Our family loves these homemade fish sticks! They are flaky and tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. These are baked, not fried, and call for a handful of real, simple ingredients.
These homemade fish sticks are way better than anything sold in the freezer section of your local grocery store. Just like our homemade chicken nuggets, adults and kids go crazy for them, thanks to our simple seasoning blend. Plus, since we bake them in the oven, they are healthier, too.
I cannot wait for you to make these fish sticks. The ingredient list is simple, and you probably already have most of what you need in your kitchen! I love them served next to fresh lemon slices and homemade tartar sauce. We also love this homemade ketchup and our creamy honey mustard sauce!
Key Ingredients
- Fish: Use any firm white fish like Pacific cod, mahi-mahi, or tilapia. The trick is to cut the fish into similar sizes so the fish sticks all bake in the same amount of time.
- Flour, Eggs, and Breadcrumbs: We use a three-part breading. First, all-purpose flour is mixed with spices. Second, beaten eggs and a little hot sauce, and third, breadcrumbs mixed with a little oil and dill. For gluten-free fish sticks, use gluten-free flour and crushed gluten-free certified cereal or potato chips for the breadcrumbs. For egg-free, try substituting the egg for cream (or a plant-based cream).
How to Make Fish Sticks
To bread the fish, we use a traditional three-part breading process, which is the best way to make sure the breading stays on the fish and becomes crisp. It’s a simple process. Add flour and spices to one dish, beat eggs in a second dish, and then mix breadcrumbs and a few more seasonings in a third dish.
After cutting the fish into thin strips, roll them into the flour, dip them into the egg, and then coat them in the breadcrumbs.
As I mentioned above, we bake our fish sticks. You can also fry them in a deep skillet with oil or use an air fryer (we haven’t tried this yet, but I bet they would be amazing).
You have two options when baking them: First, you can bake them directly on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. You will need to flip the fish sticks halfway through baking. Or, follow my favorite method and bake them on an oven-safe wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. The rack allows air to circulate around the fish, which makes them extra crispy.
Easy Homemade Fish Sticks
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Our family loves these homemade fish sticks! They are flaky and tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. We highly recommend baking the fish on top of an oven-safe rack inset into a rimmed baking sheet, which helps to make the fish sticks extra crispy. If you do not have one, bake the fish sticks directly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and turn once during baking.
4 Servings (about 16 fish sticks)
You Will Need
1 pound (450g) cod fillets, sliced crosswise into 1-inch strips
1/3 cup (43g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 large eggs
2 to 3 dashes hot sauce, optional
1 ⅓ cup (150g) panko breadcrumbs or homemade breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon dried dill or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
Olive oil or non-stick cooking spray
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
Directions
1Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. If you have one, place an oven-safe wire rack on the baking sheet and spray with nonstick cooking spray. This will make the fish sticks extra crispy.
2Prepare three shallow bowls. Whisk the flour with onion powder, garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in the first bowl. In the second bowl, whisk the eggs and hot sauce together until blended. In the final bowl, stir the breadcrumbs and dill together. Drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil over the breadcrumbs and mix well. (Or spray with nonstick cooking spray).
3Pat the fish dry, then roll a piece of fish into the flour with one hand. Shake off excess flour and then dip into the egg mixture. Shake the excess egg off, and then with your other hand or a fork, roll the fish into the breadcrumbs and place onto the prepared baking sheet (or onto the rack). Repeat with the remaining pieces of fish.
4Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once during cooking. (If you are using a rack, turning it is unnecessary.) The fish sticks are done when the breading is golden brown, and the fish flakes easily with a fork.
5Serve with a very light sprinkle of salt and fresh ground black pepper over the top.
Adam and Joanne’s Tips
- Gluten-free fish sticks: Substitute gluten-free certified flour blend or almond flour for the all-purpose flour and crushed gluten-free certified cereal or potato chips for the breadcrumbs.
- Egg-free fish sticks: Cook’s Illustrated suggests using heavy cream as a substitute for eggs when breading fish, vegetables, and chicken. You can also try olive oil.
- For even more golden brown color and crispiness, before breading the fish, toast the breadcrumbs mixed with a little olive oil until light brown. In a 375 degree oven, this will take a minute or two. Make sure you check on the breadcrumbs and stir every 30 seconds so that they do not burn. You can also toast the breadcrumbs in a skillet over medium heat.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
Nutrition Per Serving
Serving Size
4 fish sticks
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Calories
333
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Total Fat
8.1g
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Saturated Fat
1.7g
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Cholesterol
145.1mg
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Sodium
448mg
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Carbohydrate
35.4g
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Dietary Fiber
2.2g
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Total Sugars
2.5g
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Protein
29.1g
