Ingredients
Fish Sticks
- 1 pound cod fish fillet
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (for fish)
- 2 eggs
- cooking oil spray
Flour Coating Mix
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (divided)
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Breadcrumb Coating
- ½ cup unseasoned breadcrumbs or panko
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
Sriracha Mayo
- 2 tablespoons sriracha hot chili sauce
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
Instructions
- Prepare the Fish: Rinse the cod fillet under cold water and pat it dry with paper towels. Cut into 4-inch by 1-inch pieces; depending on thickness, this yields about 6 to 10 pieces. Sprinkle and rub ½ teaspoon kosher salt evenly all over the fish pieces to season them. Whisk the eggs in a wide bowl and set aside.
- Make the Flour Coating Mix: In a wide bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, black pepper, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Mix thoroughly to evenly distribute the spices.
- Prepare the Breadcrumb Mixture: In another wide bowl, mix the unseasoned breadcrumbs or panko with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
- Coat the Fish Pieces: Take one piece of fish at a time and thoroughly coat it with the flour mixture on all sides. Then dip the floured fish into the whisked eggs, coating evenly. Immediately transfer the fish to the breadcrumb mixture and press gently to coat well. Use one hand for the dry coatings and the other hand for the egg to keep the process neat. If your fingers get coated with breadcrumbs, wash and dry your hands before continuing.
- Air Fry the Fish: Spray the air fryer basket lightly with cooking oil. Arrange the coated fish pieces in the basket, spaced apart to allow airflow. Lightly spray the tops of the fish sticks with oil. Set the air fryer to 400°F (205°C) and cook for 8 minutes. Afterward, flip the pieces over, spray lightly with oil again, and cook for an additional 4 minutes or until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork. Use a digital thermometer to check that the internal temperature reaches 145°F (63°C) for safety.
- Make the Sriracha Mayo: While the fish cooks, mix the sriracha hot chili sauce with the mayonnaise until smooth.
- Serve: Serve the fish sticks hot with the prepared Sriracha mayo for dipping. Optionally, prepare tartar sauce by whisking together ⅓ cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons finely diced pickles, 1 tablespoon fresh dill or parsley, ½ tablespoon lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- Using one hand for wet coatings and the other for dry coatings helps keep the process clean and prevents clumping.
- Ensure fish pieces are not overcrowded in the air fryer basket for even cooking and crispiness.
- Internal temperature of fish should reach 145°F to ensure it is fully cooked and safe to eat.
- For extra crispiness, use panko breadcrumbs instead of regular breadcrumbs.
- This recipe is adaptable to other white fish fillets like haddock or pollock.
- If you don’t have an air fryer, you can bake the coated fish sticks in a preheated oven at 425°F for 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Air Frying
- Cuisine: American
