Crunchy Air Fryer Fish Sticks | Dish on Fish
Cod/ Featured Dish/ Seafood Supper Club/ White Fish

Crunchy Air Fryer Fish Sticks

Are you feeling hungry, Seafoodies?

Lunch time. Snack time. Dinner time. Oh, there’s been many times when we’ve had to reach deep into our back pocket of culinary tricks to salvage the day (or our sanity) and whip up a quick meal. One of our favorite Seafoodie hacks comes down to two words: air fryer! If your air fryer has been gathering dust this summer, today is the day to pull it out and create some crunchy air fried fish sticks!

Our brand-new recipe for Crunchy Air Fryer Fish Sticks is flaky, crispy and ready to dip into your favorite sauce. With just a light mist of cooking spray, you can have a really healthy and crunchy fish stick in no time at all. This dish is oven-free (so it’s perfect for these last days of summer when you want to keep your kitchen cool) and super-convenient (so you’ll want to make it through the fall as after-school activities kick into high gear). And it’s so yummy that your family will be clamoring for more all year! Luckily, it’s quick-cooking too, so you can enjoy these from-scratch fish sticks in no time flat. Got just 20 minutes? Then you’ve got a meal.

We love mild-flavored cod for this recipe, but any firm-fleshed white fish will work well. Kefir, a fermented creamy probiotic drink (think: liquid yogurt), serves as a tangy marinade that moistens the fish and helps the breading stick. Then, it’s time to let the air fryer unleash its magic! About 5 minutes on each side, and you’ll have well-seasoned, golden-brown fish sticks. They’re awesome with just a squeeze of lemon, but if your little Seafoodies prefer to dip them in tartar or cocktail sauce, we’re not going to argue with that! Adults will gobble these up, too. Keep this fish stick recipe handy for a fun way to get an extra serving of seafood a week as recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. File this under “Family Favorite!”

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Crunchy Air Fryer Fish Sticks Recipe

Crunchy Air Fryer Fish Sticks

  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound cod or other white fish, cut into 1-inch strips
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ cup plain kefir
  • ½ cup whole wheat flour (or yellow cornmeal to make gluten-free)
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon dried parsley
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • Lemon slices, for garnish
  • Favorite tartar or other fish stick dipping sauce, if desired

Instructions

  1. In a shallow dish, whisk egg and kefir. Add fish and let marinate for 10 minutes.
  2. While fish is marinating, spray air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray, and preheat basket in air fryer for about 4 minutes at 400 F.
  3. In another shallow bowl or pan, add flour or cornmeal, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
  4. Using a fork, lift a piece of fish out of marinade and press into flour or cornmeal mixture until well-coated. Continue with each piece of fish. Add to preheated air fryer basket in a single row (do not overlap; cook in batches if necessary). Lightly spray coated fish with cooking spray until coating is moist.
  5. Return basket to air fryer and cook fish for 5 minutes. Open basket, flip fish pieces and spray with cooking spray. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until cooked through and crisp. Serve with lemon slice and dipping sauce, if desired.

Notes

Recommended Utensils; Air fryer, whisk or fork, two shallow bowls or pans.

  • Author: Dish on Fish
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 10
  • Category: White Fish

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