Baked Fish Sticks

These baked fish sticks are an easy homemade version of the childhood meal we all know and love. Tender white fish with a crispy panko crust, they're are a quick and delicious dinner the whole family will love!

Baked Fish Sticks

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Pretty much everyone I know enjoyed fish sticks as a child. Even my seafood-hating husband has fond memories of fish fingers his mom used to make them. They definitely made several appearances in our home as a kid, often alongside some mac and cheese.

So I figured it would be fun to create my own fish sticks recipe because while packaged foods can be tasty and convenient, there's no substitute for a home cooked meal. Luckily, these are super easy to make and come out crazy delicious every time!

Tips for making breaded fish sticks

• Before breading, pat the fish dry and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Try to cut the fish into pieces that are similar in size for even cooking.
• If you have a baking rack, this is the perfect recipe to use it. I spray it down with cooking spray and place it on top of a lined baking pan. This allows the fish sticks to crisp up on both sides without turning.
• If you don't have a baking rack, you can turn the fish stick halfway through.

Frequently asked questions about how to bake fish sticks

• What kind of fish do you use? I opted for catfish because it's very mild in flavor and budget-friendly. But any mild white fish will work. I'd also use haddock or cod.
• How long do you cook fish sticks for? For this recipe, they cook up nicely in around 20 minutes at 400 degrees.
• What do you use to dip the fish sticks? This comes down to personal preference but some options are cocktail sauce, ketchup, tartar sauce and my husband likes plain mayonnaise.
• How do you make fish sticks crispy?  I use panko bread crumbs, as they make a crispier crust.  And as mentioned above, a baking rack helps create a crispier crust all around.
• How long do fish sticks last? Up to 3 days covered in the refrigerator.
• Can you reheat them? Yes- they'll be crispier in the oven but you can also microwave them.

Make it a meal!

A few great recipes to round out and complete this meal would be:

Helpful tools:

1. Sheet pan
2. Silpat
3. Chef's knife
4. Cutting board
5. Baking rack
6. Measuring cups
7. Measuring spoons

Baked Fish Sticks

Jessy Freimann

These baked fish sticks are an easy homemade version of the childhood meal we all know and love. Tender white fish with a crispy panko crust, they're are a quick and delicious dinner the whole family will love!

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• Cooking spray
• 1 pound white fish filets, I used cat fish but any mild white fish will work- try cod or haddock!
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Ground black pepper, to taste
• ½ cup flour
• 2-3 large eggs, beaten (start with two and beat a third if needed)
• 1 ¼ cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon seasoning salt

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a sheet pan. Top it with a baking rack if you have one and spray the baking rack (or pan) with cooking spray.
• Pat the fish dry with a paper towel and cut into equal size sticks. It will vary based on the size but I halved the fish the long way and then cut it into thirds. Sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper to taste.
• In 3 shallow bowls, place the following: flour in the first, beaten eggs in the second and in the third stir together the panko bread crumbs and seasoned salt.
• Dredge each fish piece in flour and tap off the excess. 
• Then submerge each fish piece in the egg making sure it's fully covered before gently tapping of the excess.
• Finally, cover each fish piece in the panko mixture. Once fully covered carefully tap off the excess and place onto the baking rack or pan (you can generally get a lot of fish stick on one pan, just make sure they aren't touching).
• Bake for around 20 minutes or cooked through. If not using a baking rack, flip the fish sticks midway through the cooking time. Serve immediately with lemon wedges for squeezing and your dipping sauce of choice. 

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!