Frozen Fish Fingers in Air Fryer (Fish Sticks)
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Did you know you can cook fish fingers in the air fryer…from frozen? It’s true! They are healthier than your traditional fried fish fingers, cook in 10 minutes or less, and are always perfectly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside if you follow this recipe!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Cook from frozen – I don’t know about you, but one of the worst parts about making dinner is thawing the meat. But when you make air fryer fish fingers, you don’t have to worry about that at all, because you can cook them straight from frozen!
- Crispy and delicious – Sometimes in the oven, fish sticks can get a little soggy, but when you use the air fryer for your fish fingers, they come out crispy every time!
- Easy cleanup – One of the very best parts about using the air fryer for any food is that the clean up is quick and easy.
- Healthier – These air fried fish fingers are healthier because they are not deep fried, however they still have that deliciously crispy deep fried flavor!
Here are some other easy recipes and advice on using your Airfryer : How to cook frozen chicken breast in the air fryer, Cooking Frozen Sausages in an Air Fryer and How To Air Fry Bacon
Ingredients
How to cook fish fingers in an air fryer
Preheat the air fryer to 375℉ (190°C) for 3-4 minutes
- Place frozen fish fingers into the air fryer basket in one single layer making sure there is space between each piece (Image 1).
- Cook for 4 minutes (Image 2).
3. After 4 minutes, flip them with a fork ensuring that they are evenly distributed still (Image 3).
4. Continue cooking for 4-5 more minutes at 400℉ (200°C) or until you have achieved desired crispiness (Image 4).
Love fish? Try these recipes : Prawn Rice (Simple & One Pot), Basa Fillet Recipe with Creamy Tuscan Sauce and Creamy Sweetcorn Orzo with Paprika Prawns
Make crispy air fryer fish sticks every time
I can’t imagine eating soggy fish fingers! Which is why I switched from baked fish sticks to always making them in the air fryer. You get the crispy breading outside and tender fish inside every time. Here are a few things that will help make sure your fish fingers come out perfect.
Preheat – Many times, you don’t have to preheat your airfryer, but in this case, preheating is what keeps your fish fingers from getting soggy. If you don’t preheat, the fish fingers thaw in the air fryer, causing the breading to get soggy before the temperature gets high enough to cook them.
Size of sticks– The size of the fish sticks will determine how long you need to air fry them. Smaller sticks will need to air fry for less time than larger, thicker sticks. If you under cook them, they may be soggy, so be sure to leave them in long enough to crisp up.
Check them often – One of the great things about being able to air fry fish fingers is you can check them without messing up how they cook. So if you like your fish fingers on the way crispy to the burnt side, then just leave them in until they turn the color you want. And on the other side, if you like them to barely be cooked, then you can manage that too by checking them.
Don’t stack them! – It is so easy to want to just dump the whole box of frozen fish fingers in the air fry. But trust me, this will make them soggy and not allow for even cooking.
Flip them halfway – Flipping the fish fingers half way through the cooking time (so around 4 minutes) will help ensure they crisp up on both sides.
Tips for the best result
Space them out
Keeping some space between the fish fingers will help the air fryer circulate the hot air around the sticks, cooking them evenly.
One layer
If you stack them, they will turn out soggy.
Flip them
Flipping the fish fingers about half way through the cooking time is important to make sure they are crisp on both sides.
Don’t allow to thaw before cooking
If you allow the fish sticks to thaw before cooking, the breading will become wet and they will not cook correctly in the air fryer.
Eat them with some homemade tartar sauce
Maybe you’re a purist when it comes to eating fish fingers, but for me, I love them with a little homemade tartar sauce! It really takes a box of frozen fingers in the air fryer to a whole other taste level.
Serving Suggestions
Fish fingers always pair well with a vegetable and some chips. But sometimes, I like to add a bun, some lettuce and some tartar sauce to make delicious fish sandwiches. Fish fingers are also good on top of a salad.
Storage and Leftover Instructions
To store fish fingers, you will want to make sure to keep them in the freezer until you are ready to cook them.
For fish finger leftovers, it is not recommended to refreeze any leftovers after cooking, or to reheat any leftovers once cooled.
The best thing to do with any kind of fish is to eat it as soon as you have cooked it.
FAQs
The fish sticks were either not cooked long enough, the temperature was not high enough, or the air fryer was not preheated.
About 8 minutes unless you want them crispier.
Yes you can! Just be sure you keep an eye on both items since they probably have different cooking temperatures and times. And also make sure you are still spacing things out for good air circulation.
If you are unsure if your fish fingers are cooked, I would suggest using a meat thermometer. The internal temperature should be 165℉ (74℃)
Frozen Fish Fingers in Air Fryer (Fish Sticks)
Ingredients
- 6-8 frozen fish fingers
Method
Preheat the air fryer to 375℉ (190°C) for 3-4 minutes.
- Place frozen fish fingers into the air fryer basket in one single layer making sure there is space between each piece.
- Cook for 4 minutes and then flip them with a fork.
- Continue cooking for 4-5 more minutes at 400℉ (200°C) or until you have achieved desired crispiness.
Nutrition
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