Pan Fried Snapper with Panko Breadcrumbs

You'll love this pan-fried snapper with panko breadcrumbs! This crispy fried fish is made with wild-caught Yellowtail snapper from Key West, Florida. This is one of my favorite ways to cook the mild, white fish filets.

Jump to:

• What is Panko?
• Gluten-Free Panko
• What type of snapper to use
• How much does a Yellowtail fillet weigh?
• How do I remove the pin bones from Yellowtail?
• Panko-Crusted Snapper Ingredients
• How to Prepare Fried Snapper Fillets
• How To Fry Fish in a Pan
• What to Serve with Fried Fish
• Can I Bread The Fish Early in The Day?
• How to Reheat Fried Fish
• Fried Fish Dinner Ideas
• "📖 Recipe"

I have a few pieces of fresh Key West Yellowtail Snapper and I'm going to dip it in egg, coat it in panko, and pan fry it until golden brown for a few minutes. This is how you make very crispy fish.

This recipe is similar to my Pan Fried Yellowtail, which is crusted in almond flour.

Yellowtail is a type of snapper from Florida and along the east coast of the USA.

What is Panko?

My snapper is breaded with panko, a type of Japanese flaked bread crumbs available in the bread aisle or ethnic section of your grocery store.

Panko is the stuff the Japanese restaurants put in your sushi rolls to make them crunchy. It has almost no flavor but a ton of crunch!

Gluten-Free Panko

Traditional panko is made with wheat, but for gluten-free panko, Chef Jeffrey Nathan makes one, Jeff Nathan Creatives, that is delicious. I like the Italian Seasoned. flavor.

In Florida, you can get it at Publix in the kosher section. 

What type of snapper to use

I've got fresh Yellowtail Snapper in this recipe. Other snappers you can use include:

• Mangrove (Mango) Snapper
• Red Snapper
• Lane Snapper
• Vermillion
• Mutton Snapper

Defrost the fish in the refrigerator before cooking.

How much does a Yellowtail fillet weigh?

I like to serve whole fillets of yellowtail, which weigh 4 to 6 ounces each. For kids or smaller portions, you can cut the fillets down the center and then crosswise.

How do I remove the pin bones from Yellowtail?

There is a little row of bones that can easily be removed from the yellowtail. It's 2 to 3 inches long and it is in the center of the thicker part of the fillet.

Touch the fish and you can feel where the bones begin. With a sharp knife, cut downwards on both sides of the bone and remove the whole row. There won't be any other bones in a fillet.

Panko-Crusted Snapper Ingredients

Panko-crusted fish is made with just a few basic ingredients and some pantry staples.

• Skinless Fillets of Snapper (or other thin white fish), You can use any type of snapper or flounder, grouper, hogfish, etc. Defrost the fish if frozen. If you have very large whole filets, cut them into 4-ounce portions.
• Flour, I use rice flour. You can also use all-purpose flour.
• Sea salt and black pepper. Make sure you include the salt or the fish will be very bland. For a lower sodium snapper, use Mrs. Dash, original flavor, in place of the salt.
• Onion powder and garlic powder are mixed into the flour for a little flavor boost.
• Eggs, If you don't have an egg, brush mayonnaise, melted butter, or coconut oil on the surface of the fish and then press into panko.
• Panko, flaked bread crumbs, is available at most grocery stores. Gluten-free panko is available too. If you do not have any, use an equal amount of the breadcrumbs of your choice.
• Light olive oil, coconut oil, and avocado oil are better choices for frying fish.
• Lemon wedges
• Parsley can be chopped and sprinkled over the finished dish.

How to Prepare Fried Snapper Fillets

If you are using frozen fish, defrost it in the refrigerator for a few hours or run it under cold running water. It must be fully defrosted or the oil will splatter when you add it. If you have fresh snapper, rinse it well under cold running water. Keep your fish cold until ready to use.

Pat the fish dry with paper towels before cooking.

How To Fry Fish in a Pan

I'm using a 12-inch saute pan to prepare this fish. Unlike a skillet or frying pan, a saute pan has straight sides and more surface area than a skillet. If you have an electric skillet, set it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and let the oil get hot before adding the fish.

1. Heat ¼-inch (about ½ cup) of oil in a large heavy-bottomed or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, until hot, not smoking. Drop a bit of panko into the oil to make sure it's sizzling hot before adding the fish.
2. Add fish to the oil without crowding. (Pull out another pan if you have a lot of fish. The oil should only be used for one batch.)
3. Cook for 3-4 minutes on the first side. Flip and cook for about another 2-3 minutes or until fish is golden brown and flakes easily with a fork.
4. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels.
5. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with lemon wedges.

What to Serve with Fried Fish

I have a recipe for Lemon Asparagus Rice that would go perfectly with panko-crusted snapper. I make it with jasmine rice, asparagus, lemon zest, fresh herbs, and butter. You can also add some tartar sauce.

Here are some other sides that would be great:

1. Roasted Vegetables
2. Lemon Asparagus Rice
3. Spanish rice
4. Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic
5. Oven Roasted Asparagus
6. Sautéed Tomatoes with Shallots
7. Roasted Tiny Red Potatoes
8. White or brown rice
9. Coleslaw
10. Green salad

Can I Bread The Fish Early in The Day?

For meal planning, you can bread the fish in the morning and cover the plate in plastic wrap. Cook it before your meal for the best results.

If you have extra breaded pieces of fish, wrap them in plastic wrap or freezer paper and freeze them for up to one month. Defrost before cooking. It works too!

How to Reheat Fried Fish

You can reheat fried fish in the oven easily. Heat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the cooked fish on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

If you have a cooling rack that you use for cookies, you can put it right over the parchment paper and put the fish on top of it.

The cooling rack will lift the fish off the pan so the heat circulates around it and will restore most of the crunch.

Place the fish on the pan or the rack, and place in the oven for 5 or 10 minutes until heated through.

You can also put the cooked fish in a preheated air fryer for 2 minutes. It will crisp it up nicely.

Fried Fish Dinner Ideas

• Fish tacos, with warm tortillas, shredded cabbage, and fresh salsa.
• Fried fish sandwiches, on a roll with lettuce and tartar sauce.
• Fried fish fingers with tartar sauce.
• Top a big green salad with lots of veggies including bell peppers, scallions, tomatoes, etc., and a serving of fried fish.
• Fish and Chips is served with French fries, tartar sauce, and lemon slices.

Why I Love This Dish

Often called crumbed fish, pan-fried snapper with panko is a super crispy and flavorful main dish. 

The fish cooks until it has a golden-brown crust on the outside and tender, flaky flesh on the inside. The fish is tossed in an egg wash and then dredged in Japanese breadcrumbs called panko. 

If you want to make a panko fried fish with no eggs, brush some melted butter or coconut oil on the surface of the fish, then press it into panko, and pan fry in oil.

Yellowtail Snapper is wild-caught in Florida and has a mild flavor. It comes from the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.

Fried snapper is a delicious and satisfying seafood dish that is very popular in The Florida Keys and many other places on the eastern shores of the U.S.

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"📖 Recipe"