Ingredients:

  • 1.5 lbs white fish fillets (tilapia, cod, or catfish)
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup fine yellow cornmeal
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1/2 cup avocado oil

Instructions:

  1. Pat the fish fillets with heavy-duty paper towels until bone-dry to ensure the coating adheres properly and doesn't turn into a paste.
  2. In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, cornstarch, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, sea salt, and black pepper until the color is uniform.
  3. Dredge each fillet in the dry mix, pressing firmly so the grains adhere to the protein, then shake off the excess vigorously for a thin, even coating.
  4. Heat avocado oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully place fillets in the oil and shallow-fry for 2-3 minutes per side until the crust is mahogany-colored and the center is flaky.
  5. Transfer the fried fish to a wire cooling rack to prevent the bottom side from becoming soggy while maintaining the crisp texture.