Crispy and crunchy this Copycat Capitan D’s Crunchy Battered Fish Recipe will be your new go-to fish obsession. Super delicious, flaky, and out of this world!
I’m in love with Captain’ D’s Battered Fish. It’s one of my biggest guilty pleasures, a huge pile of fried fish from Captain D’s! Ugh, it is just so glorious!
Crispy battered flaky white fish that is moist inside, I don’t know if it can get much better than this! Now, with today’s copycat recipe you can make one of my biggest guilty pleasures right in your own kitchen!
Living on the coast, you know that I’m a huge fish lover, but sometimes there are some pleasures that don’t quite come from that fresh-caught goodness we are used to.
This Crunchy Battered Fish Recipe is one of my favorites to make at home, and we make it more often than not. It literally is our go-to battered fish recipe.
Everything with this recipe just works so well together that you just can’t stop eating it! I’m one of those people where I have to have each bite perfectly put together.
A squeeze of lemon, dip in cocktail sauce and I’m in crunchy heaven! Trust me when I say that you will be too once you try this awesome recipe.
Some of our other favorite fish recipes we have on our site include: Beer Battered Fish (with pancake mix), Easy Chimichurri Fish Tacos and Teriyaki Salmon.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
- Super common ingredients are used in this recipe!
- Cod is the fish of choice, it is available everywhere.
- This has just the perfect amount of crunch that will satisfy each and every bite.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED (FULL RECIPE BELOW):
Cod fillets
Paprika
Garlic powder
Kosher salt
Black pepper
All-purpose flour
Baking powder
Baking soda
Ice cold water
Peanut oil for frying
HOW TO MAKE CAPTAIN D’S CRUNCHY BATTERED FISH RECIPE:
- Cut fish in 1 1/2 inch strips. Place the cut fish in a plastic bag and season with 1 teaspoon of the paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Close the bag and toss the fish until coated. Add in 2 tablespoons of flour and toss again.
- Make the batter by placing the flour, baking powder, baking soda, 1/2 tsp paprika, salt, and pepper into a large bowl and stir it together. Whisk in the water until it forms a batter similar to the consistency of pancake batter. If you need a little more water to get the right consistency, do so now.
- Heat the oil in a heavy bottom skillet over medium heat until it reaches 350°F, you can also use an electric deep fryer as well.
- Place the fish in the batter, mix to combine with hands until all pieces are coated while the oil is heating.
- When the oil is hot, add the fish piece by piece into the hot oil. Do not crowd the pan, you will have to do this in batches. Flipping halfway through the cooking process takes about 8-10 minutes total.
- When the fish has an internal temperature of 165°F and is golden brown, take out of the oil using tongs and place them on a wire rack over a sheet tray. Sprinkle with more kosher salt immediately out of the oil so it will stick to the fish.
- Keep cooking until all the fish is done. Serve with your favorite condiments like cocktail sauce or tartar sauce and lemon wedges.
WHAT KIND OF OIL IS BEST FOR FRYING FISH?
While we always love to use peanut oil as we feel it gives the best flavor you can also use, shortening, canola oil, and vegetable oil as well.
Whatever you choose will work. Peanut oil is more expensive but it really does in my opinion give the best flavor overall.
WHY IS MY FISH NOT CRISPY?
The two main reasons for this is the batter and the oil. You don’t want a thick batter so if it is thick, you might want to try thinning it out slightly with some more water.
Also, you want to get your oil preheated correctly. Do not fry your fish until the oil has come to temperature, it will either burn the outside or the fish will cook too slowly on the inside.
HOW TO STORE THIS CRUNCHY BATTERED FISH RECIPE:
This Crunchy Battered Fish Recipe can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. That is the maximum for this recipe.
You can reheat in the oven on a low setting until heated through so you don’t lose any crispiness and it will add a little crispiness to it. Sitting in the refrigerator will make it turn a little soggy over time.
TIPS AND TRICKS:
- Cod is our favorite choice of fish for this recipe but any other white flaky fish will works.
- Make sure you use ice-cold water in the batter.
- You do not want to overcrowd your frying pan, otherwise, the fish will not cook evenly.
- This is great served with all of your favorite dipping sauces.
- Having a fish fry? This can easily be doubled or tripled to serve more people.
If you love a good copycat recipe like I do and adore fish then you have to try my Captain D’s Crunchy Battered Fish Recipe!
If you like this Crunchy Battered Fish Recipe you might also like:
- Lobster Rolls
- Homemade French Fries (great for a side)
- Easy Homemade Tartar Sauce
If you’ve tried this CRUNCHY BATTERED FISH RECIPE let me know in the comments how it turned out! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!
Copycat Captain D’s Crunchy Battered Fish Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Cod fillets or any white flaky fish fresh is best!
- 1 1/2 teaspoon paprika divided
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
For the batter:
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup ice cold water plus more if needed
- Peanut oil for frying
Instructions
- Cut fish in 1 1/2 inch strips. Place the cut fish in a plastic bag and season with 1 teaspoon of the paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Close the bag and toss the fish until coated. Add in 2 tablespoons of flour and toss again.
- Make the batter by placing the flour, baking powder, baking soda, 1/2 tsp paprika, salt, and pepper into a large bowl and stir it together. Whisk in the water until it forms a batter similar to the consistency of pancake batter. If you need a little more water to get the right consistency, do so now.
- Heat the oil in a heavy bottom skillet over medium heat until it reaches 350°F, you can also use an electric deep fryer as well.
- Place the fish in the batter, mix to combine with hands until all pieces are coated while the oil is heating.
- When the oil is hot, add the fish piece by piece into the hot oil. Do not crowd the pan, you will have to do this in batches. Flipping halfway through the cooking process takes about 8-10 minutes total.
- When the fish has an internal temperature of 165°F and is golden brown, take out of the oil using tongs and place them on a wire rack over a sheet tray. Sprinkle with more kosher salt immediately out of the oil so it will stick to the fish.
- Keep cooking until all the fish is done. Serve with your favorite condiments like cocktail sauce or tartar sauce and lemon wedges.
Nutrition
Comments & Reviews
Monica says
Love this idea for an Easter Brunch! Featuring at Family Fun Friday! http://www.happyandblessedhome.com/2014/04/family-fun-friday-week-63-100-easter-party-ideas.html
Monica
Tim says
This recipe looks great! Could you please attempt to replicate Captain D’s Chicken Tenders?! They were a guilty pleasure of mine…especially, with their Sweet and Sour sauce. I would love to get that recipe as well.
John says
I prefer the COUNTRY STYLE fish at Captain D’s for the fish breading, much tastier to me and its soft enough for older people to eat it (that may be missing teeth) without damaging their gums. It’s probably just corn meal but I’ve never asked. Do you have the recipe for it?
Dana DeVolk says
No I’m sorry I do not have a recipe for that style.
Stephanie says
can you also use this recipe for shrimp
Istibisti says
Can someone please tell about those experience actually trying this. I want to make this but I would like to know if it taste as good as it looks.
Raymond says
Captain D’s is in my top 3 places to eat, so I will definitely try this out. The color of your batter looks similar to what I spied watching some employees one day.
Raymond says
Captain D’s sole shrimp fried in their fish batter for a short time, but they won’t bring it back. I’m definitely going to try it because I often get a similar shrimp from Long John’s Silvers.
mary says
has anyone actually tried to make it and f so how did it taste
Ken from Alabama says
I worked for Captain D’s for a couple of years and there is no paprika in the batter I made this batter from scratch for the entire time I worked there, however, paprika does give it more flavor.
Denise says
Can someone tell me how much flour you use for the batter. I don’t seem to see it in the recipe?
Dana DeVolk says
1¼ Cup + 2 Tbls all purpose flour
Davey says
I have never heard of captain D’s they don’t have them up north but I’d like to try this recipe what kind of salt did you sprinkle on the fish?
Dana DeVolk says
Kosher salt 🙂
Jeff Brown says
I was a manager at Captain D’s and the batter comes in a plastic bag, with no ingredients listed. You just add ice cold water and mix. I’ve tried to replicate it myself and my recipe is almost identical. Mine has no garlic powder and uses also a tbsp of cornstarch, makes the batter much fluffier.
Dana DeVolk says
Thanks so much for the tips!
rivergirl says
Never had Captain D’s fish. Came to this site via a Google search for beer batter fish without the beer. I know, I know.
Anyway, made the fish and loved it. Forget beer batter. Just forget about it! This is better by far.
Two suggestions: I found the best fish to use was the grade A cod loin. Sometimes it’s called the Captain’s cut. Haddock loin was good, too. Trick there seems to be the firm, drier fish–not soft or mushy. We found that even the regular cod was too wet. Soft fish seems to make the fried batter less crisp, more oily. Using the firmer, drier fish ensured a coating so deliciously crisp and non-greasy that it’s useless to salt it after frying. Not one grain will stick to it. That’s how amazing it is. Don’t skip the salt in the recipe!
Second suggestion: I substituted about a quarter cup of rice flour for some of the wheat flour in the batter (not the tablespoons saved back to toss with the seasoned fish right before frying). Wow. Batter was so crisp it seems impossible that it doesn’t shatter when you dig in–but it doesn’t! Never tried making this using all rice flour. We’re not gluten free–just used it cause we were short on wheat flour, and yeah, I was too lazy to go out.
Great site you have here, lady. We’re going to be thanking you for this recipe for the rest of our days. Never thought I’d ever have been so grateful to be out of beer! Go figure.
Dana DeVolk says
Wow, what a wonderful, thoughtful and information filled comment, thanks so much! I will definitely try your tips next time, the crunchier the better to me!!
will says
i really think captain d’s batter has yeast in it. i deep fried some sour dough bread balls, as an experiment with leftover dough, and it tasted like captain d’s fish without the fish. i defrosted some tilapia, because thats all i have, and thinned out the some of the dough with water. the batter was lumpy, but i cooked the fish with it anyway. i’ll get some whitefish and experiment using some of you ingredients. oh, and i’m using a deep fryer, not a pan.
Klaus, Julia says
This is an amazing recipe. The fish is well seasoned, light and crispy. I didn’t change anything and will definitely be using this recipe again. Thank you.