Air Fryer Fish Sticks

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4.48 from 21 votes
Total Time 9 minutes
Servings 3 servings

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My Air Fryer Fish Sticks are made from frozen to form a crispy outside and flaky fish inside!

Frozen Air Fryer Fish Sticks on a white plate
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If you love crispy fish sticks, you have to try them in the air fryer. The breading gets nice and crispy while the fish inside is warm and flakey.

Whether you’re using Great Value frozen fish sticks or Gorton’s fish sticks in the air fryer, these directions work great to make a delicious meal.

And not only do air fryer fish sticks taste great, but so many other frozen foods also cook great in there too!

Air Fryer I recommend: Large, easy to clean, square basket, burner on top and bottom. Click to see it.
Frozen Fish Sticks in air fryer

How to Cook Fish Sticks in the Air Fryer

STEP ONE: Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees.

STEP TWO: Place the frozen fish sticks in the air fryer basket or tray in one layer.

STEP THREE: Air fry frozen fish sticks for 10 minutes, flipping them halfway through until warmed.

STEP FOUR: Remove the fish sticks from the air fryer and enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce.

Cooked fish sticks in air fryer

Tips For The Best Air Fryer Frozen Fish Sticks

  • Air fry fish sticks in a single layer to allow them to cook evenly. I use this trick for cooking almost all foods in the air fryer.
  • Check the temperature of the fish sticks using an Instant-Read Thermometer to make sure the insides are nice and hot.
  • Use a silicone liner, parchment round, or aluminum foil for easy clean up. My choice is usually the silicone liner.
  • Don’t add cooking spray or oil as most frozen fish sticks come precooked and fried in oil.
  • Use your favorite brand of frozen fish sticks to get the best results for you — Gorton’s fish sticks in the air fryer are absolutely delicious.

How Long to Cook Fish Sticks in the Air Fryer

I find air frying fish sticks takes about 10 minutes in the air fryer on high heat from frozen.

If using homemade fish sticks, the time and temperature can vary depending on the thickness of each fish finger.

Fish Sticks being dipped into tartar sauce with plate of fish sticks and air fryer in the back

What is the Best Brand of Fish Sticks?

My top pick is Trident Seafoods The Ultimate Fish Stick to make the best air fryer frozen fish sticks.

I found them at Costco and they have the best taste between the crispiness and texture of the breading and the freshness and flakiness of the fish.

Other great brands for air fryer fish sticks include:

  • Gorton’s fish sticks
  • Mrs. Pauls
  • Van De Kamp (these will cook slightly faster as they’re smaller than the normal fish stick)
  • Trader Joe’s brand fish sticks
  • Fisher Boy

What to Serve with Air Fryer Fish Sticks?

I also love to pair frozen fish tenders with a side salad, macaroni salad, coleslaw, and even an easy Instant Pot macaroni and cheese recipe!

Fish stick with tartar sauce on it with tartar sauce bowl

Why Are My Fish Sticks Soggy in the Air Fryer?

  • Your air fryer wasn’t preheated — this allows the outside of the fish sticks to get crispy while the white fish inside stays flakey
  • You didn’t cook the frozen fish sticks in the air fryer at high heat — air fry frozen fish sticks at 400 degrees F for best results
  • You didn’t cook the breaded fish sticks long enough — the longer they cook, the crispier they get
Air Fryer Frozen Fish Sticks on a white plate

What to Dip Air Fried Fish Sticks in

How to Reheat Fish Sticks in the Air Fryer

Store leftover fish sticks in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

  1. Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees.
  2. Place fish sticks inside the air fryer and cook for 1-2 minutes until thoroughly heated.
  3. Remove the fish sticks from the air fryer and enjoy!
Fish stick being dipped into tartar sauce with plate of fish sticks to side

More Frozen air fryer Fish Recipes

More Fish Recipes

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4.48 from 21 votes

Air Fryer Fish Sticks

Frozen fish sticks are air fried to get a crispy breading and flaky inside.
Cook Time: 9 minutes
Total Time: 9 minutes
Servings: 3 servings
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Ingredients 

  • 12 frozen fish sticks

Instructions 

  • Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees.
  • Place frozen fish sticks in the air fryer in one layer not touching.
  • Cook for 9-10 minutes, flipping halfway, until warmed thoroughly.
  • Remove from the air fryer and enjoy!

Notes

How to Reheat Fish Sticks in the Air Fryer

1. Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees.
2. Cook leftover fish sticks in the air fryer for 1 to 2 minutes, until fully warmed then enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 274kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 1087mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g

This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.

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Hi, I'm Samantha!

Welcome to Everyday Family Cooking. I’m Samantha, a stay-at-home-mom of 2. I’m here to make cooking easier for your whole family and help you find new recipes to put in your regular rotation!

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4.48 from 21 votes (21 ratings without comment)

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4 Comments

  1. Katie says:

    These came out out perfectly crisp and the kids love them. Such a nice change to make frozen fish sticks instead of chicken in my air fryer.

  2. Alyssa says:

    Good tips and such an easy dinner idea!

  3. Deb Dupree says:

    Thanks for this idea. I used my Ninja Air Fryer with Gorton’s Fish Sticks and found that 10 minutes (after preheating for 3 minutes) was too long. They came out slightly too crisp, so next time, I will go with 8 minutes. If that doesn’t work, I’ll also decrease the temperature.

    1. everydayfamily says:

      Hi Deb, yes, if the air fryer fish sticks came out slightly too crispy for your liking, decreasing the time will work wonders.