Halibut Fish and Chips

This easy Halibut Fish and Chips recipe makes perfectly crisp, flaky fish. It’s a great family-friendly meal to make any night of the week.  

We first tried fish and chips with halibut during a fishing trip to Alaska. The dish is lightly breaded with panko breadcrumbs and quickly fried for a golden crust over tender fish. On the side, don’t leave out the homemade “chips”, or thick-cut french fries. 

I’ve always loved the fish and chips at Market Street Grill, my family’s favorite local seafood restaurant. And I realized that a lot of that had to do with their delicious tartar sauce. So be sure to make your own homemade tartar sauce for dipping the fish and chips. 

Update: We’ve updated this post with tips to make fish and chips in an air fryer for a healthier twist on this classic recipe. Cheers!

I came back from my trip to Alaska with 30 pounds of halibut! We had fun catching it, but it might have been even more fun when we got back to my brother’s house and he fried it up for us. My brother coats it in Panko Bread Crumbs, so the fish is extra crispy and delicious.

Then when we got home from Alaska, I fried up another batch with some chips and served it with my favorite homemade tartar sauce from Market Street Grill. Sometimes I think I go to Market Street for the halibut just so I can eat the tartar sauce. (It’s pretty good as a dip for the fries too!)

How to Make Halibut Fish and Chips

The most important thing about this easy fish and chips recipe is choosing fresh halibut. Look for fish that’s bright white, firm and has no smell. From there, this is a straightforward dinner recipe perfect for a mid-week treat. 

Making The Chips

First, prepare the potatoes for your chips. One of the secrets to truly crispy fries is to soak the cut potatoes first. This not only keeps the potatoes from turning colors in the open air, it also helps rinse off some of the starch. By rinsing this away, the edges of your chips will turn crisp and golden as they cook. 

Secondly, be sure that your oil reaches 325°F for the first fry and 375°F for the second fry. Any cooler, and the potatoes will absorb oil, rather than cook. You should hear sustained sizzling the whole time the potatoes are submerged in the oil. 

Finally, double frying your chips is key. It ensures that the potato wedges are cooked all the way through and that they have a firm crust on the outside. The second fry will be hotter and faster than the first. 

Dredging & Frying Halibut 

The next step in this recipe is, of course, the fish itself. Before you get cooking, dredge the halibut in seasoned flour, eggs and panko breadcrumbs. You only need a light coating to make super crispy, golden colored fried halibut. 

Again, be sure the oil is hot enough (but not too hot!) before you start frying the fish. Carefully flip the fish halfway through cooking if the fillets are not fully submerged in the oil. Transfer each piece to a paper towel-lined baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven while you finish frying. 

How to Make Air Fryer Fish and Chips

You can easily adapt this recipe to the air fryer. To do so, preheat your air fryer to 360°F. Bread the fish and spray each fillet lightly with vegetable oil. Bake in the preheated air fryer for about 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. The fish should reach an internal temperature of 145°F. 

You can even make the chips in your air fryer too. Use my recipe for delicious Garlic Parmesan Air Fryer French Fries––I think you’ll love them!

More Easy Weeknight Dinner Recipes

Here are some more of my most popular weeknight meals to try next:

• Air Fryer Pizza Pockets is another fantastic use for your air fryer, this time to make cheesy mini pizzas. 
• Thai Chicken Burritos is a slightly spicy, protein-packed and easy to transport dinner recipe. 
• Thai-Style Pressure Cooker Fish from Pressure Cooking Today is another healthy and light way to cook fish at home. 
• Crispy Baked Salmon from Taste and Tell Blog is another crispy and flavor-packed fish recipe to try. 

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Halibut Fish and Chips

Make crisp and light Halibut Fish and Chips for a family-friendly dinner with a golden panko breadcrumb crust.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: Main Dishes

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4 -6 Servings

Calories: 795kcal

Author: Barbara Bakes LLC

Equipment

• Lodge Cast Iron Skillet
• Pyrex Easy Grab Glass Pie Plate (9.5-Inch, 2-Pack)
• Ninja Foodi 1400-Watt Multi Pressure Cooker, Steamer & Air Fryer w/TenderCrisp Technology Pressure & Crisping Lid, 6.5 quart, Black/Gray

Ingredients

CHIPS

• 4 large baking potatoes
• Canola oil for frying
• Kosher salt

FRIED HALIBUT

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 large eggs beaten
• 2 cups Panko bread crumbs
• 3 pounds halibut cut into cubes
• [Homemade Tartar Sauce] for serving

Instructions

• CHIPS
• Peel and cut the potatoes into ¼ by ¼-inch thick fries. Place in a large bowl of cold water.
• Heat 2 inches of oil in a large, straight-sided pan or deep fryer to 325ºF. Drain the fries in batches on paper towels.
• Fry each batch for 3 to 4 minutes until pale blonde and remove to a baking sheet lined with paper towels.
• Just before serving, increase the heat of the oil to 375ºF and fry the potatoes again, in batches, until golden brown. Remove to a sheet pan lined with paper towels and season with kosher salt.
• FRIED HALIBUT
• Preheat the oven to 200°F. 
• Heat at least 2 inches of oil to 360ºF in a large skillet. 
• In a shallow dish or pie plate, whisk together the flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Dredge each piece of halibut in flour, shake off excess, then dip in the eggs, and finally coat evenly with panko.
• Fry the fish batches until golden brown on both sides. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate. Transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven.
• Serve with chips and homemade tartar sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 795kcal | Carbohydrates: 101g | Protein: 69g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 229mg | Sodium: 660mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 5g