Fish & Chips {Tempura-Style Cod with Oven Air-Fried Fries}

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Fish & chips is an iconic dish loved around the world. This lighter take on the British classic uses a tempura-style batter for the cod and oven air-fried French fries. The fish stays crisp and delicate, while the fries turn golden and crunchy without deep frying. So naturally delicious and satisfying.

For me, cod is always the top choice. Its naturally flaky texture, mild sweetness, and clean flavor make it deeply satisfying—and nutritious too.

I used to prepare cod either by steaming it in a traditional Huai Yang–style method or pan frying it in an Asian Fusion style. But once I started making it fish & chips–style, this quickly became my go-to cod recipe.

Of course, you can skip the “chips” and enjoy the fried cod on its own.

Deep Frying Best Practices

Deep-fried food is uniquely satisfying. With a few simple tips, you can enjoy it at home from time to time—without stress.

For the pan, I recommend a 5-quart round cast iron stock pot. It’s the perfect size for home frying and retains heat beautifully. Pair it with a stainless steel thermometer to keep the oil temperature steady and precise.

For oil, avocado oil is my top choice. It has a high smoke point and a clean, neutral flavor, making it ideal for deep frying.

How to Make French Fries at Home

French fries are surprisingly tricky to perfect at home. I’ve experimented with just about every French fry technique out there. That includes soaking potato strips in cold water for 30 minutes and patting them dry, as well as the more time-consuming boil-first plus two-stage frying method. For that approach, you boil the potatoes, let them dry and chill in the refrigerator, fry once at a lower temperature, drain, dry, and chill again, then fry a second time at a higher temperature. I also tested fries with and without the skin, and even small-batch air frying in the oven.

So what’s the winning method? Peel the potatoes, boil them gently for 5 minutes, drain and chill in the refrigerator, then lightly toss with avocado oil and salt. Spread them out in a single layer without overlapping, leaving a little space between each piece to allow airflow, on a wire rack set over a large stainless steel baking pan. Then air fry in the oven. This setup lets hot air circulate around each fry and delivers consistently crisp results with far less fuss.

Honest truth: even this method is hard to match the ultra-crispy, stay-crispy texture of commercial fries. That said, I’m more than happy with my homemade air-fried fries—even if they’re slightly less crisp. They’re lighter, less greasy, and made with real ingredients I can feel good about. And for a simple, no-fuss method that works in a home oven, that’s a trade-off I’m happy to make.

The key is timing. Enjoy them right away, while they’re still hot and at their crispiest. For this reason, I recommend deep frying fish first, then air fry the fries, and then serve them together while they’re still hot and crisp.

How to Prepare the Cod

Traditional British fish & chips typically features a large cod fillet coated in a thick batter. I prefer a lighter approach. I cut the cod into bite-size strips and use a tempura-style batter instead. A small pinch of turmeric adds a beautiful golden sheen without overpowering the flavor.

Cod fillets are thicker at the top and thinner toward the tail. I usually slice the thick portion vertically in half so each strip has a similar size and thickness. This helps the fish cook evenly.

Marinate the cod strips with sake, black pepper, and paprika for at least two hours (longer is fine).

Prepare two bowls:

• One for the dipping batter
• One for the dry flour coating

While the oil heats to 350°F, dip each marinated cod strip into the batter, then immediately coat it generously with the flour mixture. Lay the coated fish flat on a pan lined with unbleached parchment paper.

How to Deep Fry the Cod

Right before frying, give each piece a quick second coating in the dry flour. Shake off any excess, then carefully add the fish to the hot oil.

The second coating is important. The first layer often absorbs moisture from the fish. Re-coating ensures a crisp, even crust.

Fry in small batches—about five pieces at a time. Use a stainless steel spider strainer to gently separate the fish as it cooks. Fry for 3–5 minutes, until the coating turns golden brown and the fish firms up.

Remove the fish and transfer it to a wire rack to drain. I like to place the rack inside a stainless steel baking pan to drain.