Servings: 4
Panko Crusted Cod (Oven and Air Fryer)
Crispy Parmesan-panko breading makes this cod so delicious! Serve with fresh lemon wedges. Below you'll find instructions for oven-baked panko crusted cod as well as air fryer instructions.
Ingredients
- 1-1.5 lb cod fillets, about 3-4 ounces each, thawed if frozen
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- 1.5 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1.5 tablespoons mustard, regular yellow or Dijon
- ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs, unseasoned
- ⅓ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, the stuff from the green container is fine here!
- 1 teaspoon herbs de Provence, or your favorite dried herbs, such as dried basil or dried oregano
- oil sprayer with vegetable oil
- lemon wedges and fresh diced parsley leaves x, for serving
- Large baking pan (one that is broiler-safe)
- Air fryer optional
Instructions
Oven instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Spray a large baking sheet with vegetable oil.
- If your cod was previously frozen, give the cod a gentle squeeze to squeeze out any extra liquid. The more you squeeze out, the crispier the panko topping will be, but be sure not to smush the cod fillets.
- Combine the salt, pepper, garlic, and onion powder. Season the cod with this mixture on all sides.
- On a large dinner plate, combine the panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and dried herbs and mix well.
- In a small/medium bowl, mix together the mayo and mustard.
- Brush the mustard mixture on top of the cod fillets in a thin layer. Press the cod fillets mustard side down into the breadcrumbs. If you want, you can also press the other side into the breadcrumbs, but it's not necessary.
- Gently place the breaded cod fillets onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake at 400F for 10-12 minutes, or until the cod is fully cooked to an internal temperature of 145F. If you are using broiler-safe baking equipment, you can turn on the broiler for 1-2 minutes to brown the top. Keep an eye on the cod to make sure it doesn't burn under the broiler!
- Carefully remove from the oven, squeeze some lemon wedges and sprinkle fresh parsley on top. Serve warm.
Air fryer cooking instructions
- Follow the steps above to coat brush the cod with mustard/mayo and coat it in breadcrumbs.
- If your air fryer requires preheating, preheat to 350F.
- Place the breaded cod into the air fryer basket or tray. Spray the tops with vegetable oil.
- Air fry at 350F for 10-12 minutes, or until the cod is cooked to an internal temperature of 145F. If you notice the breadcrumbs getting too brown halfway through cooking, lower the temperature to 320F and cook until the cod is cooked through.
- Serve with lemon wedges and fresh parsley.
Notes
Recipe tips
→ Be sure to gently squeeze as much liquid from the cod as possible.
→ If you want to coat the cod on all sides, I recommend using a baking rack to allow for air flow in the oven as the cod cooks, so the bottom doesn't get soggy. Be sure the baking rack is broiler-safe.
→ Depending on the thickness of your cod fillets, you might need more or less cooking time to cook it through.
→ If you don't have a meat thermometer, you can check if the cod is done by using a fork to flake the fillets in the center. The middle should flake into pieces and should be fully white in the center.
→ Flavor variations: Try adding just a splash of hot sauce to the mustard/mayo mixture. Don't like mustard? Use just mayo. Don't like mayo? Use just mustard.
The nutrition facts are estimated assuming 1 lb of cod is divided into 4 servings. The actual nutrition will depend on the size of your cod fillets and how much breading and mayo mixture you use for each piece.
Nutrition Facts
Calories 169kcal (8%)Carbohydrates 5g (2%)Protein 24g (48%)Fat 5g (8%)Saturated Fat 2g (13%)Polyunsaturated Fat 2gMonounsaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0.01gCholesterol 54mg (18%)Sodium 502mg (22%)Potassium 499mg (14%)Fiber 1g (4%)Sugar 1g (1%)Vitamin A 109IU (2%)Vitamin C 1mg (1%)Calcium 112mg (11%)Iron 1mg (6%)
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