Seasoned Fish Sticks

Brianna's week. The week between Christmas and New Year's — the strange week where time doesn't work right. Brianna had the kids. I worked Wednesday and Thursday at the plant for double-time pay. Spent Friday at home cleaning. Spent Saturday at Mama's helping her clean up after Christmas.

Sunday Mama made a small Sunday dinner — just chicken and rice and greens. Pop ate well. Cheryl laughed at one of his jokes. The Carter family is in good shape, this week. Marc is gone. Pop is sick. The world has not slowed down. But this Sunday in December, the four of us — Mama, Pop, Keisha, me — sat at the kitchen table and ate chicken and rice and we were okay.

I drove home Sunday night and lit a candle for Marc on the kitchen table. I do this on the anniversary of his death and at Christmas and on his birthday. I cooked his pork chop alone — one chop, smothered in onion gravy, with rice and a piece of cornbread. I sat at the table and ate it and I talked to him, out loud, about the catering, about the kids, about Pop. I told him I missed him. The conversation was one-way but it was a conversation.

Mama’s kitchen has always been where the simplest food carries the most weight — chicken and rice, greens, something fried and golden on the stove. That Sunday reminded me that you don’t need a feast to feel full. I cooked Marc’s pork chop alone that night, but later in the week I found myself reaching for something lighter, something my kids would eat without a fuss — and these seasoned fish sticks brought me right back to that same warm, unhurried feeling. There’s something about a well-seasoned piece of fish that sits in your chest the same way a good memory does.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs white fish fillets (cod, tilapia, or catfish), cut into 1-inch strips
1 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil or neutral cooking spray
Lemon wedges, for serving
Hot sauce or remoulade, for serving

Instructions

Preheat the oven. Heat your oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly coat with oil or cooking spray.
Set up your dredge station. Place flour in one shallow bowl, beaten eggs in a second, and combine breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cayenne, thyme, salt, and pepper in a third.
Dredge the fish. Pat fish strips dry with paper towels. Coat each strip in flour, shake off excess, dip in egg, then press firmly into the seasoned breadcrumb mixture on all sides.
Arrange and oil. Place breaded strips on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer without touching. Drizzle or spray lightly with oil over the tops.
Bake until golden. Bake for 18—20 minutes, flipping once at the 10-minute mark, until the coating is deep golden and the fish flakes easily with a fork.
Rest and serve. Let the fish sticks rest 2 minutes before serving. Plate with lemon wedges and your preferred dipping sauce.

Nutrition (per serving)

Seasoned Fish Sticks — The Sunday Table Always Had Room for One More