Best 6 Air Fryer Blackened Catfish Recipes

GLUTEN FREE AIR FRYER CATFISH

Steps:

• Add buttermilk to a bowl and gently place the catfish fillets (or nuggets) into the milk. If you don't have buttermilk, it is easy to make by adding lemon juice to milk. Soak the fish for 30 minutes. This step is important to remove the fishy flavor from the catfish.
• Mix up the cornmeal seasoning mix in a large bag. Place the cornmeal fish breading and seasoning ingredients into a large bag and shake to mix it up. When the catfish is done soaking in buttermilk, hold the catfish over the bowl to allow the extra milk to run off.
• Place the catfish in the bag, one fillet at a time. Shake gently so the raw catfish fillet is coated in the catfish breading mixture. Preheat your air fryer to 375º F.
• Spray the bottom grill of the air fryer with a high heat oil like avocado or canola. (Do not use olive oil or another heat intolerant oil or your fish will turn out rancid.) Place a breaded catfish fillet in the air fryer. Make sure the fish isn't touching so the air can circulate around each piece of fish.
• Spray the top of the gluten free breaded catfish with more oil. This will help the crust get nice and crispy!
• Cook your catfish in the air fryer for 12-15 minutes. The actual cook time will vary depending on the size of your catfish fillets, and whether you use catfish nuggets or fillets. You will know the catfish is done cooking when it is crispy and the cornmeal breading is a golden color.
• Note, many will recommend flipping your catfish over partway through the cooking cycle. I find this difficult without the catfish falling apart in the air fryer. It is up to you if you want to try this. I did not flip it and my catfish was still crispy and delicious on both sides.
• Drizzle fresh lemon juice over the fish and enjoy!

NOT LACKIN' ON THE BLACKENIN' CATFISH

Steps:

• On a plate, mix together the paprika, cayenne, thyme, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt and pepper for the blackened spice mixture. Dredge the catfish fillets in the spice mixture and set aside.
• Heat a large cast iron fry pan or saute pan over high heat until it is "white hot".
• Add oil to pan. When oil begins to slightly smoke, add catfish fillets and cook on each side, about 2 to 3 minutes. Cook in batches, if necessary, and transfer cooked fillets to a preheated 200 degree F oven while cooking remaining fillets.
• To serve, top each fillet with 1/2 tablespoon of butter and serve with lemon wedges.

CAJUN BLACKENED CATFISH

Steps:

• In a shallow bowl, mix together the black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, parsley, cayenne pepper, kosher salt, oregano, and thyme until thoroughly combined. Press the catfish fillets into the spice mixture to thoroughly coat.
• Arrange a portable heat source outdoors, such as a butane burner or side burner of a gas grill. Melt butter in a glass or metal bowl. Light the burner, and place a large cast-iron skillet onto the burner over high heat. Pour about 1/4 cup of melted butter into the skillet; set remaining 1/2 cup of butter aside.
• When the butter in the skillet is smoking hot, lay the catfish fillets into the skillet. Cook until the spices are burned onto the fillets and the catfish is opaque and flaky inside, about 3 minutes per side. Don't breathe smoke from burning spices. To serve, pour remaining 1/2 cup of butter over the catfish.

BLACKENED CATFISH

Steps:

• Heat a large cast iron skillet (recommended) or heavy aluminum skillet over high heat for 10 minutes.
• In a small bowl stir together first 8 ingredients.
• Dip catfish into melted butter and coat both sides of fish with spice mixture, using about 1 T spice mixture for each fillet.
• Place fish on waxed paper.
• Place 3 fillets at a time in hot skillet.
• Drizzle each fillet with 1 T melted butter.
• Cook over high heat about 2 minutes per side or until fish flakes easily.
• Serve immediately.

AIR FRYER BLACKENED CATFISH FILLETS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Whisk melted butter, olive oil, and blackened seasoning together in a small bowl until it forms a paste. Brush paste on both sides of the catfish fillets.
• Place fillets in the basket of the air fryer and cook until fish is browned and flakes easily with a fork, about 15 minutes.

BLACKENED CATFISH

Steps:

• The fillets should be at room temperature. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over very high heat until it is beyond the smoking stage and you see white ash in the skillet bottom, at least for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, pour 2 tablespoons melted butter in each of 6 small ramekins; set aside and keep warm. Reserve the remaining butter. Heat the serving plates in a 250-degree oven. Dip each fillet in the reserved melted butter so that both sides are well coated. Then, mix thoroughly all the spices for blackening mixture and sprinkle the Blackening Spice Mixture generously and evenly on both sides of the fillets. Place 1 or 2 fillets in skillet and cook uncovered over very high heat until the underside becomes deep brown, almost black (but not burned), about 2 minutes (the time may vary according to the fillet's thickness and the heat of the skillet). Turn the fish over and pour 1 teaspoon of butter on top of each. Cook until fish is done, about 2 minutes more. Repeat with remaining fillets. Serve each fillet while hot. To serve, place 1 fillet and a ramekin of butter on each plate.