British Fish and Chips Recipe - I Heart Naptime (2024)

Traditional Pub Fare at Home!

I start with thick, tender, and flaky white fish, coating it in a delightful, light, and crispy batter. The result is perfect flavors, complemented by a side of freshly-cut, homemade French fries. This traditional British dish can be easily recreated at home using only a handful of simple ingredients and a fine piece of fish!

To get that crunch you can hear from across the table, the secret is carbonation in the batter and the proper frying technique. I’m going to show you my tips and tricks on making the BEST fish and chips your whole family will love.

Lemon baked fish and baked tilapia are my go-to fish recipes for lighter everyday options, but sometimes we just need a batch of good old-fashioned, restaurant-style fish n chips!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• A crispy batter that stays crispy. No need to worry about soggy fish! The batter is perfectly light and crunchy and when fried at just the right temperature for the right amount of time, it won’t absorb too much grease.
• Can use the fish for tacos! You can also use fried fish to make fish tacos topped with quick pickled onions and classic coleslaw for a completely different meal.
• No alcohol is necessary. You can make beer-battered fish but you can also have equal results using carbonated water. Either way, there will be no alcohol content once the fish is cooked.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

For the Fries

• Russet potatoes: I don’t peel mine because I like the rustic look. In this case, it’s important to scrub them clean and pat them dry.
• Canola oil or vegetable oil: Use either one to coat the fries to help them turn a golden color and crisp up nicely. It also helps the seasoning to stick.
• Salt & pepper: A generous seasoning of salt and pepper is all these french fries need! You can certainly jazz them up with extra seasoning if you’d like.

For the Fish

• Oil for frying: Vegetable oil is great for frying in larger amounts of oil because it’s relatively inexpensive. It has a high smoke point and is neutral-tasting so it won’t alter the taste of the fish.
• All-purpose flour: This is what makes up most of the batter. It’s what coats the fish.
• Baking soda: When baking soda and carbonation react, they create oxygen bubbles that help to create a light, airy, and super crispy coating!
• Salt: You can add other seasonings if you’d like, but I just keep my fish and chips simple with a generous amount of salt.
• Cold light beer or sparkling water: The key is cold carbonation! Perrier or club soda are great choices, but you can also use your own soda stream as long as it’s cold and unflavored.
• Whitefish: Cod, haddock, or halibut can be used. Whatever is on sale or whatever you’ve got on hand. All are sturdy white fish that will hold up to the frying.
• For serving: homemade tartar sauce, homemade ranch, and/or malt vinegar.

Variations

Fish & chips is a simple dish that requires just a simple seasoning to make it amazing. However, there are definitely ways to add even more flavor like kicking it up a notch with a bit of cayenne pepper in the batter.

Old bay seasoning or garlic powder can also be added either in the batter or to season the fish itself.

You can make gluten-free fish and chips by using gluten-free flour and making sure to use gluten-free beer if not using fizzy water.

Expert Tips

• Always maintain the right oil heat. The temperature should remain at 350℉ to 375℉ at all times. Use a candy thermometer to keep an eye on it.
• Work in small batches. Do not overcrowd the pan. If necessary, fry one fish fillet at a time. Overcrowding will decrease the temperature of the oil.
• Do not let the batter sit for too long. Once the carbonation has been added to the flour mixture, use it relatively quickly. If it sits for too long it will start to become flat.
• Keep the fish warm. Fish and chips is best enjoyed right away, but if you need to keep them warm, lay them on a wire rack overtop a baking sheet. Place them in the oven at 200℉ until you’re ready to serve them.
• Serve immediately. I do not recommend storing this fish. As it cools and sits, it will get soggy.

Recipe FAQs

Serving Suggestions

Have a little extra fun with this fish and chips recipe and serve them wrapped in newspaper!

Instead of traditional french fries, you could easily swap them for baked sweet potato fries, potato wedges, or even an air fryer baked potato.

A refreshing cucumber tomato salad or creamy coleslaw would be a nice pairing. Don’t forget the extra lemon wedges along with your tarter sauce and vinegar!

Looking for more seafood recipes? Don’t miss balsamic glazed salmon, slow cooker seafood stew, and ceviche!