Reviews you can trust.
See why.The Best Fish Sticks
We set out to find a crunchy, golden fish stick that we’d eat just as readily plain as we would stuffed into a taco.
Top Picks
What You Need To Know
Opinions about fish sticks vary. For some, dunking a fish stick in ketchup is the ultimate taste of nostalgia. For others, the sight of them brings back memories of subpar school lunches. We happen to love them (so does Queen Elizabeth II—just sayin’), and we think that fish sticks are more than just a retro food item. Gussy them up a bit, and they can be a proper, modern meal. Nest...
Everything We Tested
Highly Recommended
These sticks were made with whole pollock fillets, and tasters noticed, commenting that they liked the “visible flakes of fish,” which made it seem like they were eating a “breaded fish fillet . . . rather than a fish stick.” Tasters also liked the breading, describing it as “buttery” and as having a “nice crunch”; they also found the fish to be flavorful and “fishy,” but “not too fishy.” The size of these fish sticks was also just right, with tasters saying they were “substantial” and contained a “decent amount of fish.”
Although these fish sticks were made with minced pollock, which is often used to make cheaper fish sticks, most tasters enjoyed their flavor and texture. Tasters also praised these fish sticks for their mild and sweet fish flavor, “impressively crispy exterior,” and “buttery savoriness.” They closely resembled “classic fish sticks from childhood” and had a “well-balanced flavor and crunch.”
Recommended
While most tasters liked the breading on these fish sticks, describing it as “impressively crispy” and “excellently crunchy,” many were left wanting a little more fish. But the overall flavor was decent, with one taster describing the fish sticks as “salty, crunchy, and soft inside” and another saying the fish was “faintly sweet.”
Recommended with reservations
Described by one taster as “ginormous fish clubs,” these large fish sticks impressed our tasters at first sight. The flavor was good, too, with tasters saying the sticks had a “nice sweetness” and “the perfect fish stick taste: not too salty, not too fishy.” The only downside was a not-so-great coating, which some tasters found “chewy” and “gummy.”
Not Recommended
Whole some tasters praised the breading’s crunch, the filling was described as “fishy in all the wrong ways.” Others agreed, saying “the flavor of the fish is SO fishy. Not good fishy like sushi, but bad fishy.” Some tasters also found that, although the fish looked flaky, the texture was mushy when they ate it.
Described by one taster as “stingy little things,” these pale fish sticks were the skinniest of the lineup. Tasters also complained of a strong, off-tasting fish flavor. “Tastes like breaded and fried canned tuna—way too fishy,” said one taster, while another thought they tasted like “they put a bunch of fish scraps together and said, ‘Blend it up, boys!’” Notes of oily fish overwhelmed our palates, making these our least favorite.
Reviews you can trust
The mission of America’s Test Kitchen Reviews is to find the best equipment and ingredients for the home cook through rigorous, hands-on testing.
10,000+ foolproof recipes and why they work Taste Tests of supermarket ingredients Equipment Reviews save you money and time Videos including full episodes and clips Live Q&A with Test Kitchen experts
Start Free TrialAbsolutely the best chicken ever, even the breast meat was moist! It's the only way I'll cook a whole chicken again. Simple, easy, quick, no mess - perfect every time. I've used both stainless steel and cast iron pans. great and easy technique for “roasted” chicken. I will say there were no pan juices, just fat in the skillet. Will add to the recipe rotation. Good for family and company dinners too. I've done this using a rimmed sheet pan instead of a skillet and put veggies and potatoes around the chicken for a one-pan meal. Broccoli gets nicely browned and yummy!
Absolutely the best chicken ever, even the breast meat was moist! It's the only way I'll cook a whole chicken again. Simple, easy, quick, no mess - perfect every time. I've used both stainless steel and cast iron pans. great and easy technique for “roasted” chicken. I will say there were no pan juices, just fat in the skillet. Will add to the recipe rotation. Good for family and company dinners too.
Amazed this recipe works out as well as it does. Would not have thought that the amount of time under the broiler would have produced a very juicy and favorable chicken with a very crispy crust. Used my 12" Lodge Cast Iron skillet (which can withstand 1000 degree temps to respond to those who wondered if it would work) and it turned out great. A "make again" as my family rates things. This is a great recipe, and I will definitely make it again. My butcher gladly butterflied the chicken for me, therefore I found it to be a fast and easy prep. I used my cast iron skillet- marvellous!
John, wasn't it just amazing chicken? So much better than your typical oven baked chicken and on par if not better than gas or even charcoal grilled. It gets that smokey charcoal tasted and overnight koshering definitely helps, something I do when time permits. First-time I've pierced a whole chicken minus the times I make jerk chicken on the grill. Yup, the cast iron was not an issue.