• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Ministry of Curry logo

  • SHOP
    • The Essential Indian Instant Pot Cookbook
    • Amazon Store
    • eBooks
    • Cooking Classes
    • Meal Plans
  • RESOURCES
    • Instant Pot 101
    • Air Fryer 101
    • Indian Cooking Tools
    • Cooking 101
    • Essential Indian Spices
    • Guide to Beans and Lentils
    • Holiday Shopping Guide
  • RECIPES
    • Recipe Index
    • Air Fryer Recipes
    • Instant Pot Recipes
    • Oven Recipes
    • Stove Top Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Desserts
    • Dinner
    • Salad
    • Snacks
    • Drinks
    • Dairy Free
    • Gluten Free
    • Low Carb
    • Vegan
  • ABOUT
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Shop
  • Resources
  • Cooking Classes
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Air Fryer Recipes

    Air Fryer Fish Sticks

    Published: Jan 12, 2021 · Modified: Nov 11, 2022 by Archana · This post may contain affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases · 6 Comments

    20160 shares
    Jump to Recipe

    These air fryer fish sticks are healthy with a crispy, lightly spiced coating on the outside and flaky tender fish inside. They are ready in under 20 minutes and make for a delicious meal or an appetizer that both kids and adults will enjoy.

    fish sticks with spicy sauce

    I recently bought a new air fryer and I am already in love with it. I already own the air fryer lid that sits on top of the pressure cooker, a Philips XL Air fryer, and also the Ninja Foodi with the air fryer lid. Although I have enjoyed cooking using these, I was frustrated with the capacity. After a lot of research, I finally decided to buy the Cosori 5.8 QT air fryer

    If you are a family of 4 like us, with teenage kids, you want to cook food fast and in larger amounts. I love that the Cosori has a large enough basket and also has vents on the sides of the inside basket for the air to circulate more freely.

    fish sticks with sriracha mayo

    Air Fryer Fish

    We love seafood and eating fish sticks was something we enjoyed on vacations only as I do not enjoy deep frying. So with the new air fryer, one of the first recipes I developed is these fish fingers. I love using Codfish for this recipe as it's mild and flakey. You can use any white fish such as catfish, halibut, or haddock.

    My fish sticks recipe uses standard ingredients like flour, eggs, and breadcrumb coating. I like to season both the flour and breadcrumbs well for extra flavor. This recipe is versatile and you can adjust the spices to your taste.

    Substitutes

    • All-purpose flour can be substituted with cassava flour for a gluten-free, keto-friendly diet
    • Breadcrumbs can be substituted with gluten-free breadcrumbs
    • We love these spicy fish fingers, but you can adjust the cayenne pepper to your taste
    ingredients for fish sticks

    How to Make Air Fryer Fish Fries

    Rinse and pat dry the fish fillet. Cut into 4-inch x 1-inch long pieces. Sprinkle and rub ½ teaspoon of salt all over the fish pieces

    fish in a white plate

    Whisk the eggs in a wide bowl

    whisked egg

    Mix together all the ingredients for the flour coating in a wide bowl.

    seasoned flour

    In third wide bowl mix together breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. Take one fish piece at a time and dip it in the flour mixture coating well on all the sides.

    coating fish in flour

    Pick up the fish and carefully drop it in the egg mixture. Using your other hand evenly coat the fish with the egg.

    coating fish in egg mixture

    Place the fish coated with eggs into the bowl of breadcrumbs. Coat the fish with breadcrumbs using your dry hand.

    coating fish with bread crumbs

    Note: Try to use one hand for coating the dry mixes and one hand for the egg mixture so your fingers stay clean and do not get coated all over with breadcrumbs. If that does happen, wash and dry your hands and then continue to coat the remaining fish.

    Spray the air fryer basket with cooking oil. Carefully place the coated fish sticks inside the basket with enough space between them. Lightly spray oil on top.

    fish sticks in airfryer basket

    Adjust the temperature to 400 degrees and cook for 8 minutes. Then turn the fish over, lightly spray the oil and cook for additional 4 minutes or until the fish is cooked through and is flaky when cut with a fork. You can also use a digital thermometer to make sure that the internal temperature of the thickest part is 145 degrees F.

    fish sticks in air fryer

    Serving

    Serve hot with Sriracha Mayo. To make the mayo simply mix 2 tablespoons of sriracha sauce in ⅓ cup of mayo.

    You can also serve the fish fingers with tartar sauce by whisking together ⅓ cup of mayo, 2 tablespoons finely diced pickles, 1 tablespoon of fresh dill or parsley, and ½ tablespoon of lemon juice. Add salt & pepper to taste.

    These fish sticks will be perfect for an easy weeknight dinner or served as an appetizer on game nights or movie nights. Serve with easy air-fried broccoli or air-fried sweet potato fries and almond date truffles to make a fun meal that everyone will enjoy.

    Tips

    • Pat dry the fish well to remove any excess moisture. Sprinkle salt all over the fish and allow it to rest for 5 minutes as you prepare the remaining ingredients
    • Season the flour with salt, pepper, and spices like paprika, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder
    • Fresh fish works best for this recipe. If you are using frozen fish, remember to thaw it overnight in the refrigerator. Pat dry any excess moisture

    Storing

    Fish sticks taste best fresh. If you have leftovers or if making ahead, simply reheat them for 3 to 5 minutes in the air fryer.

    More Recipes

    For more Halibut Recipes check out my weeknight staple Fish Curry and Fish Tacos.

    Did you enjoy this air fryer recipe? Please rate the recipe and share your photos on Instagram or Facebook. I love to hear from you!

    Is there a specific air fryer recipe you would like to see? Comment on the recipe and let me know! In the meantime here are some more recipes to try:

    • Chicken Tikka Skewers
    • Sabudana Vada
    • Gobi Manchurian
    • Chikli Chicken
    Tried this recipe? We love your feedback.Please click on the stars in the recipe card below
    airfryer fish sticks with spicy sauce
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    4.58 from 14 votes

    Airfryer Fish Sticks

    Perfectly spiced crispy golden fish fingers cooked in an air fryer
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time12 mins
    Total Time22 mins
    Course: Appetizer, Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 215kcal
    Author: Archana Mundhe

    Equipment

    • Air Fryer
    • Digital Thermometer

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound cod fish fillet
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • 2 eggs
    • cooking oil spray

    Flour Mixture

    • ½ cup all-purpose flour **
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
    • ½ teaspoons kosher salt divided
    • ½ teaspoon paprika
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

    Breadcrumbs mixture

    • ½ cup unseasoned breadcrumbs or panko **
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground

    Sauce

    • 2 tablespoons sriracha hot chili sauce
    • ⅓ cup mayonnaise

    Instructions

    • Rinse and pat dry the fish fillet. Cut into 4-inch x 1-inch long pieces. Depending on the thickness of the fish you may end up with 6 to 10 pieces. Sprinkle and rub ½ teaspoon of salt all over the fish pieces. Whisk the eggs in a wide bowl.
    • Mix together all the ingredients for the flour coating in a wide bowl.
    • In another wide bowl mix together breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper.
    • Take one fish piece at a time and dip it in the flour mixture coating well on all the sides. Pick up the fish and carefully place it in the egg mixture. Using your other hand evenly coat the fish with the egg and place it in the bowl of breadcrumbs. Coat the fish with breadcrumbs using your dry hand. Note: Try to use one hand for coating the dry mixes and one hand for the egg mixture so your fingers stay clean and not get coated all over with breadcrumbs. If that does happen, wash and dry your hands and continue to coat the fish.
    • Spray the air fryer basket with cooking oil. Carefully place the coated fish inside the basket with enough space between them. Lightly spray oil on top. Adjust the temperature to 400 degrees and cook for 8 minutes. Then turn the fish over, lightly spray oil and cook for additional 4 minutes or until the fish is cooked through and is flaky when cut with a fork. You can also use a digital thermometer to make sure that the internal temperature of the thickest part is 145 degrees F.

    To Serve

    • Serve hot with Sriracha Mayo. To make the mayo simply mix sriracha sauce with mayo.
    • You can also serve the fish fingers with tartar sauce by whisking together ⅓ cup of mayo, 2 tablespoons finely diced pickles, 1 tablespoon of fresh dill or parsley and ½ tablespoon of lemon juice. Add salt & pepper to taste.

    Video

    Notes

    • All-purpose flour can be substituted with cassava flour for a gluten-free, keto-friendly diet
    • Breadcrumbs can be substituted with gluten-free bread crumbs
    • Don't have an air fryer? Preheat the oven at 400 degrees F and bake on parchment paper-lined paper for 15 to 20 minutes or until the fish is cooked through and is flaky when cut with a fork. Use a digital thermometer to make sure that the internal temperature of the thickest part is 145 degrees F.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 215kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 131mg | Sodium: 1020mg | Potassium: 530mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 391IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Share your photo and tag @ministry_of_curry or tag #ministryofcurry

    Author: Archana

    Hey there! I am a techie turned recipe developer, cooking instructor, and food blogger. I love food and enjoy developing easy and healthy recipes for busy lifestyles. I live in New Jersey with my husband and two sons.
    Twitter Facebook Linkedin
    « EASY Til Laddu
    Thai Panang Curry »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. SS says

      January 23, 2021 at 9:03 pm

      Yup, exactly as I make it, available in Costco and its good. YO can also use Tilapia loins or Mahi Mahi. Thanks for sharing it though

      Reply
    2. Maneesha says

      April 06, 2021 at 1:33 pm

      Such a great recipe!! Loved it! So easy and tasty!5 stars

      Reply
    3. Devika says

      September 16, 2022 at 11:30 am

      Hi Archana
      Thank you for providing such lovely and easy recipes. Made these for dinner and my picky first grader ate it in seconds. I have always skimmed your recipes before but never got around to making them, but for the past few days, i have been making the shrimp and kheema rice, tandoori chicken wrap, soup, pasta what not and i love how they always come turn out delicious.
      I don't like spending too much time in the kitchen and your recipes are a life saver.
      Thank you for all the awesome recipes and keep up the excellent work.

      Regards
      Devika5 stars

      Reply
      • Archana says

        September 16, 2022 at 4:46 pm

        Thank you, Devika! The recipe is a swimmer when its kid-approved, I have 2 boys and so I can relate to how satisfying it is when kids enjoy healthy homemade food.

        Reply
    4. Debbie S says

      October 30, 2022 at 6:31 pm

      2nd time I made this, cod turned out perfect. Delicious, so much better than fishsticks in grocery. Thanks so much for this easy Delicious recipe4 stars

      Reply
      • Archana says

        October 30, 2022 at 8:06 pm

        Thank you Debbie

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Archana: a former software engineer, now a full-time blogger. I am a mother of two boys who share my love for food and cooking. Words I love to hear are, “Mom, what’s for dinner?” The same words I say to my mom every time we speak. I live in the greater New York City Area with my husband and sons.

    Learn More About Me!

    Archana's Essential Indian Instant Pot Cookbook

    SHOP

    Popular Posts

    • Mumbai Pav Bhaji
    • Instant Pot Chicken Biryani
    • Mushroom Masala
    • Homemade Pomegranate Juice

    Footer

    AS FEATURED IN

    ↑Back to Top

    Ministry of Curry

    Shop
    About
    Privacy Policy
    Accessibility
    Contact

    Food and Recipes

    Recipe Index
    Cooking 101
    Instant Pot 101
    Cookbook

    MOC Pro

    Dashboard
    Meal Plans
    Virtual Cooking Classes
    Tips & Tricks

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Ministry of Curry

    20160 shares
    • 157