Firm, tender, and flaky white fish coated in a crispy golden carbonated batter served with fresh cut fries, this fish and chips recipe is the perfect way to bring this classic British eats to your kitchen!
¾teaspoonKosher or fine sea salt, plus more to taste
¼teaspoonground black pepper
Fish
Vegetable oil, for frying
1 ½cupsall-purpose flour, divided
1teaspoonbaking soda
1teaspoonfine sea salt
1 ¼cupscold light beer, or Perrier sparkling water
1 ½poundswhite fish(cod, haddock, or halibut), cut into 4 pieces
Tartar sauce, malt vinegar, or ranch dressing, for serving
Instructions
Chips
Quarter the potatoes lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch thick sticks. If you have a mandoline slicer, you can use that.
Soak the potatoes in ice cold water at least 1 hour or up to 12 hours to remove starch. Lay on paper towel-lined plates to air dry. You want them very dry and may need to pat them down.
In a large bowl, stir together the oil, salt, and pepper. Toss the potatoes until well coated.
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Spread the potatoes in a single layer. Bake 15 minutes. Flip with a spatula and bake 10 to 15 minutes more, or until crisp and tender. Season to taste.
Fish
After you flip the fries at 15 minutes, start making the fish. In the bottom of a deep skillet, add 1 inch oil. Heat over medium low until a candy thermometer reads 350℉ to 375℉.
While the oil is heating, prepare the fish. In a large shallow bowl, stir together 1 cup flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk in the beer until smooth and no clumps remain. Do not let batter sit too long before using. In another large, shallow bowl, add the remaining 1/2 cup flour.
Using a paper towel, pat the fish to remove any excess moisture. Dredge in flour and then dip in the batter to coat, shaking off any excess drips.
Carefully place the fish in the oil. Fry 2 minutes. Flip over. Fry 2 minutes more, or until golden on all sides. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
Serve hot with chips and a side of tartar sauce, malt vinegar, or ranch dressing. Enjoy!
Notes
Beer or sparkling water: Carbonation is key to a really great batter and makes the fish crunchy. Beer adds a little bit of flavor, but you can use any sparkling water. I would just avoid any flavored water, because it might alter the taste of the fish. Chips (french fries): If you don't want to bake your chips, you make homemade french fries by frying in a skillet or an air fryer. I find baking to be the easiest when frying the fish because it doesn't require frying two things on the stove top or doing the fries in batches. Storage: Fish and chips is best eaten right away, and I wouldn't really recommend storing leftovers.