Crispy fish cutlet over a bed of garlic cream sauce pasta. A popular East meets West dish served at Hong Kong style cafés. This HK Style Fish Fillet Cream Sauce Pasta is a great main or meal made with simple ingredients in 30 minutes!
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Hong Kong Fish Fillet Cream Sauce Pasta features fried fish cutlets with a pasta in garlicky creamy sauce. A popular dish served at many Hong Kong style cafés, also known as "cha-chang-teng" in Cantonese.
Hong Kong style cafe's are known to serve Western-influenced dishes with a Chinese twist because they were once a colony of Britain.
You'll find delicious Western classics like french toast, ham and egg sandwiches, rice casseroles, milk teas and more on their menus.
I love ordering this seafood dish because the crispy fish is so flakey and pairs perfectly with the slightly overcooked cream sauce pasta.
HK cafés are known to slightly overcook the pasta just a bit and it actually tastes even better for some odd reason!
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.
- Spaghetti: or substitute with any long noodle pasta like spaghettini, linguine or fettuccine and cook according to package directions.
- White Fish Fillets: skinless, boneless, sturdy fish works best so it doesn't break apart when breading. I recommend either fresh or frozen cod, haddock or pollock.
- Salt: to season the pasta water and fish fillets.
- Garlic powder: or substitute with onion powder as a last resort.
- All-purpose flour: a general use white wheat flour. Or substitute with cornstarch or potato starch to coat the fish.
- Large Eggs
- Japanese Panko Breadcrumbs: these are long and flakier breadcrumbs made of finely processed Japanese milk bread. Or substitute with regular breadcrumbs or milk bread pulsed in a food processor.
Pasta Cream Sauce
- Heavy cream (36% M.F): or substitute with table cream (18% M.F.) or whole milk if you want a low-calorie version.
- Chicken Stock: ideally low-sodium stock.
- Unsalted Butter
- Garlic
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
Expert Tips
- Use quality white sturdy fish like cod, haddock or pollock.
- If using frozen fish, thaw and strain out as much excess water as possible.
- Pat the fish very dry before seasoning or the seasoning and breadcrumbs will fall off.
- Generously season the fish with salt and garlic powder on both sides. This is important or you’ll have tasteless fish.
- Cut the fish fillets into equal sizes so they fry evenly.
- Make sure to evenly bread the fish and make sure there are no empty spots.
- Fry the coated fish in small batches. This ensures there is enough space in the air fry for the fish to crisp up or it prevents the oil temperature reducing which can cause soggy fish.
- Drain the fried fish on a wire rack or paper towel lined plate to remove excess oil or the fish will become soggy.
- Salt the pasta water. This makes a difference for tastier pasta.
- When making the cream sauce, cook over low-medium heat and do not increase heat past that.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make HK Fish Fillet Cream Sauce Pasta:
Preparing Fish Fillets
- Slice fish filets into 5-inch-long pieces, about 1-inch wide so you have about 10 pieces. Pat dry with a paper towel to remove as much excess moisture as possible. Evenly season both sides with salt and garlic powder.
- Prepare the dredging station by adding all-purpose flour to a large shallow bowl, panko breadcrumbs to the second bowl and beaten eggs to the last bowl. Generously coat each fillet in all-purpose flour first, then beaten eggs, and lastly panko breadcrumbs ensuring no bald spots.
- Deep Fry Method: Heat a large heavy bottomed pan with 2 cups or 500 ml of vegetable oil and bring to medium heat, around 350 degrees F with a digital instant read thermometer or insert a wooden utensil into the oil and look for rapid bubbles. Fry breaded fish in small batches until golden brown, 6-8 minutes in total flipping over halfway. Transfer fried fish to wire rack or paper towel lined plate to remove excess oil.
- Air Fry Method: Lightly spray the air fryer basket with vegetable oil. Place breaded fish in a single layer into the air fryer basket and do not overlap giving each piece enough space. Lightly spray 1 teaspoon or 5 ml of vegetable oil over fish fillets. Air fry at 400 degrees F for 12 minutes in total - flipping over halfway spraying oil on the other side as well.
Preparing Pasta
- Bring a large pot filled halfway with water to boil on medium-high heat. Season with 1 tablespoon of salt. Cook pasta according to package directions (around 10 minutes) and add another minute to slightly overcook it (if you prefer the pasta al dente, cook for the instructed time. Strain pasta in a colander. Then place pasta back into the large pot and set aside to keep warm.
- In a large saucepan set on medium heat, melt the butter. Then add flour, and mix well until incorporated. Add minced garlic, salt, heavy cream, and chicken stock. Whisk constantly until the sauce bubbles and thickens, about 5-7 minutes.
- Once sauce has thickened, pour cream sauce into pot with pasta. Toss pasta with sauce.
- Serve the creamy pasta with the fried fish. Garnish with dried parsley flakes and enjoy!
Storage
- Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat: microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot or reheat in a pan on medium heat.
- Freezer friendly? I don't recommend freezing this dish because the fish will loose its crispy texture and the pasta will become soggy.
Pairing Suggestions
HK Fish Fillet Cream Sauce Pasta serves well with:
- cooked vegetables like bok choy, spicy garlic bok choy, choy sum, gai lan, garlic green beans or stir fried snow pea leaves.
FAQ
Can I make this in advance?
This can be made up to 4 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. I recommend storing the fish separately from the creamy pasta. To reheat, microwave or in a pan on the stovetop on medium heat.
📖 Recipe
HK Style Fish Fillet Cream Sauce Pasta
Crispy fish cutlet over a bed of garlic cream sauce pasta. A popular East meets West dish served at Hong Kong style cafés. This HK Style Fish Fillet Cream Sauce Pasta is made with simple ingredients in 30 minutes! I share how to deep fry or air fry the fish fillets below.
Ingredients
- 1 lb spaghetti or linguine/fettuccine & cook according to package directions
- 1 tablespoon salt for pasta water
For the fish:
- 1 lb haddock fillets or pollack/cod fillets, skinless and boneless
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ cup all-purpose flour or cornstarch
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1 ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs or regular breadcrumbs
- 2 cups vegetable oil or any neutral oil (*Use 2 teaspoon or 10 ml if air frying)
For the pasta sauce:
- 2 cups heavy cream (36% M.F) or table cream (18% M.F) or whole milk
- ½ cup chicken stock low sodium
- 2 tablespoon butter unsalted
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Preparing Fish Fillets
- Slice fish filets into 5-inch-long pieces, about 1-inch wide so you have about 10 pieces. Pat dry with a paper towel to remove as much excess moisture as possible. Evenly season both sides with salt and garlic powder.
- Prepare the dredging station by adding all-purpose flour to a large shallow bowl, panko breadcrumbs to the second bowl and beaten eggs to the last bowl. Generously coat each fillet in all-purpose flour first, then beaten eggs, and lastly panko breadcrumbs ensuring no bald spots.
- Deep Fry Method: Heat a large heavy bottomed pan with 2 cups or 500 ml of vegetable oil and bring to medium heat, around 350 degrees F with a digital instant read thermometer or insert a wooden utensil into the oil and look for rapid bubbles. Fry breaded fish in small batches until golden brown, 6-8 minutes in total flipping over halfway. Transfer fried fish to wire rack or paper towel lined plate to remove excess oil.orAir Fry Method: Lightly spray the air fryer basket with vegetable oil. Place breaded fish in a single layer into the air fryer basket and do not overlap giving each piece enough space. Lightly spray 1 teaspoon or 5 ml of vegetable oil over fish fillets. Air fry at 400 degrees F for 12 minutes in total - flipping over halfway spraying oil on the other side as well.
Preparing Pasta
- Bring a large pot filled halfway with water to boil on medium-high heat. Season with 1 tablespoon or 18 g of salt. Cook pasta according to package directions (around 10 minutes) and add another minute to slightly overcook it (if you prefer the pasta al dente, cook for the instructed time. Strain pasta in a colander. Then place pasta back into the large pot and set aside to keep warm.
- In a large saucepan set on medium heat, melt the butter. Then add flour, and mix well until incorporated. Add minced garlic, salt, heavy cream, and chicken stock. Whisk constantly until the sauce bubbles and thickens, about 5-7 minutes.
- Once sauce has thickened, pour cream sauce into pot with pasta. Toss pasta with sauce.
- Serve the creamy pasta with the fried fish. Garnish with dried parsley flakes and enjoy!
Enjoyed my recipe?Please leave a 5 star review (be kind)! Tag me on social media @christieathome as I'd love to see your creations!
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Nutrition
Calories: 809kcal | Carbohydrates: 125g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 150mg | Sodium: 2963mg | Potassium: 1080mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 380IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 246mg | Iron: 5mg
Rosemary
This is so yummy! A perfect indulgent meal to make on the weekend!!
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
I am loving your homemade white sauce. This quick and easy dinner is comfort food at it's finest!
Caleb - Never Ending Journeys
I love a good fish filet, and served alongside pasta, this looks simply irresistible! Love the use of cream sauce, too.
Katherine | Love In My Oven
Looks so crispy delicious, Christie!! And that creamy, saucy pasta? Mmm!! I can see why this is a favorite of your husbands!
Katerina | Once a Foodie
I love this East meets West flavour combo! My kids would absolutely love it and I love how simple the ingredients list is - this delicious meal could absolutely be created on a weeknight. Thanks so much for sharing, Christie!