Air-Fryer Better-Than-Boxed Fish Sticks
By Afton CyrusPublished on January 6, 2020
Time
1 hour, plus freezing time (10 minutes cook time)
Yield
Serves 4 (makes about 20 fish sticks)
Ingredients
Salt and pepper 1½ pounds skinless haddock fillets, ¾ inch thick, sliced into 4-inch strips2 cups panko bread crumbs 1 tablespoon vegetable oil ¼ cup all-purpose flour ¼ cup mayonnaise 2 large eggs 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
Before You Begin
You can substitute halibut or cod for the haddock. For the crispiest fish sticks, cook one serving at a time, respraying the basket between batches. You can also cook fish sticks without freezing; reduce the cooking time to 8 to 10 minutes. Serve with Tartar Sauce.
Instructions
- Dissolve ¼ cup salt in 2 quarts cold water in large container. Add haddock, cover, and let sit for 15 minutes.
- Toss panko with oil in bowl until evenly coated. Microwave, stirring frequently, until light golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes; transfer to shallow dish. Whisk flour, mayonnaise, eggs, mustard, Old Bay, ⅛ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper together in second shallow dish.
- Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet and spray with vegetable oil spray. Remove haddock from brine and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels. Working with 1 piece at a time, dredge haddock in egg mixture, letting excess drip off, then coat with panko mixture, pressing gently to adhere. Transfer fish sticks to prepared rack and freeze until firm, about 1 hour. (Frozen fish sticks can be transferred to zipper- lock bag and stored in freezer for up to 1 month; do not thaw before cooking.)
- To cook fish sticks Lightly spray base of air-fryer basket with vegetable oil spray. Arrange up to 5 fish sticks in prepared basket, spaced evenly apart. Place basket in air fryer and set temperature to 400 degrees. Cook until fish sticks are golden and register 140 degrees, 10 to 12 minutes, flipping and rotating fish sticks halfway through cooking. Serve.
Time
1 hour, plus freezing time (10 minutes cook time)Yield
Serves 4 (makes about 20 fish sticks)Ingredients
Salt and pepper
1½ pounds skinless haddock fillets, ¾ inch thick, sliced into 4-inch strips
2 cups panko bread crumbs
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup mayonnaise
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
Ingredients
Salt and pepper
1½ pounds skinless haddock fillets, ¾ inch thick, sliced into 4-inch strips
2 cups panko bread crumbs
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup mayonnaise
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
Ingredients
Salt and pepper
1½ pounds skinless haddock fillets, ¾ inch thick, sliced into 4-inch strips
2 cups panko bread crumbs
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup mayonnaise
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
Why This Recipe Works
Meaty haddock stood up to a crunchy coating and held its shape during cooking. Brining the fish briefly ensured it stayed moist and well seasoned after freezing, and a generous addition of Old Bay seasoning in the coating brought classic flavors.
Before You Begin
You can substitute halibut or cod for the haddock. For the crispiest fish sticks, cook one serving at a time, respraying the basket between batches. You can also cook fish sticks without freezing; reduce the cooking time to 8 to 10 minutes. Serve with Tartar Sauce.
Instructions
- Dissolve ¼ cup salt in 2 quarts cold water in large container. Add haddock, cover, and let sit for 15 minutes.
- Toss panko with oil in bowl until evenly coated. Microwave, stirring frequently, until light golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes; transfer to shallow dish. Whisk flour, mayonnaise, eggs, mustard, Old Bay, ⅛ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper together in second shallow dish.
- Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet and spray with vegetable oil spray. Remove haddock from brine and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels. Working with 1 piece at a time, dredge haddock in egg mixture, letting excess drip off, then coat with panko mixture, pressing gently to adhere. Transfer fish sticks to prepared rack and freeze until firm, about 1 hour. (Frozen fish sticks can be transferred to zipper- lock bag and stored in freezer for up to 1 month; do not thaw before cooking.)
- To cook fish sticks Lightly spray base of air-fryer basket with vegetable oil spray. Arrange up to 5 fish sticks in prepared basket, spaced evenly apart. Place basket in air fryer and set temperature to 400 degrees. Cook until fish sticks are golden and register 140 degrees, 10 to 12 minutes, flipping and rotating fish sticks halfway through cooking. Serve.
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