Made with tender, flaky white fish that has been coated in a crispy, crunchy breading, these baked fish sticks are far superior to anything store-bought and surprisingly easy to make.
Kristen’s Key Takeaways
- Kid-Friendly & Picky-Eater Approved. With minimal fish taste and an irresistible crunch factor, this easy fish stick recipe makes the ultimate family dinner.
- Use a 3-Step Breading Process. In order to achieve a crispy coating that sticks to the fish sticks, it is best to bread the fish sticks, just like my recipe for chicken tenders, chicken parmesan, and chicken katsu instruct–first dip flour, then an egg wash, then a final coat in breadcrumbs.
- Use the right baking dish. It is best to use a rimmed sheet pan fitted with a wire rack. This allows the air to circulate evenly around the fish as it bakes and prevents the bottom of the fish sticks from getting soggy.
Happy Cooking! xo Kristen
Notes on Ingredients
You will find the full list of ingredients, along with quantities in the recipe card. Below is a quick glance at what you need and tips to help you make the right selection.
- Fish: A white, firm fish is best for fish sticks. Cod, Mahi Mahi, or haddock fillets are the best options, but tilapia will work–it will just need less cooking time as the fillets are thinner.
- For Flavor: To help add flavor to the fish sticks, use a combination of seasoned salt, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard. They all work together to create fish sticks that are vibrant, fresh, and well-seasoned.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: The secret to crispy fish sticks is panko breadcrumbs. They are lighter than traditional breadcrumbs and give the fish sticks an incredible texture.
How to Make Crispy Baked Fish Sticks
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the ingredient quantities and detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Cut Fish into Sticks. Cut your fish fillets into even strips, about 1-inch thick and 2-inches long. Season the fish sticks evenly with seasoned to build layers of flavor.
- Prepare Breading Station. Set up three shallow dishes. In the first, combine flour with seasoned salt. In the second whisk eggs with lemon juice and Dijon. In the final dish, combine
- Bread Fish Sticks. First, dip the fish sticks into seasoned flour, followed by an egg wash, followed by the panko mixture. Use your hands to press the breadcrumbs onto the fish–ensuring the entire surface area is covered.
- Bake. Place the breaded fish sticks onto the pan and bake, flipping halfway through the baking process. I have found that even when using a baking rack, fish sticks turn out crispier if they are flipped midway through the baking process.
- Serve. When it comes to fish sticks, a side of homemade tartar sauce for dipping is the classic choice. I like to round out dinner by adding a side of baked fries and carrot raisin salad for the ultimate kid-friendly meal.
Recipe Modifications
- Gluten-Free Fish Sticks: Replace the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour and gluten-free panko.
- Egg-Free Fish Sticks: If you have an egg allergy, you can use 1/2 cup of milk or buttermilk in place of the 2 eggs.
- Air Fry: To air-fry the homemade fish sticks rather than bake them, bread the fish strips as directed and spray each side with cooking spray. Place in a single layer in the air fryer and set to 400°F/205°C for 10 minutes, flipping after 5 minutes. Add an additional 2 minutes if needed to get super crispy.
Storage Instructions
Fish Sticks are best served warm right from the oven. If you do have leftovers, I highly suggest freezing them and reheating them from frozen in the oven. This will keep the fish sticks crispy and crunchy, instead of soggy if they were to be reheated in the microwave.
- Freeze Leftovers: Once the fish sticks are cool to the touch, place them on a baking pan and place them in the freezer to freeze until solid, about 1 hour. Transfer the fish sticks to a freezer-safe bag and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Reheat Frozen Fish Sticks: To reheat the homemade frozen fish sticks place them on a baking sheet and bake at 425°F/218°C for 10-12 minutes, or until warmed through.
More Kid-Friendly Seafood Recipes
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Preheat the oven to 425°F/215℃ and adjust the rack to the center position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil (for easy clean-up) and place an oven-safe cooling rack on a rimmed baking sheet. Lightly spray with cooking spray. Alternatively, line the rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with non-stick spray.
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Slice 1 pound skinless white fish fillets crosswise into 2-inch long strips, about 1-inch wide.
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Season both sides of the fish sticks with ½ teaspoon seasoned salt.
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Place ½ cup all-purpose flour and ½ teaspoon seasoned salt in one shallow dish and mix well. In a separate shallow dish, whisk 2 large eggs with 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard. In the final shallow dish, combine 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon seasoned salt.
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Dip each fish stick into flour, tossing to coat. Shake off excess. Dip into the egg wash, and then finally into panko breadcrumbs, using your hands to help panko coat fish. Place the breaded fish onto the prepared pan and then repeat with the remaining fish strips. Spray the fish sticks generously with cooking spray.
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Bake the fish sticks for 7 minutes. Flip and bake for 5-7 minutes longer, or until golden brown and fish is no longer opaque.
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Allow to cool slightly and then serve with tartar sauce or your favorite dipping sauce.
Breadcrumbs: Panko bread crumbs give these fish sticks the best texture, but feel free to use unseasoned regular bread crumbs if that is all you have.
Storage: Leftover fish sticks are best frozen after cooling and then reheated in a 400-degree oven until warmed through about 12-15 minutes.
Air Fryer Instructions: Bread the fish strips as directed and spray each side with cooking spray. Place in a single layer in the air fryer and set to 400°F/205°C for 10 minutes, flipping after 5 minutes. Add 2 minutes if needed.
Gluten-Free Fish Sticks: Replace the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour and gluten-free panko.
Egg-Free Fish Sticks: If you have an egg allergy, you can use 1/2 cup of milk or buttermilk in place of the 2 eggs.
Calories: 230kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 25gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 90mgSodium: 1393mgPotassium: 539mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 105IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 52mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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