Trade in frozen fish sticks for homemade fish sticks and never look back! Made with flaky, tender fish coated in a crispy breading, these baked fish sticks are far superior to anything store-bought and surprisingly easy to make.

Looking for more seafood recipes that kids actually enjoy? Don't miss my recipes for Easy Fish Tacos, Baked Salmon, Grilled Shrimp, and Shrimp Tacos.

Baked fish sticks on a platter with tartar sauce.

The Best Fish Sticks Recipe

If you are striving to get your picky kids (or your picky self) to eat more fish, fish sticks are a great place to start. From the crunchy exterior to the flaky interior to the very mild fish, fish sticks have little to no fishy taste, and their hand-held, dippable quality makes them a favorite with the kids.

But instead of relying on frozen fish sticks, which often have a lot of unnecessary added ingredients, turn to recipe for fish sticks. Made with minimal effort and simple ingredients, this recipe produces fish sticks that have the same texture as if they were deep-fried--without the excess fat and calories.

Minimal Ingredients

ingredients for fish sticks on counter labeled

This recipe for Fish Sticks uses simple, quality ingredients and a special technique to produce crispy, crunchy fish sticks you can feel good about feeding to your family.

Fish: A white, firm fish is best for fish sticks. Cod or haddock fillets are the best options, but tilapia will work. Just keep in mind they are a bit thinner than cod or haddock and may not need to be cooked as long.
For Flavor: To help add flavor to the fish sticks, use a combination of seasoned salt, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard. They all work together to create fish sticks that are vibrant, fresh, and well-seasoned.
Panko Breadcrumbs: The secret to crispy fish sticks is panko breadcrumbs. They are lighter than traditional breadcrumbs and give the fish sticks an incredible texture.

How to Make Crispy Baked Fish Sticks

The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Prepare Fish Sticks

Regardless of the type of fish you opt to use, you want to cut each filet into even strips, to resemble a fish stick. Once the fish is sliced into sticks, season the fish with seasoned salt to build layer of flavor.

Seasoned fish sticks on wooden cutting boards.

Bread Fish Sticks

This recipe for fish sticks uses the same breading technique I use to create crispy chicken tenders, chicken parmesan, and chicken katsu. First, dip the fish sticks into seasoned flour, followed by an egg wash, followed by the panko mixture.

Hand rolling fish stick in panko breadcrumb coating.

Select the Right Pan

It is best to use a rimmed baking sheet with an oven-safe rack placed on top of the sheet pan. This allows the air to circulate evenly around the fish as it bakes and prevents the bottom of the fish sticks from getting soggy. Alternatively, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Breaded fish sticks on baking rack over baking sheets.

Flip Halfway Through Baking

I have found that even when using a baking rack, fish sticks turn out crispier if they are flipped midway through the baking process.

Baked fish sticks on baking rack over baking sheets.

Serving Suggestions

When it comes to fish sticks, a side of homemade tartar sauce for dipping is the classic choice. I like to round out dinner by adding a side of baked fries and carrot raisin salad for the ultimate kid-friendly meal.

Baked fish sticks on platter with homemade tartar sauce.

Recipe Modifications

Gluten-Free Fish Sticks: Replace the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour and gluten-free panko.
Egg-Free Fish Sticks: If you have an egg allergy, you can use ½ cup of milk or buttermilk in place of the 2 eggs.
Air Fryer Fish Sticks: To air-fry the homemade fish sticks rather than bake them, bread the fish strips as directed and spray each side with cooking spray. Place in a single layer in the air fryer and set to 400 degrees F for 10 minutes, flipping after 5 minutes. Add an additional 2 minutes if needed to get super crispy.

Storage & Reheating Instructions

Fish Sticks are best served warm right from the oven. If you do have leftovers, I highly suggest freezing them and reheating them from frozen in the oven. This will keep the fish sticks crispy and crunchy, instead of soggy if they were to be reheated in the microwave.

Freeze Leftovers: Once the fish sticks are cool to the touch, place them on a baking pan and place them in the freezer to freeze until solid, about 1 hour. Transfer the fish sticks to a freezer-safe bag and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Reheat Frozen Fish Sticks: To reheat the homemade frozen fish sticks place them on a baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees F for 10-12 minutes, or until warmed through.

More Kid-Friendly Seafood Recipes

If you gave this Easy Fish Sticks Recipe a try, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.

Comments

5 from 16 votes (5 ratings without comment)

Homemade Fish Sticks

The Best Fish Sticks Recipe

Minimal Ingredients