Best Fish Sticks Ever

Around here the Friday Night Fish Fries are quite popular. Going out to eat isn't as easy as it used to be though. Last week the kids asked for fish sticks. Fish is not their most favorite food and they thought perhaps in sticks it would taste better. We had given up fish sticks years ago when trying to reduce processed food, before we were concerned about gluten. I decided to give it a try. I added a little starch and zanthan gum to brown rice flour and used GF bread crumbs and crushed Chex cereal for the coating. It took a couple of tries to get the proportions right, but I was told to always make fish this way.

Homemade Gluten-Free Fish Sticks

4-4oz. tilapia fillets (1 pound)
1/2 c. gluten-free flour blend (6 T. brown rice
     flour, 2 T. potato starch, 1/8 t. zanthan gum)
1/2 c. gluten-free bread crumbs
1 c. crushed rice/corn Chex
1/2 t. seasoned salt
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. onion powder
2 eggs, beaten



Remove excess moisture from fish as needed. Cut each fillet in 4 strips lengthwise. Prepare your flour blend and put on a large plate. Mix bread crumbs, Chex cereal and seasonings and put on another plate. Beat eggs in small bowl. Spray large cookie sheet with oil.

Roll each piece of fish in flour, then dip in egg and roll in crumb mixture.  Place in pan. Repeat with remaining pieces and arrange pieces so they are close but not touching.  I dip 2 - 3 pieces at a time. Spray tops of fish sticks with gluten-free canola oil spray.

Bake at 425 degrees F for 20 - 25 minutes until they are browned and the fish is flaky. The time will depend upon the thickness of your fillets. Fish sticks can be turned after 15 minutes if desired but is not really necessary. Serve with your favorite sauce.

Notes:
If gluten is not a concern, all-purpose flour and regular bread crumbs can easily be substituted for the non-gluten versions above. I make homemade bread crumbs by drying out bread scraps in a 250 degree F oven and crushing them. I was surprised to see that some store bought gluten-free "bread crumbs" appear to be flour based.