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Crispy battered fish served with tartar sauce, fries, and lemon. Long John Silver's Batter Recipe

How to Make Long John Silver’s Batter Recipe

Love the crispy, golden-brown crunch of Long John Silver’s fried fish and chicken? Now you can recreate that light, airy batter at home! This recipe captures the signature crispiness with simple pantry ingredients and the right frying technique.

  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4 fish fillets or chicken planks 1x

Ingredients

Scale

For the Batter:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon white pepper (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¾ cup ice-cold water
  • 1 egg yolk

For Frying:

  • Vegetable oil (or canola/peanut oil) for deep frying
  • Fish fillets (Alaskan Pollock, cod, or haddock) OR chicken tenders

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Batter

  1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, white pepper, paprika, and garlic powder.
  2. In a separate small bowl, beat egg yolk and mix it with ice-cold water.
  3. Slowly pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients, stirring gently until just combined. Do not overmix! Some lumps are okay.

Step 2: Prepare the Oil

  1. Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or large pot to 350°F (175°C). Maintain this temperature to ensure a crispy, golden crust.

Step 3: Coat the Fish or Chicken

  1. Pat the fish fillets or chicken tenders dry with a paper towel to help the batter stick.
  2. Dip each piece into the batter, allowing excess to drip off.

Step 4: Fry to Perfection

  1. Carefully place battered fish or chicken into the hot oil. Fry in small batches to maintain oil temperature.
    • Fish fillets: 3-4 minutes per side
    • Chicken planks: 5-6 minutes per side
  2. Once golden brown, remove from oil and drain on a wire rack (not paper towels) to keep them crispy.

Step 5: Make Extra “Crunchies” (Optional)

  1. Drop spoonfuls of leftover batter into the hot oil and fry for 30-60 seconds until crispy. Remove and drain.

Notes

  • For extra crispiness, keep the batter ice-cold while frying.
  • For a lighter texture, swap half of the water for club soda.
  • Best dipping sauces: Tartar sauce, garlic aioli, or honey mustard.
  • Avoid overcrowding the fryer—this helps keep the oil at the perfect temperature.
  • For air frying, lightly coat battered fish or chicken with cooking spray and air fry at 400°F (200°C) for 10-12 minutes.
  • Author: beginrecipes
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 4 servings
  • Calories: 280 kcal
  • Fat: 12g
  • Carbohydrates: 30g
  • Protein: 15g

Keywords: Long John Silver’s Batter Recipe