Easy Homemade Fish Sticks
- PREP 20min
- COOK 20min
- TOTAL 40min
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.
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
Preheat 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.
Prepare 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).
Pat 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.
Bake 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.
Serve 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.