A mix of both flour and cornmeal helps with crunch! Combining both make a lovely exterior that gives that crispy bite.
Method 2: Using a dredge technique! By adding the fish into the cornmeal/flour mix into egg mixture and then back into the cornmeal/flour, it creates a lovely thick exterior which also creates a crispy bite. It bakes up golden as well!
Method 3: The oil spray! I use this instead of frying but the key is in liberally spraying the fish with this spray making sure that every area is completely covered.
How to Serve
Southern-Style Vinegar Coleslaw: Keep it cool and creamy with a side of slaw. This Southern staple adds a refreshing crunch that perfectly balances the spices of the fish.
Spaghetti: Now this is a classic combination in Chicago. Fish and Spaghetti are genius. Try this Baked Spaghetti, this Taco Spaghetti or the classic Spaghetti and Meatballs.
Hush Puppies: These little golden nuggets are a fish fry’s best friend. Dive into the sweet and savory depths of this beloved Southern side.
Fried Okra: Lightly seasoned and perfectly crunchy, this is another side dish that goes perfectly with this.
How to Store and Reheat
To store oven-fried fish, 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. Avoid the microwave as it can make the fish soggy.
More Fried Recipes to Try
Oven Fried Fish
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Ingredients
- Non-stick olive oil spray
- 2/3 cup 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 cut into smaller pieces
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.
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Thank you Jocelyn for another great recipe. I LOVE fried catfish but hate frying in oil since I trying to eat healthier. The oven fried catfish was amazing. It looked and taste like fried catfish. The outside was crispy and the fish was so moist on the inside. My husband loved it and we made Po’ Boy sandwiches with the leftovers the next day.
Hooray!!!! I’m so so glad you enjoyed it! This is definitely one of my fave recipes too!
Would you recommend using Swai or “Basa” rather than catfish? Wanted to use what I have on hand. And I prefer the mild taste and flaky texture of Swai.
Yes definitely give it a try and let me know how it turns out for you.
Just made this recipe. It came out just like the picture, perfectly breaded, deep fried looking, crispy on the outside, tender and juicy inside, but… the amount of salt is unbearable. I will make this recipe again soon, and will use 1/4 or 1/3 of salt in the recipe here. Thank you for this great idea!
Hi Marina, what type of salt did you use for this recipe? That makes the difference. I use seasoned salt and just updated the recipe to reflect this.
Do I have to cut the fish in half?
No you don’t.
This was very good and super easy to whip with ingredients that are always on hand. I used whole swai fillets and made them into sandwiches on a soft long roll, with a plentiful helping of homemade tartar sauce. They turned out beautifully and were super delicious. People, don’t be afraid to follow the directions and liberally coat with cooking spray after the coating. Looking forward to making these again. Thanks for sharing this. Five Stars!
Hooray! So glad you enjoyed this recipe so much!
This looks great. From the pictures I never would have guessed it was baked. I love fried fish. We will try this here come Sunday.
Awesome! Let me know how it turns out for you. It is one of my family’s favorite recipes!
This was absolutely delicious, tried the recipe exactly as written. Thank you for sharing!
Hooray I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Absolutely love this recipe. Made it last night for dinner and it was so perfectly golden brown and crispy on the outside and light moist and flaky on the inside!! I am so curious how the nutrition compares to the traditional fried…anyone know?
P.s. regardless of calories i will continue to use this recipe cleanup was a breeze! Thanks Grandbabycakes!!!
Hooray I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Finally a perfect recipe I’ve been needing and not fried? Thank you!!! Can’t wait to try!
I hope you enjoy it!
Can I try this recipe with shrimps???
Hi Mizz, I don’t think these will be exactly the same. I would try a fattier fish for this recipe instead.