Crispy Panko Fish Fingers with Lilikoi Mustard

These homemade fish fingers are extra crispy thanks to a panko coating and are served with a sweet-tangy lilikoi mustard dipping sauce inspired by the tropical flavors I grew up with in Hawaii.

I’ve NEVER bought frozen fish fingers or fish sticks because the homemade version is so easy to prep and tastes so so much better(plus these are way cheaper). My kids just love these for lunch and dinner!

Cover photo by Shoshi Sirkis, styled by Anat Lobel for Whisk magazine summer issue.

Crispy Panko Fish Fingers

There is a reason the neighborhood kids ask to come over for dinner- and i can tell you it’s because i do fry certain foods- including these fish fingers. If you want a healthier option- you can air fry them too!

To get the crispiest crunch i use white Japanese panko crumbs for the final coating and simple egg and mustard dip so the panko sticks. Seasoning at every step means you can grab one of these golden fish sticks straight from the pan for a little appetizer and still have all the flavors!

But, for the cherry on top, i really recommend a Lilikoi Mustard Dipping Sauce!

If you have regular bread crumbs, try these Sesame Schnitzel Fingers, which are also a kids favorite!

 How to Make Crispy Panko Fish Fingers

1. Make the batter (egg, flour, cornstarch, mustard, water)
2. Dip the fish sticks into panko crumbs seasoned with salt
3. Fry till golden and crispy
4. Whisk together the dipping sauce
5. Enjoy!!

My Top Tips:

• Use Japanese Panko crumbs. These are thicker and flakier than regular bread crumbs and give the fish a superb crunch. I mean it! My friends always ask why my fried chicken and fried fish sticks are the best they’ve ever had. THIS IS THE SECRET!
• Let the panko coated fish sticks sit while the oil heats. This gives the flour and cornstarch batter a minute to harden and keeps the panko stuck on tight while they fry.

Ingredients for Fish Fingers with Lilikoi Mustard

This is a really simple recipe but you do need a couple key things!

Best Fish to Use:

Cod or Tilapia. cod is most popular but also a bit more expensive. Both of these options produce a wonderful flaky fish finger far superior to any frozen kind!

Panko breadcrumbs, flour, cornstarch. I use a mix of flour and cornstarch mixed with egg for the wet batter and then eat fish finger gets a quick coating of panko for all the crispiness!

For the lilikoi mustard you’ll need:

Lilikoi pulp or juice. For the Hawaiian inspired sauce, i use fresh lilikoi from my garden strained from seeds but you can find it in the frozen section(simply defrost and strain), or use pure lilikoi juice.

Dijon Mustard. Use smooth or seedy Dijon mustard here..the sauce is so simple but is the perfect combo of sweet and tangy!

Honey. To make the perfect sweet and tangy dipping sauce!

Lemon juice. For the tang! I always use freshly squeezed.

 Why Kids Love These Fish Fingers

• mild white fish
• crispy coating
• easy-to-hold size
• Sweet homemade dipping sauce
• freezer-friendly / make-ahead possibilities ( this is more for you, mom and dad!)

Freezer friendly and Make-Ahead Lunch

We all love a shortcut lunch but there’s no need to spend a ton of money on the frozen kind..when you can do it yourself!

Bread the fish sticks and place on a tray to freeze, then transfer to a ziplock bag fitted with a paper towel to collect any extra moisture and prevent freezers burn- these will be good for weeks, but they wont last that long!

Flash freezing on a tray first ensures that the fish sticks don’t stick together- we all hate pulling a big clump of fish or chicken nuggets out of the freezer don’t we?!

To cook simply heat up oil and fry or air fry straight from the freezer.

Enjoy these! For a fun Hawaiian kids dessert end the meal with Chi Chi Dango Mochi.

Crispy Fish Sticks with Lilikoi Mustard Dipping Sauce

Estee

Super crispy fish sticks coated in panko and served with a lilikoi mustard dipping sauce.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 5 mins

Course dinner, finger food, fish

Cuisine Hawaiian

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

  

For the Fish Sticks:

• 1 ½ lb white fish fillets such as tilapia or cod, cut into 1 ½ to 2 inch wide strips
• ½ cup flour
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• 1 egg
• ⅓ cup water
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1 ½ cup panko breadcrumbs white japanese bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Oil for frying

For the Dipping Sauce:

• ¼ cup dijon mustard with seeds preferably
• 3 Tablespoons honey
• 2 Tablespoons passionfruit juice no sugar added, or strained pulp
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper a few grinds

Instructions

 

Prepare the Lilikoi Mustard

• Whisk all ingredients in a small container. Set aside. This can be prepared up to three days in advance.

To make the fish sticks:

• Whisk together flour, cornstarch, egg, water, and dijon to the consistency of pancake batter. In a separate bowl, add 1 cup panko and salt.
• Dip each fish stick into the batter and scrape any excess batter on the side of the bowl. Coat in panko crumbs(i drop the fish into the panko and give the bowl a couple healthy shakes).
• Set aside on a tray. Let them rest while you heat the oil- sitting for 10 minutes hardens the batter and helps the coating stick while frying.
• Heat 2 inches of oil in a fry pan and when hot, fry the fish in batches until golden and crispy.
• Drain on a paper towel or rack.
• Serve hot with dipping sauce.

To prep: bread the fish sticks and pre-freeze in a single layer(this is to prevent sticking. You can add them all to a single bag after pre-freezing).

Keyword fish fingers, fish sticks, lilikoi mustard