The Crunchy Snack Hack That Gives Fried Fish A Fiery Upgrade

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A bite of crunchy, fried fish only requires breading your cod or mahi mahi in flour or breadcrumbs, but there's another option that will provide that texture — and some spice. You might have heard of using cereals like corn flakes on fried fish, but some of those Flamin' Hot Cheetos in the back of your snack cabinet provide the heat. And the best part is that it doesn't make frying up fish any more difficult.

Flamin' Hot Cheetos pack some heat and flavor, so your fried fish won't need many more spices — and hot sauce shouldn't be necessary either. Ingredients include garlic and onion powders and cheese flavoring (of course), so it's a single ingredient that has a lot of benefits. The crunchy snacks are made of cornmeal, which means the chips will provide a crunchy exterior to your fish without gluten. The bright-red color of Flamin' Hot Cheetos will also make an aesthetically pleasing plate of fried fish compared to the light-brown chunks you might be used to.

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The first step is to choose a variety of fish that works well with frying, such as cod, haddock, bass, or even flounder. To make sure the Cheetos cling onto your fish, either drench them in buttermilk or dredge them in flour, then beaten eggs. When it comes to preparing the Flamin' Hot Cheetos, put them in a bag and crush them with a mallet or rolling pin so you have a consistency similar to breadcrumbs. Then, coat the fish in this magical, spicy ingredient, and fry according to the recipe. Flamin' Hot Cheetos comes in a variety of flavors, including dill pickle and lime if you want another flavor profile. You can also use another favorite spicy chip, like Flamin' Hot Doritos, but if you like the idea but are sensitive to heat, try regular Cheetos instead.

You can replace the breadcrumbs in any recipe for fried fish, but we have some options in case you don't already have any. Upgrade our Copycat Long John Silver's fish recipe with Flamin' Hot Cheetos for a meal that rivals any fast food. Another suggestion is our breaded pan-fried cod recipe that's ready in about 20 minutes. Pair the fried fish with tartar sauce or ranch to offset some of the spice, and you've got yourself a crunchy, spicy meal to stand out against your other weeknight dinner plans.