Ever craved that perfectly golden, crispy fish from Captain D’s but couldn’t get to a location? I discovered the secret to recreating their iconic batter-dipped fish at home, and it’s become my family’s favorite Friday night tradition. This copycat recipe captures that restaurant-quality crunch with a tender, flaky interior that will transport you straight to the seafood chain.
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Captain D’s Fried Fish
I have a confession to make: I love Captain Ds Batter Dipped Fish. They can’t be found everywhere, but for me, this is a guilty pleasure. If you are lucky enough to live near one, you may feel the same way.
Their battered dipped fish has to be some of the best fried fish around. All of Captain D’s food is freshly made to order. They have a diverse menu so that you can get a variety of seafood dishes. But for me, the battered dipped fish is my personal favorite.
What Makes Captain D’s Fish Batter So Good?
The magic of Captain D’s fish lies in its well-seasoned batter that creates an irresistibly crispy exterior while keeping the fish moist. The combination of all-purpose flour and cornstarch ensures the perfect texture, while a hint of cayenne adds just enough warmth without overpowering delicate fish flavor.
Ingredients
Here’s what you need for batter-dipped fried fish:
- All-purpose flour – Creates the foundation for our crispy batter
- Cornstarch – Adds crispiness and prevents the batter from becoming too dense
- Baking powder – Provides lift and lightness to the batter when it hits the hot oil
- Kosher salt – Enhances all the flavors in both the batter and fish
- Cayenne pepper – Adds a subtle warmth and depth of flavor
- Water – Binds the dry ingredients to create the perfect batter consistency
- White fish fillets – The star of the dish that becomes tender and flaky when cooked
- Vegetable oil – The frying medium that creates that golden, crispy exterior
How to Make Captain D’s Fish
- Preheat oil to 350°F in either a deep fryer or a medium-sized saucepan.
- In a medium bowl, mix the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and cayenne pepper.
- Whisk in the water.
- Pat the fish dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
- Dip the fish in the batter and fully coat each fillet.
- Drop fish in the oil and deep-fry the fish for 3 to 4 minutes, until it is golden brown. Do not overcrowd the pan, you may have to fry the fish in batches.
- Drain fish on a wire rack.
Captain D’s Crispy Batter-Dipped Fish (Copycat)
Ingredients
- vegetable oil for frying
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 pounds cod, hake, or other white fish
Instructions
- Preheat the oil to 350°F in a deep fryer or a medium-sized saucepan.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and cayenne pepper. Whisk in the water. The batter will get a little foamy. Continue to mix.
- Pat the fish dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Dip the fish in the batter to fully coat each fillet.
- Deep-fry the fillets for 3 to 4 minutes until they are golden brown. If you choose to fry multiple pieces at once, you may want to separate the pieces when cooking.
- When the fish has finished cooking, let it drain on a wire rack.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Deep-Fryer Recommendation
One of my favorite tools for frying is my T-fal FR8000 Oil Filtration Ultimate EZ Clean Easy to clean 3.5-Liter Fry Basket Stainless Steel Immersion Deep Fryer
. Why I like this fryer is that it enables you to filter the oil after usage, and then store the oil if desired.
Oil for frying often begins to burn because small particles of batter disperse into the oil and they eventually burn. If you use a fryer with a filter this will help you.
You could also run oil through a coffee filter when you are done, this will work as well. This fryer makes this task easy and safe. Years ago when I worked in a restaurant, straining the oil was the task I liked least. The oil was hot and you could burn yourself.
Tips for Frying Batter-Dipped fish
So there is a little technique when preparing the fish I want to share with you. I like to blot my fish with a paper towel to make it dry before I dip it into the batter. This way the batter will stick on better.
When placing the fish into the fryer I try to place it in carefully. So that I hold the fish carefully in the oil about halfway. By holding it for a second or two before dropping it into the hot oil you can enable the crust to cook a little so it won’t then get stuck to the bottom of the fryer basket. I find that if I simply put the fish in there, the batter can cook around the basket.
How to Store Leftovers
If you have leftover battered fish, you either need to wrap it in foil tightly, place it in a resealable bag, or put it in a container with a lid. Pat it with a paper towel first to get rid of any excess oil on the surface. Fried fish has the best taste and quality when you eat it within 2-3 days of initially cooking it.
What Is The Best Way to Reheat Fried Fish?
A fantastic way to reheat the battered dipped fried fish is in the air fryer or the oven. With both of these methods, it retains the fish’s crispiness. It should only take 10-15 minutes in a 350°F oven.
For the air fryer, use the same temperature and a slightly shorter cooking time, around 5 to 8 minutes.
Great Fried Fish Side Dishes
Best Fish Recipes
- Long John Silver Fish
- Shrimp Tempura
- Air Fry Shrimp Tempura
- Scallop Casserole
- Crab Bisque Recipe
- Seafood Gumbo Recipe
- Baked Salmon
- Easy Shrimp and Grits
- Red Lobster Shrimp Scampi
- Easy Clam Chowder Recipe
Be sure to check out my easy seafood recipes and the best fast food copycat recipes.
I eat captain D’s 3 or 4 times a month and while this recipe is not bad, in my humble opinion, it’s not really that close to the real deal
I followed the recipe and it turned out great. The only difference I could tell between Captain D’s is that it wasn’t as salty, but that’s just a minor adjustment. I like how thick this fish batter was because the first recipe I tried wasn’t as good.
Followed the recipe except subbing paprika for got pepper and it wasn’t anything like Captain D’s breading. Disappointed.
This tastes more like Long John Silvers battered fish, not Captain D’s. Still looking for CaptainD’s, there is nothing quite like it.
They likely use a beer batter and brine their fish. Trying to look for same.
I think this is close, but it would use some tweaking. It tasted almost like Captain D’s but not quite. I was thinking the cayenne was a good touch because it seemed like I remember employees having pinkish-looking batter spilled on themselves, but when I was watching a video of a manager making it the other day, it came out bright yellow like yellow cake batter. Maybe they’ve changed it because I’ve noticed at times it’s more light than it used to be. It probably needs a little more salt to have the same taste. Captain D’s fish and the Cracklin are a little salty. I’m not sure if they sprinkle anything on it after frying. I’m not sure where the yellow flavor could be coming from. Powered eggs? Tumeric? Also, Captain’s has a slight “twang” to it. I’m not sure if baking soda is in there a little or maybe a dry vinegar-like substance, but I’m going to experiment with tweaking this. Also, I know they use ice, ice cold water. I went to Captain D’s the other day to do a side-by-side but the location I got it from did not have the normal flavor. So, I’ll try again. I’ll continue looking for employee videos on youtube as well as responding to comments from employees when I see them.
Also, I will try to find out if they just batter the fish or fry it first. And like I said I thought I remember a pink color to the batter. That’s why I aways though the ones with Paprika or Cayenne were a good start
The batter is applied then fried. I do not remember the ingredients. Former Asst. Mgr. in Oklahoma
Highly recommend this!!! EVEN WITH TOFU!
So I followed the suggestions to use club soda instead of water, and yes! That was a great idea.
So as a vegetarian I am always looking for recipes that work with tofu and this is perfect! Still crisps up like it would on fish and honestly, it’s probably even better! I also season the batter with pepper, season salt, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, and chili powder instead of cayenne pepper. AMAZING!!
Used this recipe for Tilapia and chicken. I brined the tilapia to boost the flavor. OMG whole house load couldn’t believe how good it was! Thank you!
Stephanie, this recipe is wonderful! I used Pollock fish adding black pepper the seasonings listed in the recipe. I did fry the fish in re-used oil, which gave me beautiful light brown results. Now I can make my Captain D’s fish at home – thank you!
How close is this to tv he real deal?
Better!
I would really like to know how they cook there broccoli to perfection!
I managed a Capt Ds. Country style fish coating is simply corn meal (not corn meal mix) salt, and pepper. Simply roll the cod fish in the coating and deep fry.
Thank you for your suggestion.
I was told they use pancake batter. Any truth to that?
Dan, I wouldn’t unless you like a sweeter batter. I am not a fan of pancake batter some seem to be sweeter than others.
I know this is an older post, but this is the recipe I use for tartar sauce..got this from a different recipe site years ago and has been my favorite ever since..
â—‹ 1 cup mayonnaise
â—‹ 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
â—‹ 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice (I use bottled)
â—‹ 2 tablespoons finely-chopped dill pickle
â—‹ 1 tablespoon finely-chopped capers
â—‹ pinch of salt (TASTE FIRST…you may not need it depending on the mayo used)
â—‹ pinch of freshly ground black pepper
Mix all ingredients well, store in container with tight fitting lid (I use a pint canning jar).
I have a great recipe for tartar sauce, and you can make as much or as little as you need. Just combine one part minced onion with two parts each dill relish, sour cream and mayonnaise. Cover and put in the fridge for at least an hour for the flavors to meld.
This is similar to the way my Mother made her tartar sauce, minus the sour cream. It was delicious & so easy, no fuss, no muss. The sour cream sounds good too, will have to try that! Thanks for the idea.
made this for new years lunch. enjoed it very much. Used cold club soada and have found its needed in these types of batters. Dryed the fish but batter didnt stick as well as I wanted. Dusted the fish with corn starch and then the batter stuck perfect. Love this dish. I think the taste and texture are very close to D’s. Wonder what you could ad to get the fish to turn that pretty color it has at the Captians.
BTW made hushpuppies and found butter in the mix insted of oil is the secret.
you need to use old oil if you want a darker color.
Why are people asking you about carbonated water? That’s not in your recipe!
Some people add it to fish batter to make it extra fluffy. I do not add it.
So, we’re saying 1.5 cups of carbonated water, rather than water, not in addition; right?
Now we need the recipe for their tarter sauce. Not the ones in the small take out containers, but the kind in the dining area you have to get out of the pump. There’s a big difference in taste between the 2. And I LOVE that stuff.. Lol
Oh, and I just had Capt. D’s yesterday.. Lol
I make my own tarter sauce for one: 2 Tbs Miracle Whip; 1 tsp yellow mustard; 1 1/2 – 2 Tbs sweet pickle relish; Smidgen of onion powder; A dash of garlic powder. Blend together well….Hmmm…hmmm!!!
My best guess would be mayonnaise dill pickles and the special ingredient that really makes the flavor malt vinegar
I’d LOVE to have the recipe for their hushpuppies! They are the absolute best.
Me too! Sometimes I go there just for the hushpuppies!
Here is a great recipe for hush puppies our family has used for decades. It is wonderful!
Rena’s Hush Puppies
1 medium onion, white or yellow, finely diced
1 cup self -rising flour
1 cup corn meal, not corn meal mix
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup boiling water (important that it be boiling)
1 tsp. salt
Stir all ingredients together and drop by the spoonful into hot grease. When they float and are golden brown on all sides, remove from grease and drain on paper towels.
I can’t stand to get hush puppies from some catfish restaurants where they are little hard knots. These are nice and light and simply delicious.
Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome! I hope you will try the recipe and let us know what you think about it.
The “country style” recipe is the best…. what’s the recipe for that?
To be honest, I have never tried that one, I will gave to give it a try.
To be honest, I have never tried that one, I will have to give it a try.
1 1/2 cups of cold carbonated water really puffs up the batter for the final touch.
I bet that would take this recipe over the edge, I am not sure they do this here. You are so right, it can make the batter I don’t think they add the carbonated water to the mix. I could be wrong though.
Steph, I made the recipe this past Friday for our ‘Fish on Friday’ tradition. I used catfish nuggets that were on hand and the carbonated water substitute. Reminded me of Arthur Treacher’s Fish and Chips from back in the day. Needless to say we will be repeating this from now on. Don’t forget the Malt Vinegar!!!!!!!!