Craving something crispy, golden, and totally satisfying? These classic beer battered fish and chips bring the ultimate comfort food to your kitchen—light, crunchy batter, tender flaky fish, and thick-cut fries that hit the spot every time.
When I was a kid growing up in Houston, my parents took us out regularly for Gulf seafood dinners. Everything was fried to perfection: shrimp, oysters, fish, soft-shelled crab, potatoes… I had no qualms about diving into a platter of fried seafood.
Alas, adulthood arrived, whether I wanted it to or not, and I had to abandon my carefree fried ways. But every now and then, the cravings returned for those crispity crunchy creations.
Fish and chips, a British favorite, was once considered a working class meal. But in our house, beer battered fish and chips is a family meal we can all agree on and indulge together.
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Recipe highlights
- Family Friendly: This is a dinner the whole crew will love, and it’s a great excuse to get the kids involved in the kitchen! One peeled potatoes, another measured the batter, and the eldest helped fry the fish with Dad. It’s a full-family effort with delicious rewards.
- Surprisingly Simple: Don’t be intimidated by the deep fryer. I break down every step to help you achieve perfectly crispy, golden fish and fluffy chips at home, no pub required.
- Crispy and Flaky: The batter stays crisp for 20–30 minutes after frying, while the fish inside stays tender, juicy, and flaky. Restaurant-quality results right in your own kitchen.
- Perfect Texture: This beer batter fries up light and crisp, not heavy or bready. Just the right crunch to contrast the fluffy fish inside. We ate until we couldn’t move!
- Pub-Style Experience: Serve it up with malt vinegar, tartar sauce, or a squeeze of lemon for that classic fish-and-chips flavor that tastes just like your favorite seaside spot.
Ingredients you need
- Extra virgin olive oil: Yes, I fry in extra virgin olive oil. Think that’s impossible or wrong? I smashed that myth because you CAN fry in extra virgin olive oil! You can also use peanut oil or corn oil.
- Russet potatoes: The best french fries are made from these babies. Try to get them all to be the same size so they will cut evenly and fry evenly.
- Boneless tilapia fillets: Our fillets weren’t cut too thin so they fried up beautifully. You can also use any firm white fish like catfish, cod and snapper.
- Beer: You use any beer you like, but do avoid using dark beers as they can change the color of your batter and their flavor is too strong.
- Pantry staples: All purpose flour, baking powder and cornstarch.
- Seasonings: Kosher salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsley, ground black pepper, dried thyme and cayenne pepper.
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Step-by-step directions
- Heat oil. Heat olive oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven until it reaches 320ºF. Use a candy thermometer to regulate the temperature.
- Prep potatoes. Slice potatoes into even wedges, about 2-cm thick (with or without skin) and keep covered with cold water and reserve.
- Make batter. Whisk together flour, baking powder, kosher salt and spices. Whisk beer in until the batter is completely smooth and free of any lumps.
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Keep your batter chilled to keep it thick and frothy. If you are frying up in hot weather or your kitchen gets super hot, pop it in the fridge in between fry batches.
- Chill the batter. This is important! Refrigerate for 15 minutes or up to 1 hour.
- Fry potatoes. Drain potatoes and pat dry to remove excess water. Fry the potatoes in 320ºF oil for 2-3 minutes, or until they are pale and soft. Remove from oil and drain on a cooling rack placed over a baking sheet.
- Crisp the potatoes. Increase oil temperature to 375ºF. Fry the potatoes again until crisp and golden brown. Drain on the cooling rack and season with kosher salt.
- Prep fish. Pat fish dry with paper towels. Cut fish in half or into large strips. In a plate mix together all-purpose flour with cornstarch. Lightly dredge fish strips in cornstarch mixture.
- Fry the fish. Lower oil temperature to 350ºF. Working in small batches, dip the fish into batter to coat thoroughly and gently immerse into hot oil. When the batter is firm and browned, turn the pieces of fish over and cook until golden brown. Drain fried fish on another cookie rack placed over a baking sheet.
It is best to serve while it’s hot. If you are making a large batch, you can fry it a second time to crisp up again and heat up the fish.
Expert tips and recipe FAQs
The combination of cornstarch and flour is what gives this batter it’s crunch and golden color. The baking powder helps the batter poof more, creating a light and less dense breading.
How should you enjoy your fish and chips? Here are my suggestions:
- Lemon wedges or lemon juice is my family’s most preferred choice!
- Make a quick tartar sauce by mixing mayonnaise, dill pickles, chives and a little lemon juice or white wine vinegar.
- Ketchup is always a favorite choice!
- And if you like how the Brits enjoy it, splash some malt vinegar.
We deep with extra virgin olive oil all the time. Be sure to try my deep fried prime rib roast, Persian rosettes (nan panjareh) and my super easy chocolate raisin churros.
Storing/Freezing Instructions
TO STORE: Per the US Department of Agriculture, cooked fish and other seafood can be safely stored in the refrigerator 3 to 4 days. Keep in an air tight container or wrap up in foil.
TO FREEZE: I don’t recommend freezing leftovers as the batter will be soggy once thawed.
If you have leftovers fried fish and chips and want to enjoy it crispy again, reheat it in an air fryer or toast oven.
Absolutely! Most frying is done at temperatures of 320ºF to 375ºF. Studies have been done and have found that it will take over an hour of cooking at high temperature, say 420ºF, before the extra virgin olive oil begins to degrade and lose its health benefits.
It is best to use a firm white fish like catfish, cod and snapper. We have used tilapia with great success, too.
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Classic Beer Battered Fish and Chips
Ingredients
- 1 gallon extra virgin olive oil
- 4 large russet potatoes
- 2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 12 oz beer
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 6 boneless tilapia fillets
Instructions
- Heat oven to 200ºF.
- Heat olive oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven until it reaches 320ºF.
- Slice potatoes into even wedges, about 2-cm thick (with or without skin). Place in a large bowl covered with cold water and reserve.
- In a bowl, whisk together 1 ¾ cup flour, 1 TBS baking powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and spices.
- Whisk beer in until the batter is completely smooth and free of any lumps. Refrigerate for 15 minutes or up to 1 hour.
- Drain potatoes and use a paper towel to remove excess water. Working in batches, fry the potatoes in 320ºF oil for 2-3 minutes, or until they are pale and soft. Remove from oil and drain on a cooling rack placed over a baking sheet.
- Increase the temperature of the oil to 375ºF. Fry the potatoes again until crisp and golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on the cooling rack and season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Keep fries warm in the oven and move on to the fish.
- Lower oil temperature to 350ºF.
- In a plate mix together ¼ cup all-purpose flour with cornstarch.
- Wash fish and pat dry with paper towels. Cut fish in half or into large strips. Lightly dredge fish strips in cornstarch mixture.
- Working in small batches, dip the fish into batter to coat thoroughly and gently immerse into hot oil.
- When the batter is firm and browned, turn the pieces of fish over and cook until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes.
- Drain fried fish onto another cookie rack placed over a baking sheet.
- When all the fish is fried, serve immediately with the french fries.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
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Written by Laura Bashar
Hi, I’m Laura, a certified professional cook and cookbook author living in San Diego. I have been sharing my family’s favorite recipes inspired from all over the world since 2008. Let’s cook up something fun!
Straight fire bro, batter was crispy asf and even better than a restaurant.
Fabulous! Thanks for sharing!
These fish and chips look so wonderful, we can’t wait to make them for a casual dinner party soon. Besides tilapia, is there another boneless fillet you would recommend using for this recipe?
Hi Felicia,
You can also use cod or haddock.
Good luck!
Where was this post when I had 20 pounds of trout from Lake Tahoe to fry up? My batter was so thick and the fish tasted gamey. Miss you!
Yeah, I can’t resist French fries either! So I try to limit them to no more than once a month. They pair so well with fried fish, don’t they? Another item I try to limit! But it’s a great dish, and love both the fish and the chips with malt vinegar.