I have a confession.
I, Dara Gurau, was a loyal follower of The Captain. Who could resist his smiling bearded face and oh so convenient frozen breaded fish sticks. All you needed was 20 minutes, a toaster oven, and you too could have a fish dinner on the table in a flash.
But as I got older and a littler wiser, I discovered I could make my very own fish sticks that I could store in my freezer and have an even better tasting and healthier dinner on my table in the same amount of time.
These fish sticks are coated in a crunchy and cheesy breadcrumb mixture and baked until tender and browned. I’ve used tilapia but they would also be great with halibut, salmon, or cod
I served these up with a tangy and delicious yogurt and mayo dipping sauce. But they would also be fantastic dipped into some good old ketchup. Cook up a big batch, wrap ’em up in your freezer, and you have your own fresher and tastier frozen fish sticks.
So while The Captain may still be a handsome man, I am no longer a loyal follower of his frozen seafood line. And as soon as you whip up a batch these fish fingers, I think you too will be waving The Captain good bye.
Dara
Parmesan and Panko Crusted Fish Sticks
Serves | 4-6 |
Prep time | 10 minutes |
Cook time | 15 minutes |
Total time | 25 minutes |
Meal type | Lunch, Main Dish, Snack |
Website | Adapted from Giada De Laurentis |
Ingredients
- 4 tilapia fillets
- 1 egg + 2 egg whites (whisked until frothy)
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 cup parmesan (grated)
- salt and pepper
sauce
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/3 cup low fat mayo
- 1 Tbsp grainy dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp flat leaf parsley (chopped)
Note
Feel free to add some of your favourite seasonings to the breadcrumb mixture to spice these fish sticks up! Some dried basil, oregano, thyme, and garlic would all be great. Some chopped fresh dill or chives would also be delicious in the sauce. These fish sticks are great as a snack after work or school and taste great re-heated in the oven or at room temperature.
Directions
1. | Preheat oven to 425 and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. |
2. | Cut each tilapia fillet in half lengthwise, and then in half again lengthwise. Cut each strip in half cross wise. |
3. | Mix together breadcrumbs and parmesan in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Place flour and eggs in two separate bowls and season each with salt and pepper. |
4. | Dip tilapia strips into flour and shake to remove excess. Then dip in egg and shake again to remove excess. Coat in breadcrumb mixture and place on baking sheet. Once all tilapia strips have been coated, spray with olive oil cooking spray and bake for 15 minutes, rotating sheets half way through. Serve with sauce. |
Sauce | |
5. | Combine all ingredients and set aside. |
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