Crispy Fish Sticks

Bring back a taste of pure nostalgia with these crispy, flaky, and delicate lemon and dill kissed Crispy Fish Sticks that are easy to make and devour. Skip the yellow box and whip up this quick breading that will have kids and adults diving in for seconds.

There are some foods that are truly connected to childhood memories. I vividly remember frozen fish sticks being in heavy rotation on Mondays when my dad was off and would make lunch. It was something he grew up with and remembered fondly and didn’t require actual cooking. Back then I was double dipping in ketchup but now it’s all about that pickled jalapeno tartar sauce.

These easy homemade fish sticks take about as much time to prepare as the frozen variety while giving you fresh flavors and the textures you crave. They only use a couple tablespoons of oil making these a much healthier option than deep fried fish sticks.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Texture – These crispy fish fingers give you that crunchy exterior and flaky, tender interior you crave. Unlike a frozen fish finger that often involves ground or minced meat, this celebrates the delicate texture of fish in its natural form.
• Easy Process – There are only two simple steps, create your breading station and bread the fish, and then give it a quick pan fry. Unlike deep frying that is messy and requires more time to heat the oil, you’re only heating up a couple of tablespoons for this fish stick recipe.
• Options – These fish sticks can be pan fried, baked, or air fried. The choice is completely up to you!
• Control of Ingredients – Not only can you use what fish you like and what looks good that day, but you’re also in complete control of the rest of the ingredients. No mystery products here. Feel free to swap out the flour for cornstarch and panko for your favorite gluten free variety.

Ingredient Highlights

• Fish – You’ll want a firm white fish for these homemade fish sticks. Cod, halibut, pollock, haddock, mahi-mahi, grouper, and bass are just some options. I made fried halibut for this recipe with wild caught, sustainably sourced halibut from Salmon and Sable.
• Seasoning – Garlic powder, dried dill, paprika, salt, pepper, and a pinch of cayenne add a savory element without overpowering the delicate flavor of the fish. This is combined with flour to help create that first layer of flavor.
• Egg Wash – Eggs help bind the panko to the fish while Dijon mustard adds a tangy, savory element.
• Panko – These light and airy breadcrumbs cook up incredibly crispy. Make sure that you use plain panko and not the Italian seasoned ones.
• Lemon Zest – This brings a bright, citrusy, fresh element to the panko breadcrumbs.

How to Make Crispy Fish Sticks

• Prepare your fish. Pat your fish dry. Cut the fish fillets into approximately 1″-1 1/2″ strips.
• Make your breading station. Add the flour and seasonings to one shallow dish or bowl. Whisk together the eggs, Dijon mustard, and hot sauce in a second bowl. Add the panko and lemon zest to a third bowl.
• Bread your fish. Lightly season the fish with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Dip the fish stick into the flour and shake off the excess. Next dip it into the egg wash, shaking off the excess. Finally roll it in the panko breadcrumbs, pressing down to make sure it is fully coated. Place the fish stick on a wire rack and repeat with the remaining fish.

• Chill – Allow your breaded fish to refrigerate for 15-30 minutes if possible. This will help the breading adhere a little more. If you don’t have the time you can skip this step.
• Fry the fish. Add a couple tablespoons of neutral oil such as avocado oil to a large cast iron skillet or pan over medium heat. Let the oil heat through before adding the fish. Make sure to not crowd the pan. It’s better to work in batches. Allow each side of the fish to cook for 2-3 minutes, rotating until all sides are golden. Transfer the fish to a paper towel lined cooling rack or plate. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired.

Tools

• Cast Iron Skillet – I like using a cast iron skillet for making fried fish sticks. It evenly conducts heat and holds its temperature. Even though this is a shallow pan fry with just a little oil, you’ll want a skillet with high sides to help control any splatter.
• Baking Rack – This is useful both prior to cooking and once your fish has come out of the skillet. It allows air to circulate around the fish drying out the breading before frying. Once fried the air can circulate so the breading remains crispy instead of sitting in the excess oil, making it soggy.
• Tongs/Spider Strainer – Because of their size I find using tongs to flip the fried fish sticks the easiest, but you can also use a spider strainer.
• Instant Read Thermometer – There is nothing worse than overcooked fish. While you can pretty much go on the physical appearance of this cook it does help to double check the internal temperature of your fish just to make sure the outside isn’t getting cooked faster than the fish. Depending on the type of fish you use you’ll want the internal temperature to be between 135-137 degrees.

Tips From the Beach

• Pick fish fillets that are thicker for this recipe. You want more fish to batter. Cod, haddock, pollock, and halibut are all traditional choices. Avoid thinner, more delicate fish like tilapia or flounder.
• Thoroughly dry off your fish before dipping it in the seasoned flour. This will not only help the layers adhere better and not slide off but also help keep the coating crispy.
• If you have the time, let your breaded fish sticks hang out on a wire rack in the refrigerator for thirty minutes. This allows the layer of breading to solidify and dry out a little giving you a crispy texture and ensuring it adheres to the fish.
• Because we’re only using a little oil to pan fry these crispy fish sticks you want to make sure that it’s hot but not too hot. Sprinkle a little excess panko into the hot oil. If it begins to immediately sizzle and turn golden you’re good. If it is slow to sizzle and remains beige allow it to heat up a little.
• Every layer should have flavor, including the fish itself. Sprinkle a little salt on all sides of the fish before dipping in flour, and for an extra bite of flavor and texture sprinkle a little flaky sea salt when the fish is hot .
• If you are frying your fish on the grill, make sure that you set yourself up for two zone cooking. This will allow you to slide your pan over to a cooler zone in the event that your oil starts getting too hot. You may need to move your pan back and forth a few times throughout the process.

Don’t forget the Homemade Tartar Sauce for Dipping!

Crispy Fish Sticks

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Bring back a taste of pure nostalgia with these crispy, flaky, and delicate lemon and dill kissed Crispy Fish Sticks that are easy to make and devour. Skip the yellow box and whip up this quick breading that will have kids and adults diving in for seconds.

• Author: Nicole Stover
• Prep Time: 10
• Chilling Time: 30
• Cook Time: 15
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 4-6 1x
• Category: Entree
• Method: Pan Frying
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1–1 1/2 pounds firm, white fish such as cod, halibut, haddock, pollock, mahi-mahi, or grouper
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2 cups plain panko bread crumbs
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon dried dill
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 2–3 tablespoons neutral oil such as avocado, canola, or vegetable oil.
• Flaky sea salt for finishing, optional

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Instructions

1. Pat your fish fillets dry. Cut into 1-1 1/2″ strips.
2. Add the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, dill, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne to a shallow dish and whisk together.
3. In a second bowl add the eggs and Dijon and whisk.
4. In a third shallow bowl add the panko and lemon zest and mix to combine.
5. Season all sides of the fish with the remaining 1/2 tsp of salt. Add a few strips of fish to the seasoned flour and roll to fully coat. Shake off the excess. Next add the fish strips to the egg wash and roll to coat. Shake off the excess. Finally add the fish to the panko mixture. Press down to make sure it fully adheres. Place the strips on a wire baking rack and continue with the remaining fish.
6. Allow the fish to refrigerate on the rack for 15-20 minutes. 
7. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 2 tbsp of the oil. Allow it to heat through.
8. Place a few strips into the hot pan, careful not to splatter. Allow each side to cook for 2-3 minutes, turning until all sides are golden brown and crispy.
9. Transfer to a baking rack lined with paper towel. Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top if desired.
10. Continue with remaining fish. Add the additional tbsp of oil if needed. 
11. Serve with your favorite dipping sauces and enjoy!

Notes

1. Try to pick thicker, even fillets. Stick with firm fish like cod, halibut, grouper, etc. 
2. Test your oil before adding your fish. Sprinkle a couple flakes of the panko into the hot oil. If they immediately start sizzling and turning a golden brown you’re good to go. If they just sink to the bottom and take awhile to turn golden allow it to heat up a little more.
3. These can also be made in the air fryer. Add them in an even layer, careful not to crowd and cook them for 10 minutes at 350, flipping them halfway through.
4. You can also make these in the oven. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking rack fit into a baking sheet with nonstick spray and place the fish sticks on the rack. Lightly spray the fish sticks. Allow them to bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown, flipping halfway through for a more even cook. 
5. If making these on the grill set your grill up for two zone cooking. This will allow you to move your pan over to a cooler spot if your oil gets too hot. You may need to move your pan back and forth a couple of times.
6. Regardless of how you cook your fish, do not over crowd the pan, air fryer basket, or baking sheet. It is better to cook in batches as this will ensure that crispy, golden crust.