Air Fryer Fish Sticks

Making fish sticks in the Air Fryer takes less time and makes them crispy all around. You will never make frozen fish sticks any other way!

The Air Fryer is great for making cooked, frozen food taste delicious! Especially frozen, fried food gets super crispy and takes less time than in the oven.

Frozen fish sticks are a perfect example, they get perfectly cooked in less than 10 minutes! You will never make them in the oven after giving this method a try. Looking for homemade crispy fish fillets? Check out our Air Fryer Fish recipe.

Reasons you’ll love this recipe

• Air frying makes frozen fish sticks crispier than baking or microwaving! They are crunchy on all sides.
• It takes less time! No need to preheat the oven or thaw the fish sticks. The air fryer cooks them in less than 15 minutes to perfection! Perfect for a quick weeknight lunch or dinner
• Adults and kids love fish sticks – serve them with homemade Tartar sauce for a grown-up meal and with ketchup for the little ones

Ingredient notes

Here is an overview of the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom for quantities.

• Frozen fish sticks – This recipe works with any brand of frozen fish sticks for example Gorton’s fish sticks and any kind of fish sticks like cod or haddock. The amount of sticks you can make in one batch depends on the size of your Air Fryer.

How to make this recipe 

Detailed measurements and instructions can be found at the bottom of the page on the printable recipe card.

Start by preheating your Air Fryer. This is an optional step that depends on your Air Fryer. If you use a toaster oven style Air Fryer I recommend preheating it.

Then put the frozen fish sticks in a single layer in the Air Fryer basket or on the tray. You want to leave enough space between them so they cook evenly.

Air fry them at 400 degrees F for 9-10 minutes, flipping fish sticks halfway through. They are done when they are crispy and golden. We love to serve them with a slice of lemon and Potato Salad.

Expert tips for success

• For the best results, place the fish sticks in a single layer with enough space between them so the air can circulate in the basket. This is very important so they cook evenly and crisp up perfectly! Don’t let them overlap or just throw them in the basket.
• For extra crispiness, spray the fish sticks with some pure oil spray before air frying them. But don’t use a cooking spray like PAM, they can damage your Air Fryer.
• I recommend turning the fish sticks after half the cooking time is over. If your Air Fryer has racks, make sure to rotate the racks, too.
• The timing in this recipe is for “regular” fish sticks or fish fingers if you want to make beer-battered or larger frozen fish you need to add a few minutes to the cooking time.
• Depending on the Air Fryer you use cooking time might differ a bit. Oven-style air fryers usually take a bit longer. Some Air Fryers also need to be preheated, check your manual.
• The fish sticks should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165F.

Recipe FAQs

Serve it with

Serve these crispy fish sticks with ketchup, tartar sauce, or your favorite dipping sauce and some lemon wedges on the side. Here are a few other favorites that my family loves with fish sticks:

• German Potato Salad
• German Cucumber Salad
• Air Fryer French Fries
• Air Fryer Potato Wedges
• Honey Mustard Sauce

Leftovers

Leftover fish sticks can be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. To reheat, put them in the Air Fryer for 2-3 minutes at 380 degrees F until crispy and warmed through.

More Air Fryer Recipes to Try

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