Crispy Fish Fingers
Submitted by happyzhangbo
Crispy oven-baked fish fingers coated in toasted whole-wheat breadcrumbs, served with a tangy yogurt-Dijon dipping sauce. A healthier homemade take on the freezer-aisle classic.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
10 minREADY
36 minThis is a from-scratch upgrade of those freezer fish sticks you grew up on. Whole-wheat bread gets pulsed into crumbs, then toasted dry in a skillet until crisp and golden before it ever touches the fish. That toasting step is the secret. It gives the oven-baked fingers the crunch you’d normally get from deep frying.
Flounder fillets cut into strips get the classic three-stage breading: flour to grip the egg, egg to glue the crumbs, pre-toasted crumbs to finish the coat. Ten minutes in a 400°F (200°C) oven cooks the fish through while the crust stays golden.
The dipping sauce borrows the tangy backbone of tartar sauce but lightens up with Greek yogurt doing most of the work. A dab of Dijon, Worcestershire, and snipped chives round it out.
Chef Tips
- Toast the crumbs until they’re visibly golden before breading. Untoasted crumbs give you pale, soft coating from the oven.
- Use one hand for dry steps (flour, crumbs) and the other for wet (egg) to avoid clumping your fingers into breaded mittens.
- Don’t crowd the baking sheet. Give each piece space so hot air can circulate and crisp all sides.
- Lightly spray the tops of the breaded pieces with olive oil spray before baking for extra golden color.
Variations
- Swap flounder for tilapia, cod, pollock, or haddock.
- Add grated Parmesan, lemon zest, or Old Bay to the breadcrumbs for flavor boosts.
- Serve with homemade tartar sauce, cocktail sauce, or a squeeze of fresh lemon.
Ingredients
Directions
Put the bread in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until bread crumbs form.
Toast the crumbs in a large, dry nonstick skillet over a medium-high heat, stirring frequently and breaking up the crumbs with a spoon if they begin to stick together, until crisp and golden, about 2 minutes.
Remove from heat.
Preheat the oven to 400℉ (200℃).
Spray a baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray.
On a plate, combine the flour, salt and pepper.
Cut the fillets into 4 by 1-inch strips.
A few pieces at a time, dip the fish into the flour mixture, dusting off the excess.
Dip the fish in the egg and then the bread crumbs.
Arrange on the baking sheet and continue until all of the fish is breaded.
Bake until golden and cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, mayonnaise, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, chives and cayenne, if using. Season, to taste, with freshly ground black pepper.
Serving size: 6 pieces and 2 tablespoons sauce
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