Crispy Catfish Nuggets

5 from 3 votes

These Catfish Nuggets are a Southern classic! Fried ultra crispy, with a cornmeal crust, and served with a homemade tarter dipping sauce, it's legit a party in yo mouth!

Prep Time15

Cook Time4

Tarter Sauce Chill Time30

Total Time49

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 869kcal

Author: Jocelyn Delk Adams

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Coating:

1 ½ cups fine cornmeal
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2- 3 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

For the Hot Sauce Mixture:

2 large eggs
2 teaspoons hot sauce

For Frying:

Neutral oil
1 1/2- 2 pounds catfish nuggets or whole catfish filets, cut into 2-inch pieces

For the Tartar Sauce:

1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup finely diced dill pickles
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 tablespoon minced capers
1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt or more based on your preference, taste and adjust

Instructions

For the Nuggets:

Pour neutral oil into large Dutch oven about 4 inches deep. Heat over medium heat until temperature reaches 360F.
Whisk together coating ingredients in a large bowl until evenly mixed. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and hot sauce.
Dip 5 or 6 pieces at a time into the egg mixture, then set in bowl of coating ingredients and cover nuggets evenly.
Shake off excess coating. Carefully lower pieces into hot oil. Cook for 3-4 minutes until coating is golden brown. Monitor oil and don’t let it rise above 375F.
Remove from oil and drain on paper towel-lined plate. Allow oil to reheat to 360F and continue cooking remaining batches of fish.
Serve immediately with tartar sauce.

For the Tartar Sauce:

Combine all ingredients in small bowl and stir together.
Cover and chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

How To Store & Reheat Catfish Nuggets

You've got leftovers?! Wish I had that self-control! To store, just pop them in an airtight container and slide them into the fridge. Make sure they've cooled down to room temperature first, so there's no unwanted moisture in the container.

When you're ready to bring those nuggets back to life, the air fryer is your best friend. Preheat it to 400°F and heat the nuggets for about 3-4 minutes. No air fryer? You can also use the oven. Just spread them out on a baking sheet and reheat at the same temperature until they're warm and crispy again.

How Long Will Catfish Nuggets Last In The Fridge?

These crispy catfish nuggets stay good for up to 3 days. Remember, the sooner you enjoy them, the better they'll taste!

Can I Freeze Deep Fried Catfish Nuggets?

Yup! Lay them out on a baking sheet and freeze them until solid. Then, transfer them to a freezer bag or an airtight container. They'll keep like this for up to 2 months. You can reheat them directly from frozen using the air fryer or oven method mentioned above. No need to thaw, just give 'em a couple extra minutes to get crispy.

Note that the nutrition information includes the tarter sauce.

Nutrition