Crushed Potato Chips Are The Secret To The Ultimate Fried Fish

Many people enjoy a good fish bake or fry, but if you want to have people licking their lips and asking for seconds, you need to use some crushed potato chips for the breading. The process is simple. However, the payoff is anything but. It starts with either a handful or two of homemade potato chips or a bag of your favorite store-bought brand and crushing them up. It doesn't matter if it is a thin crisp or a hearty kettle potato chip; the result will be one of the tastiest ingredients to coat your fish filets. 

Why use chips instead of homemade or store-bought bread crumbs? Breadcrumbs, cornflakes, and the like are great ingredients for breading. However, potato chips differ from your go-to panko breadcrumbs in that potato chips are highly seasoned with salt and spices to create the crunchy and savory bite that keeps you munching on them by the handful. This quality will enhance an otherwise bland piece of fish while creating a crispy, crunchy bite. This breading is perfect in a pinch if you are making a potato chip-crusted flounder or want to get creative and fry up some anchovies or sardines and you don't have any of the traditional breading.

This genius potato chip hack is frequently used for coating chicken, giving poultry a little extra crunch, a bit of fat, and a salty flavor whether you fry or bake it. This approach works equally well for fish. Simply smash your chips in a Ziplock bag using your hands, a rolling pin, or even your food processor, depending on how fine you want your breading. 

Salt your fish before you dip it into anything. While there is plenty of sodium in the breading, you will find your fish still benefits from a little seasoning. Dredge your filets or pieces of fish in either beaten egg or mayo so your crushed chips will stick. If you plan to bake it, use a cooking rack so the potato chip coating doesn't stick to the baking sheet, undoing all your work.

When it comes to choosing what type of chips you use, choose wisely. Different types of potato chips can affect the breading's texture. With a kettle-style potato chip, you will get a much heartier, thicker breading than with thinly sliced chips. Kettle-style chips are also crunchier. Both have their place in your breading repertoire, but it really comes down to preference. 

What types of fish will benefit from a good potato chip breading?  Tilapia, halibut, grouper, cod, and haddock are all good choices for this crunchy coating. Their mild taste means they will absorb the salty taste of the chips, along with whatever seasonings you might add. If you are frying your fish, thicker textured fish like salmon, mahi mahi, and tuna are not ideal for this addition. They will end up dry or under or overcooked.

Whatever type of chip you choose, the texture and flavor of potato chip breading is a game changer. You will also appreciate the variety of chips you can use to create it. Jalapeno-flavored potato chips, when finely crushed, will add a little kick to your fish. Sour cream and onion will give your breading more of a Ranch flavor, while a dill pickle-flavored chip or a salt and vinegar chip will offer a little bit of a tang. If you want to create a hybrid breading of chips and panko bread crumbs, you can also combine the two and transform this duo into a fine crumb perfect for deep frying. Break out the blender or food processor to accomplish this task with ease. Add whatever seasonings your heart desires, and you're in business.