Best Fish and Chips Recipe l Kitchen Fun With My 3 Sons (2024)

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With light, airy beer battered fish and ultra crispy fries, this is truly the Best Fish and Chips recipe. Serve with malt vinegar and tartar sauce for an easy lunch or dinner the whole family will love.

Classic Fish and Chips Recipe

This fish and chips recipe is based on the super popular British dish and will rival anything you can find in a restaurant.

Fillets of white fish are dipped in a beer batter (or make it with milk, if you prefer) and fried until they’re light and crispy on the outside. The chips (aka French fries) are double fried to create the crispiness texture possible. All you need is malt vinegar and tartar sauce to turn it into a restaurant-quality dinner.

This has become a huge hit with my family. It’s made with primarily pantry staples, so I don’t mind preparing it when requested, and who can say no to beer battered fish and French fries?

Why This Is The Best Fish and Chips Recipe

Here are a few reasons why this recipe has become a favorite.

• Light, crispy batter. Using beer and baking powder in the batter helps create that light, airy texture that crisps up quickly when fried.
• Ultra crispy chips. This fish and chips recipe follows the traditional method of soaking the potatoes to remove the starch then frying them twice, at two different temperatures. This creates the crispiest texture possible.
• Easy lunch or dinner. Though this recipe requires some effort, as you do need to be actively in the kitchen frying, it’s an easy process that will have a restaurant-quality dinner on the table in just over an hour.

What You’ll Need

You’ll need just a few ingredients to make this fish and chips recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card for measurements.

• Fish – See notes below.
• Flour – The base of the batter.
• Baking powder – Helps ensure a light, crispy batter.
• Seasonings – Salt, onion powder, and garlic powder flavor the batter.
• Beer – Beer helps keep the batter light and airy and adds a rich flavor. Milk will create a thicker, heavier batter. Sparkling water or club soda can also be used, to create a texture similar to the beer though the flavor will not be as rich.
• Vegetable oil – For frying. Canola oil will also work.
• Potatoes – I used Russet potatoes, peeled and sliced into large fingers. A mandolin slicer will make this much easier.
• Vegetable oil-You can use canola oil as a substitute.
• Russet potatoes- peeled and sliced into large fingers. I recommend using a mandolin slicer

What’s The Best Fish for Making Fish and Chips?

Thick, fresh fillets of white fish are best for making fish and chips. Cod, pollock, and tilapia are my go-to’s, though haddock, mahi mahi, and perch are other good options.

Fresh fillets are best, if you live in an area where you can easily find them. If you need to use frozen fillets, allow them to thaw completely first then dry with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture.

How to Make Fish and Chips

Here’s an overview of how to make this fish and chips recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card below for measurements.

• Soak the potatoes. Place the potatoes in ice water for 20-30 minutes. Drain then dry with a kitchen towel.
• Fry the potatoes. Preheat the vegetable oil to 330F. Fry the potatoes in batches, about a cup at a time, for 2 minutes in the oil. Transfer to a plate with paper towels.
• Make the batter. Combine the flour, baking powder, seasonings, and ice cold beer in a bowl.
• Fry the fish. Toss the fish fillets in flour then add to the batter. Let the excess batter drip off then fry in oil heated to 370F. Fry for 2-3 minutes, until the fish is golden. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
• Fry the potatoes again. Fry the pre-cooked potatoes in the oil at 370F until golden brown and crisp, about 4 minutes. Drain over paper towels.

Serving Suggestions

Fish and chips is a classic meal on its own. Enjoy with a cold beer and you have one of the most popular British meals at home. (Or soda or lemonade, for the kids!)

Fish and chips are typically served with some malt vinegar and tartar sauce for dipping.

How to Store & Reheat Leftovers

• Fridge. Store leftover fish and chips in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Freezer. Once cooled, you can also freeze the leftover fish. Just transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
• Reheat. The best way to reheat fish and chips is in the air fryer. The microwave may cause them to lose their crispness, though it’s also an option in a pinch.

More Easy Fish Recipes To Try

• Oven Baked Salmon
• Honey Glazed Salmon
• Tuna Salad
• Air Fryer Fish Sticks