Catfish Fillets Recipe
Make Catfish Fillets Recipe in just 30m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Catfish and seasoning
Breading (optional crispy)
Cooking fats & finishing
Method
Catfish and seasoning
- 1
Pat dry and season
Pat the catfish fillets dry with paper towels. Place fillets on a plate or tray. Sprinkle kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and lemon zest evenly over both sides of each fillet and rub gently so seasoning adheres. Let rest at room temperature for 10 minutes to allow flavors to penetrate.
Breading (optional crispy)
- 2
Prepare breading station
Set up three shallow dishes: in the first combine the flour and cornmeal; in the second whisk the eggs with the buttermilk until smooth; in the third place the panko breadcrumbs. If you prefer a lighter coating, skip the flour and use only egg + breadcrumbs or simply skip this entire section for unbreaded fillets.
- 3
Coat the fillets
Working one at a time, dredge each seasoned fillet in the flour-cornmeal mixture (shake off excess), dip into the egg-buttermilk mixture, then press into the panko so the fillet is evenly coated. Place coated fillets on a wire rack or plate while you heat the pan.
Cooking fats & finishing
- 4
- 5
Cook catfish
If cooking breaded fillets: add fillets to the skillet, cook undisturbed 3–4 minutes until the underside is golden brown. Carefully flip and cook 2–4 more minutes until internal temperature reaches 145°F (63°C) and the flesh is opaque and flakes easily. If cooking unbreaded fillets: add the fillets to the pan and cook 3–4 minutes per side depending on thickness. Reduce heat to medium if the coating browns too quickly.
- 6
Finish with butter and lemon
When fillets are nearly done, add the unsalted butter to the pan and spoon the melted butter over the fillets once or twice. Remove the fillets to a warmed plate, squeeze fresh lemon juice over each, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve with lemon wedges.