Crispy Keto Fried Fish

This delicious keto fried fish is coated in almond flour and cooked in avocado oil until hot and crispy.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 447kcal

1 large egg
1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ½ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dried thyme
4 6-ounce cod fillets ½-inch thick (not thicker)
1 cup superfine almond flour
Avocado oil

In a shallow bowl, whisk the egg with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dried thyme.
Dip each fish fillet into the egg mixture. Place it on a cutting board and sprinkle both sides with the almond flour, ¼ cup per fillet, pressing with your hands to help the coating adhere. I find that this method works better than dredging the fish in the almond flour. When dredging, the almond flour that remains in the bowl becomes soggy, sticky, and pretty much useless.
Pour avocado oil into a large nonstick frying pan, enough to reach about ½ inch high. Heat over medium-high heat until hot, 3-5 minutes.
Carefully place the fish fillets in the pan (work in batches if necessary). Cook until their bottom is golden brown and crisp, 3-4 minutes.
Flip the fish. Lower the heat to medium. Cook until crisp and cooked through, about 3-4 more minutes.
Serve immediately.

I typically use cod, but any firm, white-fleshed fish will work in this recipe.
In the nutrition info, I estimated that each fish fillet absorbs about one tablespoon of oil.
It's best to use a nonstick skillet. I often use stainless steel, but then there's more of a risk of the coating sticking to the skillet, even with a generous amount of oil.
According to the USDA, fish should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F. When done, the inside should be opaque, and you should be able to easily flake the meat with a fork.
If you prefer to bake the fish, arrange the coated fillets on a greased parchment-lined baking sheet (use high-temperature parchment), liberally spray them with oil, and bake until crispy on the outside and cooked through on the inside. In my oven, this takes about 10 minutes per side at 400°F. Spray them again after flipping. However, pan-frying is better and results in tastier fish with crispier coating.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat them uncovered in a 350°F oven. I don't recommend freezing the leftovers.