Fish fingers are one of the clearest wins for an air fryer over the oven — the breadcrumb coating crisps more evenly with direct air contact on all sides, and the whole thing takes noticeably less time than the oven instructions printed on most UK packs.
Timing
Cook straight from frozen at 200°C for 8–10 minutes, turning halfway. This beats the 15–20 minutes most pack instructions specify for a conventional oven, since air fryers preheat almost instantly and circulate hot air more directly against the breadcrumb coating.
Getting Even Crisping
Lay fish fingers in a single layer with small gaps between them rather than touching — this matters slightly more here than with chips, since the breadcrumb coating needs airflow on all sides to crisp evenly, and touching fingers will have a pale, soft strip where they're pressed together.
No Oil Needed
Frozen fish fingers already have enough oil in their breadcrumb coating to crisp without any extra — adding oil on top of the factory coating can actually make them greasier without improving crispness, the same principle as frozen chips.
Checking Doneness
The coating should be golden and the fish inside opaque and flaking easily — if you're unsure, the centre should reach at least 63°C, though visual and texture cues are usually reliable enough for a thin, uniform product like this.