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+ servings
a white plate with fried catfish, crawfish etouffee, and green onion rice on it
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5 from 8 votes

Catfish Atchafalaya

Catfish Atchafalaya is a unique combination of Southern Fried Catfish, smothered in Crawfish Étouffée, and served with Green Onion Rice. It is a five-star meal that is easy to enjoy at home.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Cajun, Southern
Keyword: catfish atchafalaya, cornmeal fried catfish, crawfish etouffee, green onion rice
Servings: 4 people
Author: Kari

Equipment

Instructions

  • I like to prepare the Crawfish Étouffée first, then dredge and bread my catfish.
  • While my catfish fillets are resting in the refrigerator and my oil is heating up, I start the green onion rice in my Instant Pot. The rice should be done around the same time that the catfish fillets are done cooking.
  • When everything is finished, serve a scoop of green onion rice with a fillet of catfish.
    a white plate with fried catfish, crawfish etouffee, and green onion rice on it with a pot of crawfish etouffee
  • Then smother with a scoop of Crawfish Étouffée. It is so good!
    a white plate with fried catfish, crawfish etouffee, and green onion rice on it with a pot of crawfish etouffee

Notes

Storage/Reheating
All of the parts of Catfish Atchafalaya have different shelf lives:
Catfish: If you don't finish fried fish in one meal, store it in an air-tight container in the refrigerator after letting it cool. I like to reheat it in the air-fryer to crisp back up - if you do not have an air-fryer, you can use the toaster oven or the regular oven, just put some foil under the fish to catch any drippings so you don't end up with a toaster that permanently smells like fish. If you aren't going to be able to finish all of your fried fish, you can freeze it, just be sure to put the fish in an air-tight container or plastic bag. (Vacuum seal it if you can - this will prevent freezer burn.)
Green Onion Rice: Green onion rice, much like most cooked rice, will only be good for a few days. My favorite way to reheat rice is to cover it with a damp towel and microwave it on low heat. Stir, then repeat once or twice. This will add moisture back into the rice and make it soft again.
Crawfish Étouffée: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 - 3 days. It can be reheated over low heat, but do not overcook it as the crawfish will get tough. If you are not going to eat all of the étouffée within 2 - 3 days, you can freeze it for several months. Let it defrost in the refrigerator then reheat on the stove over low heat.