Parmesan Panko Fish and Chips

This parmesan panko fish and chips recipe is a healthier version of fish and chips you can enjoy all summer long, made with cod and served alongside a tartar sauce-inspired lemon herb aioli.

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Summer is in full swing! After a much-needed week at the beach under the hot sun, listening to waves crashing and feeling the sand in our toes, we can’t stop thinking about summer. Which naturally has me dreaming of eating fresh, flaky seafood by the water. (Alex, not so much – fish is hit or miss for him). That’s why we’re so excited to share our latest summer recipe with you today: Parmesan Panko Fish & Chips!

I’ve eaten all kinds of fish and chips, from flaky and beer-battered to breaded and deep-fried. The best fish and chips we’ve ever had came from Neptune’s Net, a little spot on the PCH in Malibu where you can eat your seafood and watch surfers catch the waves across the street. So when we decided to make our own fish and chips at home, I thought, there’s no way we can make this seafood dish as good as theirs.

So instead, we made our fish and chips different.

How? By creating an easy, oven baked, parmesan panko crusted cod fish and chips recipe that’s healthier than any restaurant version.

We know, we know – “healthier” fish and chips might not sound that great. How can you make a deep fried dish healthier and have it still taste good? Don’t let that thought keep you from trying this recipe, though. You’ll be surprised at how much this tastes like a classic fish and chips, with a little twist.

What Makes This Healthier Fish and Chips Recipe So Good?

Our parmesan panko crusted cod and homemade seasoned fries are a healthier version of fish and chips that’s super easy to make at home! Here’s what makes them so great:

• We coat the fish in a combination of panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and a bit of salt and pepper for a healthier alternative to a beer battered coating. A light spray of cooking oil helps these crisp beautifully for that delicious, fried fish crunch!
• This fish and chips is oven-baked instead of deep fried, which means less grease and more fresh, healthy flavor. This method also makes it easier to avoid over- or under-cooking your fish, so you’ll end up with perfect crispy on the outside, flaky on the inside fish.
• Our homemade seasoned fries are made from scratch with russet potatoes and a simple seasoning blend. They get their crisp from a light drizzle of heart-healthy olive oil!

How To Make Parmesan Panko Crusted Fish and Chips

We perfected this homemade fish and chips recipe after testing a few different methods for coating and cooking the fish. Here’s the best way to make parmesan panko crusted fish:

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease it with cooking spray. This will prevent the fish from sticking.
2. Prepare your 3-part coating: one bowl for flour, one bowl for the egg wash, and a shallow dish for the breadcrumbs. For the egg wash, beat 2 eggs with about 1 tbsp of water until combined. For the breadcrumbs, gently whisk together panko, grated parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.
3. Slice cod fish fillets into long pieces. We buy frozen cod fillets from Whole Foods and find it works best to slice these in half lengthwise, so you end up with long pieces about 1-½ inches wide by ¾-inches thick.
4. Pat the fish dry before trying to coat it – this will help everything stick better! Then fully coat each piece in flour first, then egg wash, then breadcrumbs.
5. Place the fish on the prepared baking sheet, then lightly grease the tops with cooking spray. This will help give you that crispy, crunchy texture you know and love from deep-fried fish.
6. Bake at 400 degrees F for about 10 minutes, or until cooked through. The internal temperature should reach 145 degrees F.

What About The Chips?

Our homemade seasoned fries are the perfect “chips” for this fish! To make this recipe even easier, the fries and fish bake at the same temperature. The fries will take a bit longer (about 30-35 minutes), so prepare these first and get them in the oven before tackling the fish.

Here’s how to make our homemade seasoned fries:

1. Line a large baking sheet with foil and lightly grease with cooking spray. This will prevent the potatoes from sticking.
2. Wash and dry russet potatoes. Leaving the skins on, slice potatoes in half lengthwise. Then lay them cut side down and slice into thin strips, about a half-inch thick all around. Depending on the thickness of your potatoes, you may need to turn some of the slices on their sides and cut lengthwise again. Then spread the fries onto the baking sheet.
3. In a small bowl, combine garlic powder, coarse sea salt, black pepper, basil, and oregano. Set aside.
4. Lightly drizzle the fries with olive oil, then sprinkle evenly with the seasoning. Bake at 400 degrees F until crispy, about 30 to 35 minutes.

It’s important to use regular olive oil, not extra virgin, for the potatoes. Extra virgin generally has  a lower smoke point than regular olive oil, which means it can burn more easily at higher temperatures. Since the fries bake at 400 degrees, you’ll want to avoid using extra virgin olive oil if you can. (If it’s all you have, that’s okay – it’s still safe to cook with, but the flavor might be compromised and you’ll probably taste more smokiness and char in the fries).

Timing This Dish

We made it as easy as possible to prep this dinner so that everything is ready at the same time! Here’s how you’ll want to approach it:

1. Prepare the lemon herb aioli first, then refrigerate until it’s time to serve dinner.
2. Preheat the oven and start preparing the seasoned fries. 
3. Once the fries are in the oven, start preparing the parmesan panko crusted cod. By the time you’ve sliced, dried, coated, and greased the fish, you’ll likely only have about 15 minutes left on the fries. Pop the fish in the oven and set a separate timer so you can check it for doneness after about 10 minutes.
4. Ideally, your fries and fish will finish cooking at about the same time. Plate a few pieces of fish with a handful of fries, a small side of lemon herb aioli, and an optional lemon wedge for garnish.

Oh, and because this dinner bakes in the oven, you can clean up while dinner cooks. All you’ll have left to wash at the end of the night are the two sheet pans in the oven. And they might not even be that dirty since you’ve lined them with parchment and foil. Easy cleanup all around!

Aren’t these the best types of meals? It’s a great feeling to sit and enjoy dinner without a huge pile of dirty dishes staring back at you from the kitchen counter. (Something that rarely happens in our apartment, given the amount of cooking we do…).

Why You Should Try Our Healthier Fish & Chips Recipe

Our parmesan panko fish and chips recipe is irresistibly good, and makes the best dinner for warm summer nights. The crispy, flaky fish and flavorful seasoned fries are a perfect pairing, especially with our zesty and bright lemon herb aioli! This dip, plus the parmesan in the panko breading, adds some extra moisture to the dish for a balanced texture. We definitely recommend whipping up a batch of the aioli – even if you’re not a fan of tartar sauce – since it’s such a great complement to the fish and chips. Even I like this aioli, and I don’t like tartar sauce!

Try the recipe below and don’t forget to rate, comment, and share!

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