Fried Catfish Nuggets are perfectly crisp and golden with a cornmeal breading on the outside and succulent tender catfish on the inside, that's seasoned and deep-fried to perfection.
Fried Catfish Nuggets
We do LOTS of catfish recipes here (like these Air Fryer Catfish Nuggets or Baked Catfish Nuggets), partially because we live in a river town with the yearly town festival literally named "Catfish Days." But mostly because it's really delicious and easy to cook.
These fried catfish nuggets are succulent and juicy on the inside with perfectly cooked and tender catfish. But the outside is coated in a southern cornmeal breading and golden, crisp, and perfectly seasoned, just as it should be!
I know deep frying can be intimidating, but honestly this is super quick and easy. It cooks really fast since they're small pieces! In just 30 minutes, you can have these golden and crispy, bite-sized deep fried Catfish Nuggets for a delicious, quick and easy family dinner.
What Kind of Oil Should I Use?
I use and recommend using either a light olive oil or avocado oil. These both have high smoke points, and are healthier than other cooking or vegetable oils.
Can I Pan-Fry Catfish Nuggets?
Yes! You can use my instructions here for southern pan-fried catfish.
How to Keep Fried Catfish Nuggets Warm While Frying
When you have to work in batches while frying, sometimes the first batch can get cold or less crispy by the time you're done with the last batch. To keep all of your fried catfish nuggets crispy, use this trick.
Preheat oven to 200°F. Place a cooling rack on a baking sheet and place in the heated oven. As you finish frying each batch, lay them flat on the cooling rack in the oven to keep them warm and prevent them from getting soggy.
Storage, Freezer, and Reheating Instructions
To store, allow nuggets to cool to room temperature. Then place leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The fresher the better!
When you're ready to eat, the best way to reheat them back up to crispy is the air fryer. Air fry at 400°F for about 3-4 minutes. You can also use the oven at 400°F. Arrange the fried catfish nuggets on a lined baking sheet and reheat until warm and crispy.
To freeze, lay nuggets on a lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Then transfer them into a freezer container and freeze for up to 3 months. They can reheat directly from frozen in the air fryer or oven, as described above. Add a couple of extra minutes of cook time to account for them being frozen.
What to Serve with Fried Catfish Nuggets
When I think of Fried Catfish Nuggets, I think of comfort, down-home southern food. Serve your nuggets with a sauce like tartar or remoulade sauce, or if you're like my husband and kids, ketchup. Then, load up on any of these southern sides:
- Creamy Coleslaw
- Air Fryer Hush Puppies
- French Fries
- Southern Corn Pudding
- Air Fryer Baby Potatoes
- Creamed Corn
- Zucchini and Corn Fritters
- Southern Buttermilk Biscuits
- Southern Potato Salad
- Stovetop Mac and Cheese
- Southern Skillet Cornbread
- Green Salad
Check out all of our side dish recipes for even more ideas!
More Catfish Recipes You'll Love
- Beer Battered Catfish - Catfish filets dipped in a rich, savory beer batter and deep fried to golden perfection.
- Air Fryer Catfish - Cornmeal coated catfish, "fried" in the air fryer with less mess and oil!
- Oven Fried Catfish - Just a few ingredients in this super simple and quick, no mess, no oil southern cornmeal catfish.
- Southern Pan-Fried Catfish - The classic southern way to make catfish, with cornmeal breading and pan-fried until golden and crispy.
Fried Catfish Nuggets Video
Fried Catfish Nuggets
Ingredients
- 2 pounds catfish nuggets cut into bite sized pieces
- 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons milk divided
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all purpose flour divided
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1½ tablespoon Cajun Seasoning (I use Tony Chachere's)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Oil for frying
Instructions
Marinating
- In a medium bowl, add the 2 cups milk and ¼ teaspoon salt. Whisk to dissolve and add the fish chunks. Allow to soak at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Preparation
- Set up the dredging station: In the first bowl, add 1 cup flour.
- In the second bowl, add the eggs and remaining 2 tablespoons milk, and whisk to combine.
- In the third bowl, add the remaining 1 cup flour, cornmeal, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine.
- In a frying pan with straight sides, add enough oil to fill 1-inch deep. Heat until the oil is hot enough that a sprinkle of flour will sizzle as soon as it touches the oil. The oil will be about 350°F.
Fry the Catfish Nuggets
- Remove the fish from the milk in batches of 6 to 8 chunks. Shake the excess milk off the fish.
- Dredge in the flour, then the egg wash, and then in the flour-cornmeal mixture.
- Add the batch to the oil, making sure to not overcrowd the pan and bring down the temperature. Fry, flipping once if needed, until a light golden brown and cooked through, about 6 minutes or 2 to 3 minutes per side.
- Remove to paper towels to drain excess oil. Sprinkle with a little salt to taste. Repeat frying process with remaining fish.
Notes
- Storage: Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 5 days.
- Reheat: Air fry the bites at 400°F for 3 minutes until heated all the way through. If reheating from frozen, increase the time to 5 minutes. Alternately, you can bake them at 350°F for about 5 minutes (or 7 to 10 minutes if frozen), or until heated through.
- Freezer Directions: To freeze, prepare catfish nuggets according to recipe. Allow to cool completely. Transfer to a freezer bag. Freeze for up 3 months.
Nutrition
UPDATE INFO: This recipe was originally published in June 2016. It was updated with new pictures, tips, and video, and republished in June 2024.
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Beverly says
My husband loves catfish so I must make these for him. They look yummy!
Bev
Rhonda says
These catfish nuggets sound delicious. I'll be making these, thanks for sharing.
Maru Zeman says
The batter in the photo obviously has cornmeal, yet there is none in the recipe, how come?
Michelle says
The batter in the photos have seasoning, that's why it looks like specks. I do have a recipe for cornmeal-coated baked catfish nuggets. https://www.thegraciouswife.com/baked-catfish-nuggets-recipe/