Healthy Fish and Chips Recipe

Name: Healthy Fish and Chips Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 50 g plain flour; Pinch of salt and pepper; 1 egg whisked; 50 g breadcrumbs; 2 white fish fillets (cod or haddock); 2 large potatoes; 1 tbsp olive oil; Pinch of salt and pepper; 200 g frozen garden peas; 1 tsp dried mint; 10 g butter

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This healthy fish and chips recipe is a great way to enjoy a chip shop-style meal without the guilt. The fish is lightly coated in breadcrumbs and the chips are hand cut and tossed in a little oil. Both are baked in the oven until crisp and golden brown. Have these healthy fish and chips on the table in just 45 minutes, perfect for a mid week meal that is both easy and healthy.

Two fillets of fish in golden bread crumbs sat on a pile of homemade oven chips

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👩🏻‍🍳 Why make this recipe
🥘 Ingredients
🔪 Step by step instructions
💭 Expert tips
❓ Frequently asked questions
🦐 Other fish recipes
📖 Recipe

👩🏻‍🍳 Why make this recipe

Fish and Chips, Britains staple meal. The dish that defines our coastline and makes the food fight against seagulls very, very real (I have first hand experience of this). Its a dish that can satisfy the greediest of mouths and one that will put a smile on your face when remembering sunny days sat on a bench, breathing in the sea air and feeling the slight chill of our relentless coastal winds. But, not all fish and chips need to be eaten at the seaside and it doesn't always need to dipped in batter and deep fried.

This recipe is a healthy version of the otherwise stodgy and oil soaked fish and chips. The fish is lightly coated in breadcrumbs and baked, and the chips are tossed in a small amount of oil and cooked in the oven until golden. The peas are garden peas, crushed and mixed with a bit of butter and mint. Nutritious, but still hits the spot when that chippy craving strikes.

🥘 Ingredients

To make this healthy fish and chips recipe at home you will need:

Ingredient notes

Measurements: For the amounts required, see the recipe card below and use the toggle button to see the recipe in cups.

Fish: Use cod or haddock for the fish. For best results choose fillets that are thicker rather than longer. Thicker fillets will maintain their moisture better during cooking, so the finished fish will be crunchy on the outside and tender and moist on the inside.

Breadcrumbs: Use store bought standard breadcrumbs or for more of a crunch try with Japanese panko breadcrumbs. I tend to find that compared to panko breadcrumbs, standard breadcrumbs have a darker colour after cooking and are more flavoursome.

Flour and egg: These are necessary to ensure that the breadcrumbs fully coat and stick to the fish.

Potatoes: Use large floury potatoes such as Maris Piper or King Edward, which are good for baking.

🔪 Step by step instructions

Pre heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Line up 3 medium shallow bowls and a baking tray. Put the flour in one bowl, whisked egg in the second and breadcrumbs in the third. Season the flour with salt and pepper
Take the first fish fillet and place in the flour bowl, turn the fillet and fully coat in the flour.
Transfer the fillet to the egg bowl and turn to fully coat.
Then transfer the fish from the egg bowl to the bread crumbs bowl. Turn in the bowl and coat with bread crumbs all over.
Shake the fillet to remove any excess breadcrumbs then carefully place on a baking tray. Repeat with the second fillet. Set the breadcrumbed fish to one side whilst the chips are prepared.
Leave the skins on the potatoes and slice into chip shapes. Place the chips into a bowl and toss in olive oil, salt and pepper.
Transfer the chips to a second tray. Then place both the fish tray and chips tray into the preheated oven and cook for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Turn half way through.
Prepare the peas when the fish and chips have 5 minute left in the oven. Place the frozen garden peas in a small pan, cover with water and simmer for 2-3 minutes or until cooked.
Drain the peas then add dried mint and butter then mix and use a masher to 'smash'.
Serve the fish and chips on a board with peas in a bowl at the side.

💭 Expert tips

Try to buy fillets which are thick/fat rather than long.
Use floury potatoes for the chips.
If you don't want to use flour in this recipe then pat the fish dry with kitchen towel before coating in the egg. However, I do recommend using the flour to ensure a proper coating of egg, which in turn provides the perfect sticky surface for the breadcrumbs.
Slice the chips to a similar size so that they cook evenly.
line trays with greaseproof paper to help stop the fish and chips from sticking during cooking.
Turn the chips and fish a couple of time during cooking to stop the chips sticking to the tray and to ensure even colouring on the breadcrumbs.

❓ Frequently asked questions

Is oven baked fish healthy?

Fish is fantastic source of protein and if its a white fish then its also low in fat. However, the local chippy load the fish with fat by coating in batter and deep frying in oil. Coating in flour, eggs and breadcrumbs and then baking, substantially reduces calories and fat so making this method a lot healthier than the chippy method.

Can you reheat this recipe?

I don't recommend reheating this recipe as the fish is likely to dry out. You can however prepare everything up to the point when it all goes in the oven. Then wrap the trays in cling film (plastic wrap) and place in the fridge until you are ready to bake. Before baking, remove the trays from the fridge and allow to stand on the side for 30 minutes to come to room temperature.

Is this recipe gluten free?

The bread crumb coating in this recipe uses flour and bread crumbs, which both contain gluten. To make this recipe gluten free replace with gluten free flour and gluten free breadcrumbs. You can also leave out the flour if you prefer, see expert tips above.