Air-Fried Fresh Crappie Fillets

Name: Air-Fried Fresh Crappie Fillets
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 18 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Cajun and Creole, Southern Recipes, American
Ingredients: 0.25 cup All-Purpose Flour; 0.5 tsp Black Pepper; 0.25 tsp Cayenne Pepper; 1 tsp Cooking Spray; 1 tsp Paprika; 1 lb Pound Cake; 2 tbsp Salt; 1 tsp Seasoned Salt; 0.5 cup Yellow Cornmeal

Appetizer 🧄Dinner 🍽️Lunch 🥪Snack 🍿 Cajun and Creole 🇺🇸Southern Recipes 🇺🇸American Pescatarian 🐟

Air-Fried Fresh Crappie Fillets deliver a crisp, golden cornmeal crust with a gentle heat from paprika and cayenne, while keeping the fish tender and flaky inside. This simple preparation highlights the clean, delicate flavor of fresh-caught crappie, ideal for a quick weeknight Dinner or a casual weekend fish fry. Serve with lemon wedges and your favorite dipping sauce for a satisfying crunch.

Prep10 mins
Cook8 mins
Serves4
DifficultyEasy

1

Place the crappie fillets in a bowl.
2

Add salt and enough water to cover.
3

Cover and let sit to draw out the blood, about 30 minutes.
4

Rinse the fillets well to remove the salt.
5

Pat dry with paper towels.
6

Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) following the manufacturer's instructions.
7

Add cornmeal, flour, seasoned salt, paprika, pepper, and cayenne to a gallon-size zip-top bag; seal and shake until evenly mixed.
8

Drop 2 fillets into the bag, seal, and shake to coat, then transfer to a plate.
9

Repeat with the remaining fillets.
10

Spray the tops of the fillets with nonstick cooking spray.
11

Place a single layer of fillets in the air fryer basket, sprayed side down, ensuring they do not overlap.
12

Spray the tops with cooking spray.
13

Cook for 4 minutes.
14

Carefully flip and spray any chalky spots.
15

Cook until crispy, about 4 minutes more.
16

Repeat with the remaining fillets.