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Air Fryer Halibut

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Mildly sweet, meaty halibut fillets seasoned with garlic, lemon, and paprika, then air-fried to perfectly flaky doneness in about 12 minutes. The circulating heat delivers consistent results without the risk of overcooking.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 halibut fillets, 6 oz each, about 1 inch thick
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme or dried dill
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • Lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

  1. If using frozen halibut, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Pat fillets completely dry on both sides with paper towels.
  2. Mix together the olive oil (or butter), garlic, lemon zest, paprika, thyme, salt, and pepper. Brush or rub the mixture evenly over both sides of each fillet.
  3. Let the seasoned fillets rest at room temperature for 15–20 minutes to help them cook more evenly.
  4. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 3 minutes. Spray the basket lightly with cooking spray.
  5. Place fillets in a single layer with no overlap. Do not stack.
  6. Cook for 10–12 minutes (use 12 minutes as the upper bound). Check at 10 minutes — the fish should flake when pressed with a fork and the internal temperature should read 130–135°F for moist and tender, or 145°F for fully cooked per FDA standards.
  7. Do not flip the fillets. If your air fryer has hot spots, rotate the basket 180 degrees at the halfway point instead.
  8. Rest for 2–3 minutes before serving. Serve with lemon wedges.

Notes

Don’t overcook. Halibut has very little fat and dries out quickly. Use a thermometer and pull at 130–135°F for best texture.

Uniform thickness matters. Fold thin tail ends under to create a uniform piece before cooking.

Spray the basket. Halibut sticks more than most fish — a light coat of cooking spray makes a big difference.

Butter vs. oil. Olive or avocado oil is safer at high heat; brush butter on in the last 1–2 minutes for added flavor without smoking.

Quick brown butter caper sauce: Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a small pan over medium heat until amber and nutty, about 3–4 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon capers, juice of half a lemon, and a pinch of salt. Pour over fish before serving.

Find it online: https://airfrycentral.com/air-fryer-halibut-perfectly-flaky-every-time/