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    Home » Air Fryer Recipes » Air Fryer Frozen Food Recipes

    How to Cook Frozen Fish Sticks in Air Fryer

    By Emmeline Kemperyd updated March 18, 2024 · Published May 13, 2023 · Leave a Comment

    Total time: 13 minutes minutes
    5 from 2 votes
    Jump to Recipe Add us as a Preferred Source

    No prep needed to make the best Frozen Fish Sticks in Air Fryer, all done in under 15 minutes! Perfectly cooked, crispy & delicious, and all ready to serve with your favorite sauces & sides!

    air fried fish sticks on a blue plate with dipping sauce.
    Jump to:
    • Why you will love this recipe
    • What you need to cook frozen fish sticks in air fryer
    • How to cook crispy air fryer fish sticks
    • How to reheat fish sticks in the air fryer
    • Tips & tricks
    • Why are my fish sticks soggy in the air fryer?
    • What to serve with fish sticks
    • Recipe FAQ
    • More quick & easy air fryer recipes
    • Recipe
    • Reviews

    Why you will love this recipe

    • It's the best way to cook frozen fish sticks
    • Crispy, golden fish sticks thanks to that circulating hot air
    • Healthier & less greasy than both pan frying and deep frying
    • Quicker than the oven
    • No oil necessary - actually, the result is better without it
    • Super easy and done in just 8 minutes

    What you need to cook frozen fish sticks in air fryer

    ingredients for air fryer frozen fish sticks.

    Ingredient notes

    • Frozen breaded fish sticks (or fish fingers) - that's all you need. This recipe was created with the regular, thin, kind shown here. If making thicker fish sticks I recommend checking out this recipe for Air Fryer Frozen Fish Fillets instead.

    Do I have to use oil or cooking spray?

    No! When air frying fish sticks I find the result is actually better when you don't use oil or cooking spray.

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    How to cook crispy air fryer fish sticks

    collage showing how to air fry frozen fish sticks.
    1. Preheat your air fryer to 390°F (200°C), then place the fish sticks in the air fryer basket
    2. Air fry 4 minutes at 390°F (200°C), then flip the fish sticks and air fry 4 more minutes
    3. Check to see if they are done and as crispy as you like them. If not, add a few more minutes. Then serve immediately with tartar sauce or your favorite dipping sauce!

    How to reheat fish sticks in the air fryer

    When reheating fish sticks in the air fryer follow the instructions above, and just shorten the cook time. Start with 1 + 1 minutes, and add more if needed for the fish sticks to be heated through.

    Tips & tricks

    • Preheat the air fryer for best results
    • Don't defrost the fish sticks, cook them straight from frozen
    • Cook in a single layer - if you're making more fish sticks than fit comfortably in one layer in your air fryer basket, cook them in batches
    • Cook time can vary with different air fryers
    • Adjust cook time depending on your air fryer, how large the fish sticks are, and how crispy you like them - my air fryer gets medium sized fish sticks crispy in 8 minutes, you might need more or less
    • Serve immediately before the crisp is gone
    • Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days
    air fried fish sticks on a blue plate with dipping sauce.

    Why are my fish sticks soggy in the air fryer?

    If your fish sticks come out soggy this can be due to a few different reasons:

    1. You didn't preheat the air fryer. You want the outside of the fish sticks hits a hot surface straight away.
    2. The heat was too low. Cook them at 390°F (200°C).
    3. The time was too short. You need to give them enough time to crisp up.
    4. You used oil or oil spray. I've found fish sticks tend to come out soggy if you use oil or cooking spray, instead of crispy.

    What to serve with fish sticks

    There are many delicious ways to serve these air fryer fish sticks. Serve them with:

    • French Fries for a simple version of fish and chips
    • Potatoes
    • Creamy Rice
    • Buffalo sauce
    • Lime Aioli
    • Dijonnaise
    • Honey mustard dressing

    Recipe FAQ

    How long to air fry frozen fish sticks?

    Fish sticks will take 8-10 minutes to cook, depending on their size.

    Do I have to flip the fish sticks during cooking?

    You don't have to flip the fish sticks, but I recommend it to get an even crisp.

    How do you cook Gorton's frozen fish sticks in the air fryer?

    Cook Gorton's fish sticks for 8 minutes at 390°F (200°C), flipping them halfway.

    air fried fish sticks on a blue plate with dipping sauce.

    More quick & easy air fryer recipes

    Looking for more guides to air frying frozen food?

    • Complete guide to air frying frozen food
    • Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Nuggets
    • Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli
    • Air Fryer Frozen Green Beans
    • Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Tenders

    Recipe

    air fried fish sticks on a blue plate with dipping sauce.

    Air Fryer Frozen Fish Sticks

    5 from 2 votes
    Print Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: North American
    Servings: 8 fish sticks
    Calories: 24kcal
    Cook time: 8 minutes mins
    Preheating 5 minutes minutes
    Total time: 13 minutes minutes
    Author: Emmeline Kemperyd
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    Ingredients

    • 8 frozen fish sticks

    Instructions

    • Preheat the air fryer by running it at 390°F (200°C) for 5 minutes.
    • Place frozen fish sticks in a single layer in the air fryer basket and air fry 8 minutes, turning them once halfway.
      8 frozen fish sticks
    • Check if they are done and as crispy as you like them - if not, add a few minutes.
    • Serve immediately, before the crisp is gone!

    Equipment (may contain affiliate links)

    • Air Fryer*

    Notes

    This recipe for frozen fish sticks in air fryer was created in a Philips HD9252/90 Air Fryer*. Cooking time can vary with your air fryer model.
     
    • Preheat the air fryer * for best results
    • Don't defrost the fish sticks, cook them straight from frozen
    • Cook in a single layer - if you're making more fish sticks than fit comfortably in one layer in your air fryer * basket, cook them in batches
    • Cook time can vary with different air fryers
    • Adjust cook time depending on your air fryer *, how large the fish sticks are, and how crispy you like them - my air fryer * gets medium sized fish sticks crispy in 8 minutes, you might need more or less
    • Serve immediately before the crisp is gone
    • Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days
    • Reheat leftovers in the air fryer *
     
    Nutritional information will vary with the brand of fish sticks you use, information provided here is only an indication. Check the package for the nutritional information for the ones you use.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 24kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 50mg | Sugar: 0.1g

    Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.

    Did you make this? Tag me today!Tag @alwaysusebutter and use the hashtag #alwaysusebutter!

    More Air Fryer Frozen Food Recipes

    • Air fried breaded fish filets.
      Air Fryer Frozen Fish Fillets
    • Turkey burger.
      How to Cook Frozen Turkey Burgers in Your Air Fryer
    • chicken nuggets on a plate with a bowl of ketchup
      Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Nuggets
    • dumplings on a blue plate.
      Air Fryer Dumplings

    About Emmeline Kemperyd

    Emmeline Kemperyd is a writer, food blogger, recipe creator and food photographer and the founder of alwaysusebutter.com. She has 20+ years experience creating and simplifying recipes so they taste good, and are quick, easy, and approachable. She is a regular contributor to MSN and her work has been featured by The Guardian, Well+Good, Vulture, SheKnows, Good Men Project, and The Feed Feed, among others.

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    Hi, I'm Emmeline! I love tasty food, but I'm always in a hurry. And I have the quick and easy recipes to prove it!

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