For an easy weeknight dinner, make these delicious Crispy Air Fryer Fish Sticks! You can use fresh or frozen fish in order to create a fantastically tasty and easy meal.
Fish paired with seasoned bread crumbs and your favorite dipping sauces makes for a dinner that’s beyond simple and satisfying. Best of all, it’s hot and ready on the table in under 30 minutes with less than 10 minutes of cooking time!
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💚 About This Recipe
I love getting fish on the table whenever I can. It's fairly affordable and packed with healthy components like omega-3s, vitamins, and minerals! Recipes like my Brazilian Fish Stew or this super tasty Orange Glazed Salmon are some of my seafood favorites.
But sometimes I need something even quicker and easier that I know will be a favorite for everybody involved. That's when these crispy fish sticks come to save the day, and they're much healthier than deep frying!
Super easy to make with cod or your choice of mild white fish, these super simple air fryer fish nuggets can also be made ahead of time and frozen for the ultimate weeknight dinner! Serve with ketchup, buffalo sauce, honey mustard, or a tasty Homemade Tartar Sauce for a handheld and crispy meal.
And don't forget the biscuits! I love to serve these iconic Red Lobster biscuits along with our fish sticks. They pair perfectly with seafood!
Or serve delicious cabbage steaks on the side for a hearty and nutritious meal. They are easy to make and use common ingredients you probably already have in your pantry!
🧂 Ingredients Needed
- eggs - help form a layer for the breading to adhere to.
- flour - another crucial part of the breading process that ensures the end result is nice and crispy.
- seasonings - a simple combination of salt, pepper, and paprika is all you need to start.
- bread crumbs - I like to use seasoned breadcrumbs to add even more savory flavor to my homemade fish sticks.
- cod fillets - any mild and flaky fish works well, so feel free to substitute something like halibut or tilapia if you prefer.
🔪 Instructions
- Beat the eggs in a medium mixing bowl.
- In a separate small bowl or shallow dish, combine the flour with salt and pepper.
- Add the breadcrumbs and paprika to another bowl and mix well.
- Using paper towels, pat the fish dry.
- Cut each fish filet into strips about 3 inches long and an inch wide.
- Dip each fish stick in the flour mixture, followed by the egg mixture, and finish with the bread crumbs. Arrange breaded fish pieces in a single layer in your air fryer basket and cook at 375 degrees F for 6 to 7 minutes, flipping halfway through.
❔ FAQs
Yes, as long as you cook the fish all the way through, there's no harm in putting raw fish in your air fryer.
This is likely because you didn't pat the fish dry enough before breading, or they need a bit of extra time to cook. Using paper towels to blot the fish dry both helps the breading stick and ensures a super crispy result.
It depends on the size and power of your air fryer, but most fish sticks will be crispy and golden brown in anywhere from 6 to 10 minutes. Give them a flip halfway through to promote even cooking.
💭 Expert Tips and Tricks
- Be sure to preheat the air fryer before adding the fish sticks. This will guarantee they start cooking as soon as you put them in, which will prevent sogginess.
- Another good rule of thumb is to leave a bit of space between your fish fingers in the air fryer. The hot air will circulate better and cook them more thoroughly.
- Use a thermometer to check for an internal temperature of at least 145 degrees F if you're not confident the fish is cooked all the way through.
- After the fish sticks are fully breaded, give them a light spritz with some cooking oil to give them an extra crispy finish.
- Try to slice the fish fillets into even pieces for more even cooking.
- Use separate forks to transfer the fish sticks between each dish while breading to prevent them from getting messy.
📌 Making fish fingers in the air fryer is the perfect way to ensure crispy, golden results every time! Serve with your favorite dipping sauce and enjoy this fast and reliable meal for busy weeknights.
💡 Substitutions and Variations
- Add additional seasonings to the flour and/or breadcrumb mixture for some extra flavor. Old Bay seasoning is a great option that pairs perfectly with the fish sticks, but other savory spices like garlic powder, cumin, onion powder, or chili powder are also great options.
- For an even crispier result, use Panko breadcrumbs.
- If you can't find cod or prefer a different kind of fish, some other great options include haddock, halibut, tilapia, pollock, flounder, or grouper.
🥫 Storage and Reheating
Keep leftover fish sticks in an airtight container or plastic bag in the fridge for 2 to 3 days, or in the freezer for several months. To reheat, just pop them back in the air fryer at 350 degrees F with a little spritz of oil.
⏲️ Make Ahead Instructions
These air fryer fish fingers are great to make ahead of time and freeze for later! Flour and bread them as instructed, then arrange the fish sticks on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and pop them in the freezer for a couple of hours. Once they're solid, transfer them to a freezer safe bag and store them for 3 months or so.
To cook from frozen, you'll want to cook them for about 15 to 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
🍴 What To Serve With This Dish
For a healthy veggie side, serve your air fryer fish fingers with a side salad, Air Fryer Broccoli or Cauliflower, and add a nice hearty side like Drop Biscuits or Cheesy Whole Wheat Biscuits to really round out the meal!
They also pair well with a batch of fresh Air Fryer French Fries or tater tots for a tasty fish and chips dinner. Pair with some lemon juice from fresh lemon wedges for a pop of citrus flavor
✔️ More Air Fryer Recipes You'll Love
- Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas - Pair tender chicken with tasty veggies and your favorite toppings for an easy and delicious meal!
- Air Fryer Steak Bites - Juicy, mouthwatering steak is easy to achieve in the air fryer.
- Air Fryer Baby Potatoes - Crispy on the outside and tender inside, these flavorful potatoes are an excellent side dish with just about any main course.
- Air Fryer Crab Cakes - The Recipe Critic's recipe for these crab cakes in the air fryer is a reliable appetizer, weeknight dinner, or even a hearty lunch!
Fish Fingers in the Air Fryer
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📋 Recipe Card
Crispy Air Fryer Fish Sticks
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 ½ cups seasoned bread crumbs
- 3 teaspoons paprika
- 1 ½ pounds cod
Instructions
- Crack the eggs into a medium bowl and beat.2 eggs
- Place the flour in a separate medium bowl. Add the salt and pepper and mix.¾ cup flour, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
- Place the seasoned breadcrumbs in another medium bowl. Add the paprika and mix.1 ½ cups seasoned bread crumbs, 3 teaspoons paprika
- Pat the fish dry and cut into strips about inch wide and 3 inches long.1 ½ pounds cod
- Take each fish stick, coat in flour, dip into the beaten eggs, then coat in breadsticks. Place each one in the air fryer basket without crowding them. (You may need to cook two batches if your basket won't fit all of them without stacking.)
- Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees F. Place the fish sticks in the air fryer and cook for about 3 minutes, then flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
Notes
- When moving the fish sticks from flour to egg to bread crumbs, it helps to have separate forks to use for each to help coat the fish sticks.
- You can use haddock, halibut, or pollock instead of cod.
- For even crispier fish sticks, spray them with a little oil after coating them with the breadcrumbs and before cooking them in the air fryer.
- Fish sticks should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.
- To make these ahead and freeze them, follow the instructions to coat all the fish sticks in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs. Place them on a baking sheet that will fit into your freezer. Freeze them for 2-3 hours until solid, then place them in a ziptop plastic bag and store it in the freeze for up to 3 months, until ready to cook.
- To cook frozen fish sticks, preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees F, place the frozen fish sticks in the basket and cook for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until done.
- Serve with easy homemade tartar sauce, ketchup, or any condiment you prefer.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.
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Connie says
These were great! All the kids gobbled down the fish sticks and they are just so much healthier than the pre-packaged frozen kind.
Kristin King says
So glad to hear that! My kids have always loved this recipe too!
JK says
Had my son make this when he was home from school during Lent. He loved it and now makes it for the guys at school. Nice and easy and tasty he says. TY
Kristina says
These fish sticks are so much better than packages ones. Definitely make sure to pat them dry so they crisp up nicely. I served them with your air fried broccoli, which I cooked all together and it made such an easy one pan dinner.
Sharon says
Wow, my family loved this recipe because it's delicious, and I loved it because it's super simple to make. We eat fish at least once a week and this has to be one of the easiest ways to prepare it. We love fried fish, but this recipe is so much healthier and so much easier than frying. Thank you so much for sharing.
Sharon
Giangi Townsend says
I love cod, and I knew I had to make it as soon as I saw your recipe. I love my new air fryer, and knowing that I could make my favorite fish and not have it fry, I am in heaven. It came out super crispy and light.
Thank you!
TAYLER ROSS says
I made these fish sticks for the kids for lunch today and they LOVED them! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Charah says
easy and healthy recipe, I love this. Thanks for sharing
kushigalu says
These fish sticks look fantastic. Thanks for the recipe.
Harriet Young says
These were really good and so easy to make in the air fryer. The kids loved them. Thank you!
Tiffany says
I am so happy I can make fish sticks out of whatever fish I like! My kids love them! Thank you for this recipe!