If thawing fish is a thought that drives you absolutely insane due to the long wait that is required, then throwing the frozen fish right on the pan is probably the best route to take.
Slowly thawing out the fish is not a necessary step for most recipes so if you choose to put the frozen fish directly in the pan then just double the amount of cooking time the recipe normally calls for.
The only cases where it would be better to slowly thaw it are when you are looking to broil, stuff, or bread the meat.
When properly thawing fish you should place the frozen pieces on plates in the refrigerator and allow them to slowly defrost.
The plate will catch all of the runoff and you can go about your business while the fish thaws out.
This is a very long process since it takes about six to eight hours per pound for the fish to be completely thawed.
Planning ahead is the best way to deal with frozen fish because it gives you the freedom to leave it in the refrigerator overnight and into the next day so that when you are ready to start cooking the fish is ready for you too.
Placing the fish in cold tap water is another approach to thawing fish though it requires a little more attention since the water needs to be changed rather regularly so that it does not reach room temperature.
Running cold tap water over the frozen fish is just another take on this same method but without the need for extra attention.
Microwaving the fish is another fast way to defrost the meat but it is extremely hard to get the fish to thaw out evenly so it is best to stick with the more traditional forms of defrosting even if they do require a little more time.
Having fresh fish on your dinner table is a nice little luxury so it is important that you do not spoil the chance by defrosting it incorrectly and ruining the meat.
All that is needed to successfully thaw fish is some time and a cool setting.