Quick Fish Sticks Recipe - made with tender cod fillets coated in a lightly crisped and deliciously golden batter. It’s perfect for family fish and chips night anytime!
I have the best homemade fish sticks made with well-seasoned pieces of cod coated in a light and crispy batter and they taste way better than anything store-bought. It’s a simple recipe made with just 7 ingredients (including the seasoning and oil!) so you probably have everything you need.
My kids love when I make a homemade version of fish and chips, and I love that it’s a budget-friendly way to serve my family. We’ll make a whole thing of it and serve them with a side of tartar sauce, extra lemon wedges, and of course crispy french fries.
A complete restaurant-style meal right at home that everyone will enjoy!
Cooking Tips
- Make sure the oil is hot before adding the fish sticks. If not, by the time the oil heats up, the fish sticks will have absorbed way too much oil and become soggy. We want crispy!
- Cod or haddock are the best choices for this kind of recipe. You want a mild-tasting fish that won’t fall apart.
- Cook in batches, if necessary. Don’t overcrowd the skillet. You want to give each of the fish sticks enough room to crisp up and brown nicely all around.
- For a crispier slightly different texture, you could add some panko breadcrumbs or crushed cornflake cereal to the flour or instead of the flour.
- Try using a different seasoning next time. Lemon pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and paprika might be a nice change!
Fish Sticks Ingredients
- Egg & Milk - Used to coat the fish fillets keeping them nice and moist but also helping the flour to stick to them.
- Cod fillets - I use about 1 lb of fillet cut into 1” strips. The size is just a guide, you cut them to as big or as little as you’d like.
- Flour - All-purpose flour works great to create a lovely outer crispy coating.
- Cayenne pepper & salt - A simple seasoning that adds just the right amount of kick. This is completely flexible which means you can do whatever seasoning you like.
- Avocado oil - You need just enough to cover the fish sticks, so if you are ok using that much avocado oil (it’s not exactly cheap) feel free to use it. It’s what I use because I love that it has a high smoke point but is also a healthier choice of oil.
How to Make Fish Sticks From Scratch
Set up a small dredging station ahead of time so you can work quickly.
Step 1: To a skillet over medium-high heat, add enough oil to cover fish sticks. Heat the oil as you prepare your station.
Step 2: In a medium bowl, beat the egg and milk together. Soak the cod pieces in them and set them aside. On a small flat plate, mix the flour, cayenne, and salt.
Step 3: lift the cod fillets out of the egg and milk mixture and allow them to drip off any excess before placing them in the flour mixture to coat.
Step 4: Once the fish is completely coated, gently lower them into the hot oil for about 2-4 minutes. They will be nice and golden.
Step 5: Remove the fish sticks from the oil and transfer them to a cooling rack. I like to season with a little extra salt, but that’s totally optional.
Step 6: Repeat with remaining fish sticks until all codpieces are finished. Serve with a side salad or slaw and garnish with chopped fresh parsley. Enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
As I mentioned earlier, my family loves to do pub-style fish and chips! This means I serve them with a side of crispy air fryer french fries, cabbage salad, and a creamy tangy tartar sauce. We also love lemon wedges on the side for squirting some citrus juice over top along with traditional creamy tangy tartar sauce.
Sometimes I’ll have them as a snack on their own, because who doesn’t love finger foods! My kids love dipping them in straight-up ketchup but you can also use a sweet chili sauce, or malt vinegar, or keep them plain with nothing at all!
Absolutely! For a lighter version, bake them on a foil-lined baking sheet for 15-18 minutes at 375 degrees.
You want to make sure that your fish isn’t too strong or “fishy”, especially when serving kids!
Think about catfish, codfish, or haddock because they’re mild enough yet sturdy to not fall apart. Tilapia is another mild white fish however it is delicate.
Delicious Side Dish Recipes
- Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Cabbage Salad
- The Best Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole
- Best Caesar Salad
- Cucumber Avocado Salad Recipe
- Potato Salad No Mayo
When YOU make this cod recipe tag us @munchkintimeblog on Instagram, we would LOVE to see your creation!
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📖 Recipe
Easy Cod Fish Sticks
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- ½ cup milk
- 1 lb cod fillets sliced into strips
- ⅓ cup flour
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- salt to taste
- avocado oil for frying
Instructions
- In a medium bowl beat eat egg with milk. Add cod and set aside. In a small flat plate mix flour, cayenne pepper and salt.
- In a frying skillet or small cooking pan, on a medium/high heat heat enough oil to cover cod fish sticks. Now take cod strips out of milk mixture and place them into the flour mixture, dust them up and place them in hot oil. Cook for 2-4 minutes or until golden color.
- Place cod fish sticks on a cooling rack. Season with extra salt (100% optional). Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with delicious salad or slaw. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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