Fish without breading is where most air-fryer recipes fall apart — it sticks, dries out, or both. The fix is oil on the basket first, not the fish.Light mist of oil on the perforated basket, then lay the fillets skin-down (salmon) or flesh-down (cod, tilapia). 400°F for 10 minutes, no flip. The skin (or the fleshy underside) sears to the basket, stays there, and releases when you lift it — crispy bottom, tender top.Tested on 1-inch-thick fillets. Internal temp hits 145°F at 9–10 minutes consistently.
Tested method
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About the author
Sable Drummond
Sable Drummond - Part-time office admin, full-time chicken enthusiast. She got her first air fryer as a hand-me-down from a cousin and now cooks poultry in it 3-4 times a week. She writes from Richmond, Virginia, covering chicken, fish, and seafood.
