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Fish Sticks. I used to hate fish sticks so much. Seriously though. The boxed fish sticks from my childhood ruined my appetite for fish sticks for so long until I had a good quality basket of Fish and Chips. I then realized, wow. Fish sticks can be delicious!! Fish and chips are one of my favorite things to order at seafood restaurants to date. I love it so much I decided to create these Easy Crispy Salmon Fish Sticks.
Here is a healthier take on fish sticks made simply and deliciously! This dish is something I started making for my kiddos when they were younger and something that I still whip up for them regularly. Not only do my kiddos love them, so do Clayton and I! I mean, what is not to love about crispy pan-fried salmon?!
I love these “fish sticks” because they use minimal ingredients and do not require any fancy breading. It’s just simply tossed in an egg wash, then coated in panko. Any panko will do here, but I opt to use Ian’s gluten-free panko. I’ve tried a few grain-free variations and while they are still good, they just don’t get crispy like this original panko coated salmon stick. When I’ve made the grain-free ones they immediately ask me why they aren’t crunchy. So yeah, that’s why we are just keeping with the original recipe. It doesn’t need to be tampered with 😉
You can whip these Easy Crispy Salmon Fish Sticks up in just 20 minutes and have dinner on the table in no time. My kids prefer theirs with ketchup (we use Primal Kitchen’s No Sugar Ketchup) and Clayton and I love eating ours with my Whole30 tartar sauce! Yum!
Easy Crispy Salmon Sticks
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs salmon (skinless) at least 1 inch thick
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp water
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs I use Ian's GF Panko
- 3 tbsp avocado oil
Instructions
- Cut salmon into approximately 1.5 inch wide strips. If your salmon is really wide, you may need to cut some of the longer strips in half again, crosswise, to create smaller sticks.
- Pat dry the salmon strips and then season generously all over with the kosher salt and pepper.
- In a bowl, whisk the egg and the water until well combined and frothy. In a separate bowl, place the panko breadcrumbs.
- Using one hand, individually dip each salmon stick into the egg wash and roll to coat evenly. Shake off excess. Using your other hand, roll the salmon into the panko to coat all over. Set aside on a clean plate and continue until all of the salmon is breaded. (I like to use separate hands to prevent too much caking and to make it easier to work with).
- Heat oil a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat. When very hot but not yet smoking, gently lay the salmon sticks in the oil and cook on each side until golden brown and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer cooked salmon sticks to a paper-towel lined plate.
- Serve salmon sticks with dipping sauce of your choice and enjoy!
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These looks amazing! Think they would work in an air fryer versus pan fried?
Hi Jane,
Yes! they do work in the air fryer. I do prefer to fry them in the skillet– then use the air fryer for reheating leftovers. But they do work in the Air fryer!
SO GOOD! Definitely adding this to the dinner rotation !
These are SOOOO easy and both my kids love them every time! They are easy to serve over a salad for adults too 🙂
What could you use as an egg substitute for this recipe!? My son has an egg allergy!
So i haven’t yet tried any of these options– however, I find this article that may be helpful!
https://www.thekitchn.com/ideas-for-breading-that-doesnt-use-eggsrecipe-questions-167823
Can you use cornmeal instead of breadcrumbd
The panko get’s super crispy here– but I think cornmeal would still be good!
We always use vegan Mayo instead! Works great!
Alex, I’ve never had my family NOT like one of your recipes, including this one! My kids saw salmon as we were unloading groceries and started throwing a fit till I told them it was for your fish sticks, they started cheering!! I’ve used cracker crumbs instead of panko in a pinch and it works great too! Thank you for yet another delicious recipe!
I never leave reviews but this was super delicious!!!! It was really easy to make. The crunch was amazing.
We all love these! My picky 2 & 4 year olds devour them every time.
My sticks came apart during cooking. I’m not sure if the pieces were too big or the pan wasn’t hot enough. I also didn’t get them quite as breaded as you did in your picture. I had a LOT of Pablo left over. That being said, they’re still really yummy. Any ideas on how I could fix those problems for next time?
once you put the fish sticks in there at mid temp, let them do their thing for atleast 3 minutes . do not touch
Just made these with some sweet potato fries and my two year old loved them. I found out he liked fish sticks after trying his cousin’s from the box, so I wanted a healthy alternative. Salmon is one of the few types of fish we eat frequently, so this was perfect. They turned out breaded and crispy just like the frozen ones.
Happy you and the kiddo loved them!! xo
Can’t wait to try these!! 🙂 If you happen to add them to your list of things to make a demo video of, I wouldn’t be upset either… your demo videos are such a lifesaver for me!
Can I make these in the oven?
Yes- you probably can! Just spray them well with avocado oil cooking spray, then bake until crisp. They won’t get quite as browned all over but I am sure it will still work!
I usually don’t enjoy eating salmon as I find the taste very strong… I hadn’t been able to find a good recipe that I like with salmon… Now, this are delicious! And so easy to make! My 2 year old like them too! And my picky husband… He said he gave it 8 stars out of 10, which is a lot for him! Thanks!