Easy Fried Cornflake Fish Fingers – With Cod Loin

Fish fingers have become a regular on the menu for many kids around the world for generations. In America they are known as “Fish Sticks” and in Italy you will find them called “Bastoncini“.

Wherever you are based in the world, there is no denying that shop-bought fish fingers offer a quick and easy option for mid-week meals. And kids usually love them.

However, making your own homemade fish fingers is actually super easy and they can be enjoyed by both adults and children, making them a suitable option for the whole family. Using cod loin gives a better texture than the formed, minced fish you usually find in commercial varieties and you will know exactly what is going into your food too!

Equipment Needed:

• Sharp Knife and Cutting Board: For slicing the cod loin into fingers.
• Large Mixing Bowl: Choose one large enough to fit the cod pieces in for marinating. You’ll also need clingfilm (plastic wrap) to cover the bowl.
• Food Processor: To create our cornflake-breadcrumb coating. If you don’t have a food processor, you can use ready-made breadcrumbs instead of bread slices and place them into a bag along with the other coating ingredients and crush with a rolling pin.
• Three Shallow Bowls: These are for our breading station.
• Large Frying Pan: To fry the cod fingers.
• Spatula or Tongs: To turn and remove the cod fish fingers from the frying oil.
• Kitchen Roll/Paper towels: To maintain their crispiness after frying it is a good idea to blot away any excess oil on the outside of each cornflake fish finger before serving.

Ingredients:

• Cod Loin: The fresher fish the better, it’s easiest to use skinless, boneless cod loin for this recipe so you don’t have to prepare it yourself.
• Lemon Juice: Allowing the cod to marinate for a short time in fresh lemon juice helps to tenderise it and gives the fish a subtle citrus flavour.
• Lemon Zest: Use a lemon that is unwaxed for the zest.
• Bread: To create the breadcrumbs, slightly stale bread works best. I have used white bread but you can also choose wholemeal bread if you prefer.
• Cornflakes: Mixed with breadcrumbs for extra crunch and texture in the coating.
• Fresh Parsley Leaves: Chopped and added to the coating for a burst of herby flavour. You can also use dried parsley, just reduce the amount by half as dried herbs are more concentrated in flavour.
• Sea Salt and Black Pepper: Adding a little seasoning to the coating.
• Plain Flour: Used as the first step in breading the fish, it helps the egg and crispy crumb coating to adhere. Use a plain, all-purpose flour.
• Egg: Acts as a binding agent to help the cornflake coating stick to the fish pieces.
• Oil: I use sunflower oil for frying the fish in this recipe.

Substitutions and Additions:

Wondering if you can substitute or add an ingredient? Here, I will tell you if that’s possible.

Substitutions:

• Cod Loin: Substitute with haddock, pollock, or tilapia for similar mild-flavoured white fish options.
• Lemon: You can use lime juice and lime zest instead, giving the fish fingers a slightly different flavour. .
• Bread: Use panko breadcrumbs or regular store-bought breadcrumbs instead.
• Cornflakes: Replace with crushed crackers or nachos for a slightly different texture.
• Fresh Parsley: Substitute with dried parsley or other herbs like dill or thyme.
• Sea Salt: Regular table salt can be used instead.

• Breadless Fish Fingers: If you want to create a fish fingers recipe without breadcrumbs, just replace the bread with more crushed cornflakes. The coating will have a slightly different texture (more crunchy) and you may want to try double coating the breadless fish fingers in the egg and coating to ensure they are completely covered. For this, you may need to use an additional egg.

Storage

• Uncooked Fish Fingers: If you prefer to prepare the fish fingers ahead of time, you can store the breaded but uncooked fish fingers in the fridge for up to 24 hours before frying. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap.
• Cooked Fish Fingers: Store cooked fish fingers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Reheating

• Cooked Fish Fingers: Reheat cooked fish fingers in an oven or toaster oven at 180°C (350°F) for about 10 minutes or until heated through and crispy. Avoid microwaving, as it can make the coating soggy.

Freezing

• Uncooked Fish Fingers: You can freeze the breaded fish fingers before frying. Arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag or container. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. You can fry them straight from frozen but be sure they cook all the way through.

Easy Fried Cornflake Fish Fingers – With Cod Loin

5 from 6 votes

Easy to make and suitable for beginners, try making your own Cornflake fish fingers with cod loin for a posher, more grown-up version of this classic children's meal. Freezer-friendly and suitable for the whole family to enjoy.

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: British

Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Marinating time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 277kcal

Author: Rebecca Foxley

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 400 g Skinless Boneless Cod Loin
• ▢ 3 tbsp Lemon Juice
• ▢ 1 tbsp Lemon Zest
• ▢ 3 Slices of Bread, Slightly Stale
• ▢ 50 g Cornflakes
• ▢ 1 tbsp Fresh Parsley Leaves, chopped
• ▢ 1 tsp Sea Salt
• ▢ 1 tsp Black Pepper
• ▢ 80 g Plain Flour
• ▢ 1 Egg
• ▢ Oil, for frying

Instructions

• ▢
  Cut the cod loin into finger-length pieces, roughly the size of traditional fish fingers. Place the cod pieces into a bowl and pour the lemon juice over them. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and refrigerate for 20 minutes to marinate.
• ▢
  While the fish marinates, prepare the coating. Tear the slightly stale bread into pieces and add them to a food processor. Add the cornflakes, lemon zest, chopped parsley, sea salt, and black pepper. Blend until the mixture forms fine crumbs.
• ▢
  Set up a breading station with three shallow bowls. Fill one bowl with plain flour (you can add a little seasoning or salt and pepper to the flour mixture if you like), beat the egg in the second bowl, and pour the cornflake mixture into the third bowl.
• ▢
  Remove the cod pieces from the fridge. Working with one piece at a time, pat dry the fish with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. Coat each cod finger in flour, shaking off any excess. Then dip the floured fish into the beaten egg, allowing the excess to drip off. Finally, coat the fish in the cornflake mixture, pressing gently to ensure the crumbs stick evenly.
• ▢
  Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. The oil should be hot but not smoking.
• ▢
  Once the oil is ready, add the cornflake-coated cod fingers to the pan in a single layer. Fry them for about 3-4 minutes on each side, or until they are golden brown and cooked through. You may need to fry them in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
• ▢
  Once cooked, remove the fish fingers from the pan and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil.
• ▢
  Serve the fish fingers immediately with tartar sauce or your preferred dipping sauce.

Recipe Notes

• Key Points: Ensure you have an even coating of flour, egg, and cornflakes for a uniform crust. Add more egg if the coating isn’t sticking.
• Substitutions:
  • Cod: Use haddock, pollock, sea bream or bass.
  • Cornflakes: Substitute with panko breadcrumbs or crushed Ritz crackers.
  • Parsley: Try fresh dill.
• Storage:
  • Cooked Fish Fingers: Refrigerate for up to 2 days.
  • Uncooked Fish Fingers: Refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
  • Frozen: Uncooked, breaded fish fingers can be stored for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Estimate

Calories: 277kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 843mg | Potassium: 526mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 411IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 6mg