Every now and then I get a MAJOR craving for fish sticks, but I’m not really a fan of store-bought frozen fish sticks. So instead, I use this homemade fish sticks recipe to get my fix. They’re surprisingly simple to make, they’re deliciously crispy on the outside, and light, flakey, and moist on the inside. Dip them in some homemade tartar sauce and I’m in heaven!
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Fish sticks are seriously easy to make. They have two main components, the fish and the crispy breading. Super easy! Once you make your own fish sticks at home, there’s no going back to frozen.
Ingredients for Fish Sticks
Here’s what you’ll need to make these homemade fish sticks:
- White Fish: You’ll want to use a mild white fish to make fish sticks, like cod, flounder, tilapia, or grouper. I used frozen flounder this time around because that’s what was available at the store for a good price, but I’ve also used cod many times. Frozen fish is usually a little more affordable than fresh, and it works great for fish sticks!
- Flour, Eggs, Breadcrumbs: The crispy breadcrumb coating is made with just a few simple ingredients: flour, eggs, and Panko breadcrumbs (plus a little seasoning). Panko is the best type of breadcrumb for fish sticks because it’s extra light and crispy, so it doesn’t overpower the delicate fish.
- Seasoning: You’ll definitely want a little seasoning to keep your fish sticks from being boring, so I made it easy by adding a Creole seasoning blend that includes salt. Any type of seasoning salt will work well.
- Oil: Use high-heat cooking oil to shallow fry the fish sticks, like canola, vegetable, peanut, light olive, or sesame oil (not toasted).
Alternate Cooking Methods
I chose to shallow fry my homemade fish sticks because it’s SUPER fast and creates the most crispy and delicious bread coating. If you’re not a fan of this method, it is possible to bake them in an oven or use an air fryer, although the results won’t be quite as scrumptious. Here is how to cook fish sticks in an oven or air fryer:
Baked Fish Sticks: Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Stir 2 Tbsp cooking oil into the seasoned Panko breadcrumbs (this helps the fish sticks brown and crisp evenly). Place the breaded fish sticks on a wire cooling rack placed on a baking sheet. Bake the fish sticks for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.
Air Fryer Fish Sticks: Preheat the air fryer to 400ºF. Stir 2 Tbsp cooking oil into the seasoned Panko breadcrumbs (this helps the fish sticks brown and crisp evenly). Place the fish sticks in the air fryer basket in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the air fryer. Cook the fish sticks at 400ºF for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly golden.
Seasoning Ideas for Fish Sticks
I used Tony Chachere’s to season my fish stick recipe, but there are a lot of other great seasonings that would also work well. Just remember, if the seasoning blend you use does not contain salt, you’ll need to add about 1/4 tsp to the flour mixture and 1/2 tsp to the panko breadcrumbs. Here are some alternate seasoning ideas for your homemade fish sticks:
- Seasoning salt (like Lawry’s)
- Lemon pepper
- Old bay seasoning
- Blackened seasoning
- Tajín
- Greek seasoning
What to Serve with Fish Sticks
You’ll probably want a little something delicious to dip your fish sticks in, so I would suggest a creamy tartar sauce, a zingy comeback sauce, creamy-tangy mayo ketchup, or plain ketchup (if that’s how you roll).
To round out your fish stick meal, try pairing them with a creamy coleslaw or a zippier cumin lime coleslaw, go “fish and chips” style with some steak fries, or get some greens with a side of roasted broccoli. Or, go full on comfort food with some creamy mac and cheese. ;)
Homemade Fish Sticks
Servings 4 (about 4 fish sticks each)Ingredients
- 1 lb. white fish ($6.00)
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour ($0.16)
- 2 tsp Tony Chachere's seasoning, divided* ($0.20)
- 2 large eggs ($0.18)
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs ($0.62)
- 1/4 cup cooking oil ($0.16)
Instructions
- If the fish is frozen, thaw completely, then pat with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. Cut the fish into "sticks" about three inches long and ½-inch wide, and no more than ½-inch thick (if using a thicker fish filet).
- Prepare the breading by combining the flour and 1 tsp seasoning (Tony Chachere's or seasoning of choice) in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs. In a third bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs and remaining 1 tsp seasoning.
- Begin to bread the fish sticks by dipping them one at a time into the flour, then egg, then panko breadcrumbs. Place the breaded fish sticks on a plate or cutting board once breaded.
- Heat the cooking oil in a small skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot enough that a breadcrumb dropped into the pan sizzles strongly as soon as it hits the oil, you're ready to fry the fish sticks.
- Fry the fish sticks in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pan, frying for 2-4 minutes on each side or until the breading is golden brown. Transfer the fried fish sticks to a paper towel-lined plate to drain as you fry the rest. If the oil gets too hot as you fry, remove the pan from the heat to allow it to cool slightly before continuing. Do not let the oil smoke. If needed, add slightly more oil and allow it to fully heat before cooking more fish sticks.
- Allow the fish sticks a few minutes to cool slightly before enjoying with your favorite dipping sauce.
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Notes
Nutrition
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How to Make Fish Sticks – Step by Step Photos
Thaw about 1 lb. of white fish, then dab with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. I used flounder because that’s what was available, but cod, tilapia, or grouper all work great.
Cut the fish into “sticks” about three inches long and ½-inch wide. If you are using thicker pieces of fish, like a cod, filet the pieces in half to make sure they are not thicker than ½-inch.
Prepare the ingredients for the three layers of the breadcrumb coating. In one bowl, combine ½ cup flour with 1 tsp Tony Chachere’s seasoning (see blog text above for alternate seasoning ideas). In a separate bowl, whisk two large eggs. In a third bowl, combine 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs with 1 tsp Tony Chachere’s seasoning.
Begin breading the fish sticks by first dipping them in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess, then dipping them into the whisked eggs, and finally into the seasoned breadcrumbs until fully coated. Place the breaded fish sticks on a plate or cutting board.
Add ¼ cup high-heat cooking oil (like canola, vegetable, peanut, light olive oil) to a small skillet and heat over medium. Test the heat of the oil by dropping in a pinch of Panko breadcrumbs. When the breadcrumb sizzle furiously as soon as it hits the oil, it’s ready to fry the fish sticks. Work in small batches, taking care not to overcrowd the pan. Fry the fish sticks for 2-4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. If the oil becomes too hot, take the pan off the heat for a moment or two before proceeding. If the oil begins to smoke, take it off the heat immediately.
Transfer the fried fish sticks to a paper towel-lined plate to drain as you cook the remaining fish sticks. Let them cool for just a few minutes before serving and enjoying!
These things are SERIOUSLY SO GOOD. I already want to make another batch. 😜
The outside is so crispy and the inside is so moist and flakey. Fish stick PERFECTION!
I made theese last night for the first time and they were pretty tasty my husband and I both enjoyed them I made them in our Air Fryer. I did do some things differently however and I would like to point them out that might be helpful to some others out there who want to make them Gluten Free. I did use King Arthur Measure for Measure flour… do not mix the oil with this! it will come out looking more like a rice krispies mixture I had to double dip and press this mixture onto the fish to make it stick. Next time I am going to do it seperately and spray the oil over the fish after dipping to see if that works better. They were a bit pale at the cooking time but the fish was still crispy but next time I am going to increase the cooking time to 15 minutes I think for a more golden brown crust. They were delicious and I am definitly going to make again.
Do you have directions or at advice for making these in the air fryer?
We’d have to test it out so I’m not sure! It can definitely be done though and they’d cook very quickly. Keep an eye out, I’ll see if we can try it!
Oh brother JM. That is not a comment on the recipe, just your desire and or ability to cook. This is no more messier than most recipes worth the trouble. Comment on the food. Delicious and relatively EASY to prepare.
Hmmm…very tasty; I did have to add an extra dash of salt which surprised me because Tony Chachere’s is very salty. I used Trader Joe’s gf flour and Ian’s gf panko. As with all breaded and fried things, even shallow fried, an enormous undertaking to make with lots of dirty dishes and a greasy kitchen to clean up later. I enjoyed them very much both with tartar sauce and in fish tacos, but will not make again just because of the work involved. Thank you for the recipe.
Very good and easy to make, my 4 year old loved them
Has anyone tried these in the oven?
I cooked this last night, trying to incorporate fish more often into our rotation. It came out better than expected. I doubled the amount of Cajun seasoning though and we still couldn’t taste it. Also the tartar-like sauce is super good! But for this recipe I would halve the quantity because it made way too much.
I added a teaspoon of salt to the flour mixture since my Cajun seasoning is homemade. I couldn’t taste the Cajun and will double it next time. Also, I patted the fish dry before slicing. I feel like that helps the breading stick better. I served with ketchup and the rice cooker mac recipe to replicate one of my favorite childhood meals. :)
Another home run Beth! :) My nutritionist recently advised I include more fish in my diet, and so I’ll be trying all your fish recipes here. It can be expensive, but your recipes always keep the cost down. We didn’t taste the seasoning much in our fish sticks, but we’re going to try applying the seasoning to the fish before flouring next time to see how it tastes. I’d love to see more seafood recipes here, like shrimp, crab etc. Keep on cookin’! :)
Hi Beth, I like fish sticks, but never have made my own. The Tilapia Fish Sticks are deee-licious! They are so good, I won’t ever be able to go back to those frozen sticks from the grocery store. The recipe is very easy to follow, and they cook up in just minutes. I paired the fish sticks with your Tartar-like Sauce, which put the flavors over the top. Thank you for your passion and for providing us with wonderful, 5-star meal ideas.
Yum! I just finished eating the left-over Tilapia Fish Sticks, with more sauce. They are delish cold. I also had a happy memory happen while I was eating. More than 50 years ago, when I was a kid, I would eat left-over fish my mother had fried up the night before. My mom is 93 now and was a fantastic family cook. My whole family has many memories surrounding food and our dinner table. Funny how & when memories hit us, even decades later. Thanks again.
just sampled one as the rest are frying. So good and crunchy! I had plain Panko so I seasoned that up a bit but the overall taste is great. I thought might picky 3 year old might like them….she LOVES them! Definitely added in our rotation.
These Tilapia fish sticks are crazy good! I went a little heavier on the Cajun seasoning and paired them with Sriracha mayo for dipping. Yum!!
Beth! This was scrumptious! For the first time in a loooong time, all three boys, ages 10, 8 and 4 LOVED it unanimously! Even the one who says he dislikes fish said he LOVED it. Thank you!
I love this recipe too!!! Please Beth give us more recipes with Tilapia fish. It is well accepted in my family. The Tilapia and tomato sauce is one of their favorites!!
This one won with the family hands down. Kids devoured the fish like crazy. I served with sweet potato fries and corn. My 5 year old kept filling her plate with fish, and she rarely eats like she means it! Also, love the Cajun flavor!
I used Swai because, well, that’s what I had. Still turned out great!
Okay, I dig the crunch and I couldn’t use tilapia so I used some other white filet fish that I bought at the store, maybe that’s why mine came out with like no flavor… Now mind you – crusty panko had tons of flavor… fish… none…
Although, on the bright side my kids Loved this.
These freeze really well! I let mine cool completely, froze, and then warmed in the toaster oven for 10 minutes at 400*F — with 1/2-3/4 inches space between each stick.
The texture come back up to ~90% of what it’s like fresh from the pan, and they fish stays moist and juicy.
Awesome!! Thanks for sharing that. :)
I made these for lunch/supper today, and they’re SO TASTY. I’m going to freeze the leftovers and reheat in the toaster oven with lunches next week to see how that works.
This has become one of my go-to meals for “what on earth am I going to cook tonight?” nights. I pair them with sweet potato fries (baked in the oven while I make the fish sticks), and my four-year-old will stuff his face.
If you have leftovers, re-heat them in the oven or a toaster oven, NOT the microwave. They’ll stay nice and crispy that way.
Do you think these would freeze well? Before or after cooking?
I don’t think these would freeze well (either before or after) because it will make the breading get soggy. Store bought fish sticks are coated in a lot of oil that prevent them from getting too soggy.
I don’t know how you do it Beth but his recipe NEVER takes me twenty-five minutes, not even CLOSE! The part that always takes *at least* an hour is breading each individual fish piece. After I dipped it in the panko bread crumbs, I have to rinse off my hands of “goop”. I find that if I just continue without rinsiing, the panko breadpieces start falling of the next fish pieces I’m starting to bread. :( Maybe I’ll just skip cutting up the filets next time and cook them as big pieces. :/
Hmm, maybe try using a fork to roll the sticks around in each dish for the breading and then using the fork to lift it out and into the next bowl? (don’t pierce the fish, just lift it out like a forklift). Or maybe keep a bowl of water to quickly swish your fingers in to “de-goop” between sticks. Also, you can probably do 2-3 sticks at once. Hopefully it will speed up for ya :)
Cooking tonite
Made these for dinner but i had to sub the panko with Italian style breadcrumbs because that’s what was on hand…but they sure turned out GREAT! My kids loved it! I actually made the “Miracle mac and cheese” to go alongside the fish and they ate more of the fish! Thanks for the recipe(s)!
Laura – My only guess is that perhaps the eggs weren’t whisked enough? If they whites are still in large globs, they might tend to pull away from the fish sticks instead of coating them evenly. You can also try adding just a touch (a teaspoon or so) of water to the eggs before you whisk them and it will help break them up.
my egg didn’t stick to the flour at ALL – it sort of glopped off. what on earth?! anyone have an idea why?
I made these tonight and they were WONDERFUL! I used a little garlic in the flower and regular Italian spiced bread crumbs with some parm in them. SO SO GOOD! My “I hate fish” kids gobbled them up!
These are completely amazing! I covered them with whole wheat flour and garlic parmesan seasoning, then fried them in olive oil. I paired it with the crunchy Asian salad. Sooo yummy!
I love this recipe! For a healthier version, instead of frying, place on parchment lined baking sheet and spray with cooking spray (will give you that golden brown color) and bake for about 25 minutes at 350° :) Great blog!
This was delicious! We will definitely be making this again. I need to work on the tartar sauce, though. We are dairy-free and without the yogurt, it just tasted like … mayonnaise :)
I am late to this party but I wanted to let you know that I made your Tilapia, for dinner tonight. We loved it! I have just “found” your blog and I can see countless hours drooling over your yummy meals.
Thanks for sharing them with us!
barb
I actually used frozen flounder fillets because thats what i already had in my freezer….and opted for lemon-pepper panko crumbs which were phenominal! it came out so well…i will definitely be making this again! soon!
i have tried this today and it’s sooo yummy! thanks for sharing the recipe.
I overcooked mine a little but still nice and tender. To save even more money I skipped the cajun spice and used a soy sauce packet left over from a take-out lunch as a dressing after they were cooked. Tasty.
Beckie – the flour helps everything stick on… I actually made a batch the night before with just the egg dip and then panko and it didn’t turn out nearly as well. The flour just kind of soaks up excess moisture on the fish and gives the egg something to adhere to :)
Wonderful recipe! I’m wondering, why flour is necessary if you’re using panko bread crumbs? Just curious..love your blog!
Thanks a lot, this looks awesome! I’ll definitely be trying it this week.
Yum, this looks great! I know what you mean about craving fish sticks but being freaked out by all the weird ingredients in the store-bought kind. This looks delicious and easy; I can’t wait to try it!
Looks like a great recipe. I love tilapia and this sounds like a great way to use it.
These look absolutely amazing. I have some frozen tilapia I’ve been trying to use up; definitely going to try this ASAP!
this looks delicious! thanks for the idea. I’ll be feeding this to my kiddos.