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5.0 from 213 votes

Fish Fingers

Recipe video above. Fish Fingers so perfectly golden and crunchy it's hard to believe they're BAKED rather than fried! Toasting the breadcrumbs makes all the difference because fish cooks in the oven so much faster than it takes to brown the breadcrumbs. BONUS: This is a mess free breading technique!

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 266 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 600g / 1.2lb White fish fillets , patted dry (Note 1)
  • Oil spray (olive oil or any plain)
Crumb
  • 1 1/2 cups (75g) panko breadcrumbs (Note 2)
  • 1/4 cup (25g) parmesan
  • 2 tsp paprika , optional
  • 1/2 tsp salt and pepper , each
Batter
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt and pepper , each
Serving
  • Tartare sauce or other seafood dipping sauce
  • Lemon wedges
  • Finely chopped chives or parsley , garnish (optional)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F.
Crumbing:
  1. Toast breadcrumbs: Spread breadcrumbs on tray. Spray with oil, bake 4 minutes until golden. Transfer toasted breadcrumbs into bowl, add remaining Crumb ingredients and mix.
  2. Increase oven to 220°C / 425°F (fan 200°C). Spray used tray with oil.
  3. Batter: Mix Batter ingredients in a separate bowl.
  4. Cut the fish into strips 1.5 x 11 cm / 3/5 x 4.5" (they shink 30% in length).
  5. Place fish in Batter, gently mix with rubber spatula to coat. Do not leave sitting around (will become watery), coat immediately.
  6. Breading: Pick up fish with tongs, place in breadcrumbs. Spoon over crumb, use fingers to press to adhere.
  7. Baking: Transfer to baking tray. Spray with oil, bake 13 minutes or until crispy on the outside.
  8. Serve immediately with lemon wedges, Tartare Sauce or other Sauce of choice - see here for recipes, any of these great for fish fingers! Also Note 3 for few quick sauce options.

Notes

  • Fish - I've used Ling - the long shape makes it ideal for cutting into fish finger batons. Virtually any fish fillets will work here except lean fish that dries out easily, such as swordfish, kingfish, bonito and tuna.
  • Other popular fish that will work well include: tilapia, ling, cod, basa, catfish, barramundi, bream, snapper, John dory / Silver dory.
  • Frozen fish works fine - thaw completely, pat dry then use per recipe. Any frozen white fish from grocery store should be fine - they always sell great all rounders.
  •  Panko breadcrumbs - larger pieces than normal breadcrumbs which creates a really nice extra crunchy coating. Pretty common nowadays, found in the Asian section of supermarkets here in Australia. Can sub with normal breadcrumbs, but measure using cups not weight.
  • Sauces:
  • The breadcrumb coating is nicely flavoured, so you don't need a ton of flavour in the sauce. You just want something wet. Even a squeeze of fresh lemon juice would suffice here!
  • Storage - either bake immediately once assembled OR freeze immediately raw then bake from frozen, 15 min. Cooked fish fingers don't keep that well because crumb goes soggy and because they are so small, they don't reheat well in the oven (inside tends to dry out).
  • Nutrition per serving, excluding dipping sauce. Takes into account leftover breadcrumb mixture about 1/2 cup (sounds like a waste but hard to coat properly if you use too little).
  • Classic - Tartare Sauce which you will find in this recipe along with Thousand Island, Marie Rose and the RecipeTin Family Favourite seafood dipping sauce. All these go equally well with Fish Fingers.

  • Quick sauces:

    Quick creamy lemon - mix together mayo, sour cream or yogurt (or a combo of these) with a squeeze of lemon juice; Pink sauce - Ketchup and/or Sriracha with mayo, sour cream or yogurt (or any combo of these); Ketchup and/or mustard!

  • Quick creamy lemon - mix together mayo, sour cream or yogurt (or a combo of these) with a squeeze of lemon juice;
  • Pink sauce - Ketchup and/or Sriracha with mayo, sour cream or yogurt (or any combo of these);
  • Ketchup and/or mustard!

Nutrition Information

Calories 266cal (13%) Carbohydrates 12g (4%) Protein 35g (70%) Fat 9g (14%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Cholesterol 120mg (40%) Sodium 538mg (22%) Potassium 514mg (15%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 1g (2%) Vitamin A 575IU (12%) Calcium 77mg (8%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 266

% Daily Value*

Calories 266cal 13%
Carbohydrates 12g 4%
Protein 35g 70%
Fat 9g 14%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 120mg 40%
Sodium 538mg 22%
Potassium 514mg 11%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 1g 2%
Vitamin A 575IU 12%
Calcium 77mg 8%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.