Air Fryer Fish Sticks are so easy and is the best way to make crispy fish sticks that you will feel good about feeding the family. These homemade fish sticks are made with real fish and are ready in under 10 minutes and are great on their own or in a sandwich.
No more processed fish sticks from the freezer section of the grocery store or deep frying for crispy fish. These fish pieces are dipped in egg, then in seasoned cornmeal to produce a golden, perfectly cooked piece of fish, making the air fryer one of the best healthy cooking methods.
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❤️ Why you'll love it
✔️ This easy dinner is made with simple ingredients in the air fryer with little clean up.
✔️ Kids love these flaky fish fingers served with homemade tarter sauce.
✔️ It is an easy meal to feed the whole family without using processed frozen fish sticks.
🥘 Ingredients
Fish fillets, I used cod fish, but tilapia or haddock is another white fish that works well with this recipe.
Cornmeal, I like to use cornmeal over flour for the air fryer recipe to get a little more of a crispy texture on the outside.
Seasoning blend, I used a lemon pepper seasoning blend.
Salt (optional), use only if the seasoning you are using does not have salt in it.
Black pepper
Large eggs, the fish is coated with an egg wash prior to dipping into the seasoned corn meal.
Cooking spray or vegetable oil spray
🔪 Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer for 10 minutes at 400 degrees.
- In a small shallow bowl, mix together the cornmeal and seasoning.
- Cut the fish fillets into 5 inch long pieces about 1-½ inches wide. Set on a plate and season with salt (if using) and pepper.
- In another small shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs until foamy.
- Coat the air fryer basket or rack with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Dip a piece of fish in the egg mixture, then dip in the cornmeal mixture.
- Place on prepared air fryer rack in a single layer and repeat until all fish sticks have been breaded. Be sure to leave enough space between the fish sticks to allow the hot air to circulate.
- Spritz the top of the breaded fish sticks with cooking spray or avocado oil.
- Place the tray/basket in the air fryer and cook for 7 minutes at 400 degrees, until fish stick coating has crisped up and fish flakes easily.
🥄 Equipment
Mixing bowls
Chef knife, used to cut the fish fillets into fish sticks.
Cutting board
Air Fryer
Tongs
🥫Storage
Store any leftover fish sticks in the fridge in an airtight container up to 3 days or in the freezer up to 3 months.
📖 Variations
- Use old bay seasoning to season the cornmeal.
- Substitute almond flour for the cornmeal to make a keto friendly gluten-free version of this fish stick recipe.
💭 Tips
- If using an air fryer with racks, be sure to place the tray in the center of the air fryer to allow the hot air to circulate evenly all around and brown all sides of the fish sticks. If in the fish sticks have not browned enough, move the tray to the top rack and cook for another 30-60 seconds.
- It is a good idea to buy the fish fillet in bulk, then cut it into portions.
📚 Related Recipes
You will love these Air Fryer Keto Chicken Nuggets made with canned chicken!
This Air Fryer Salmon is easy and delicious!
My family loves these Homemade Mozzarella Sticks.
This Air Fryer Cod with Ritz Cracker Topping is another delicious cod fish recipe.
Check out 57 Easy Air Fryer Recipes - Appetizers to Dessert.
🍽 Serve with...
For an easy seafood meal, serve with a squeeze of lemon juice and homemade tartar sauce with a side dish of pea salad or Mexican street corn.
🏫 The last word
These homemade air fryer fish sticks are not like the frozen fish sticks you can buy premade in the grocery store. Most fish sticks you buy in the grocery are made with minced fish and have a thick coating on them to make them easy to pick up with the fingers. These air fryer fish sticks are made with fresh fish and the breading is kept light. Because of this the fish stick will not be as sturdy if you try to pick it up with your fingers.
These delicious fish sticks can also be made in the oven instead of the air fryer. Just place in a preheated 400 degree oven and bake for 10 minutes, flipping fish sticks over halfway through cooking.
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📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Fish Sticks
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Ingredients
- 1 pound white fish fillet , cut into 5 x 2 inch fish sticks.
- 2 large eggs , whisked
- ½ cup cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning blend
- salt (optional)
- black pepper (optional)
- cooking spray
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