Chicken nuggets are great, but have you ever had fish nuggets? They’re just as delicious and satisfying, but they feel lighter. They’re crispy on the outside, tender and flaky on the inside, and perfect for dipping into just about anything.
These Salt and Pepper Fish Nuggets, seasoned with Chinese five spice and Sichuan peppercorns, deliver a satisfying crunch with every bite. Topped with a generous drizzle of hot honey, they strike the perfect balance between spicy, savoury, and sweet. Once you try them, you’ll wonder why fish nuggets aren’t a staple in every kitchen!
Table of Contents
- Ingredient Breakdown
- Salt and Pepper Is More Than Just Salt and Pepper
- Panko: The Superior Breadcrumb
- Cod Is King
- Hot Honey: The Perfect Finishing Touch
- Make These Fish Nuggets Your Own
- Want More Fish Recipes?
Ingredient Breakdown
- Cod Loins: Cod is a mild, flaky white fish that works beautifully in this recipe. It’s sturdy enough to hold up during frying yet tender enough to melt in your mouth.
- Plain Flour: Helps the seasoning adhere to the fish and creates a light base layer for the egg and panko coating.
- Chinese Five Spice: A fragrant blend of star anise, cloves, Chinese cinnamon, Sichuan pepper, and fennel seeds. This spice mix adds warmth and depth to the nuggets.
- Sichuan Peppercorns: These peppercorns bring a unique, mouth-tingling sensation that complements the heat of the hot honey.
- Eggs: Provide a sticky layer for the panko breadcrumbs to adhere to, ensuring a crispy finish.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: These Japanese breadcrumbs are coarser and lighter than traditional breadcrumbs, resulting in an extra-crispy coating.
- Vegetable Oil: Perfect for deep frying, as it has a high smoke point and a neutral flavour that won’t overpower the seasoning.
- Hot Honey: The sweet heat of hot honey pairs wonderfully with the savoury, spiced nuggets, adding a delightful kick.
Salt and Pepper Is More Than Just Salt and Pepper
When we think of salt and pepper, the classic table seasoning duo might come to mind. But in British Chinese cuisine, “salt and pepper” is a whole different story—one that’s packed with layers of flavour that go far beyond the basics.
Salt and pepper dishes have a rich history, rooted in Southern Chinese cooking and adapted over time to fit British palates. These dishes aren’t just salty and peppery; they’re aromatic, spicy, and deeply savoury, thanks to ingredients like Sichuan peppercorns, garlic, chillies, and Chinese five-spice. It’s a flavour combination that’s bold and irresistible.
In this Salt and Pepper Fish Nuggets recipe, this iconic flavour profile comes to life with a blend of Chinese five-spice and ground Sichuan peppercorns. The Sichuan peppercorns, with their unique numbing heat, add an extra layer of intrigue, making each bite of these fish nuggets a little adventure of its own. Paired with a drizzle of hot honey, you get that perfect balance of savoury, spicy, and sweet—everything you want in a bite-sized treat.
Panko: The Superior Breadcrumb
If you’re aiming for the perfect crunch, panko breadcrumbs are your best friend. Lighter and crispier than regular breadcrumbs, panko brings a satisfying crunch without the heaviness that can sometimes come with other coatings.
Made from crustless white bread, panko is processed into light, airy flakes rather than dense crumbs. This means it absorbs less oil during frying, resulting in a beautifully crispy coating that’s never greasy. The texture is delicate yet sturdy enough to stand up to frying, making it the ideal choice for these fish nuggets.
In this recipe, panko breadcrumbs are the secret to achieving that golden, crunchy exterior. The contrast between the crispy coating and the tender fish is what makes these fish nuggets so addictive. Once you start using panko, you’ll quickly see why it’s the superior choice. It’s all about that light, airy crunch that takes these fish nuggets to the next level.
Cod Is King
Cod loins are an excellent choice for this recipe, and there are several reasons why:
- Texture: Their firm, flaky texture ensures the nuggets hold together beautifully during cooking, providing that satisfying bite.
- Shape: The shape of cod loins, often uniform and easy to portion, makes them ideal for creating evenly sized nuggets that cook consistently.
- Taste: Cod’s neutral taste acts as a blank canvas, absorbing the flavours of the seasoning and coating without overpowering them. This versatility allows the other elements of the dish, like the hot honey, to shine.
- Cost: Cod is relatively affordable compared to other types of fish, making it an accessible option for a wide range of home cooks.
Hot Honey: The Perfect Finishing Touch
Hot honey is the perfect way to finish these fish nuggets. The sweetness of the honey tempers the heat of the Sichuan peppercorns and the spiciness of the chilli flakes, while the warmth of the honey complements the savoury notes of the five spice. Drizzle the hot honey generously over the fish nuggets just before serving, or serve it on the side as a dipping sauce.
If you can’t find honey, you simply top the fish nuggets with honey and chilli flakes or a drizzle of hot sauce.
Make These Fish Nuggets Your Own
This Salt and Pepper Fish Nuggets recipe is very customisable, so feel free to tweak it to your taste.
- Swap The Fish: While this recipe calls for cod, you can easily swap it out for other white fish like haddock, pollock, or even tilapia. Each will bring its own subtle differences in flavour and texture, but the end result will still be delicious.
- Dial Up The Heat: If you prefer a bit more heat, add a pinch more Sichuan peppercorns or some extra chilli flakes.
- Switch Up The Sauce: If you’re not a fan of hot honey, try serving the fish nuggets with a tangy tartar sauce or a zesty lime aioli for a refreshing twist
Want More Fish Recipes?
I’ve been sharing lots of delicious fish recipes on my Instagram and TikTok in a series I’ve called Fantastic Fish. If you love this recipe, why not try some of the others in the series?
- Coconut-Crusted Thai Curry Sea Bass: If you’re a fan of Thai flavours, you’re going to love this one. The fish is marinated in Thai red curry paste, before being encased in a coconut crust and fried to golden perfection.
- Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice: This recipe combines crispy sushi rice cakes with homemade spicy tuna and avocado. The contrast of textures between the crispy rice and tuna is delightful and all the flavours work so well together.
- Monkfish Curry: Monkfish is simmered in a rich, flavour-packed sauce, perfumed with curry leaves, coconut milk, tomatoes and warm spices.
- Roasted Salmon with Curry Leaf Butter: Roasted salmon, topped with a delicious 3-ingredient curry leaf butter.
Salt and Pepper Fish Nuggets with Hot Honey
Why aren’t fish nuggets more of a thing? They’re delicious and they have a better fish-to-crispy-coating ratio than goujons or fingers/sticks. These ones are flavoured with Chinese five spice and Sichuan peppercorns, for that salt and pepper vibe, and finished with lots of hot honey.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
Ingredients
- 260g cod loins
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 1 tsp Chinese five spice
- 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, ground
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 100g panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
- vegetable oil, for deep frying
- hot honey, to serve
Instructions
- Slice the cod loins into small chunks, then sprinkle over the plain flour, Chinese five spice and Sichuan peppercorns. Season generously with salt and pepper and toss well to coat.
- Place the beaten eggs and panko breadcrumbs in two separate large mixing bowls. Season the eggs with salt and pepper and beat to combine.
- Toss the floured cod pieces in egg then panko breadcrumbs. You can do this individually or in batches. Optionally, you can toss them in egg and panko again to create a double coating for an extra crispy shell.
- Fill a large saucepan up halfway with vegetable oil and set it over a medium-high heat. Heat the oil to 180°C. If you don’t have a food thermometer, place the handle of a wooden spoon into the oil: the oil will bubble rapidly around it when it’s ready for frying.
- Fry the fish nuggets until golden brown and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to drain.
- Serve topped with lots of hot honey and/or your dip of choice.
Notes
You can bake or air fry the fish nuggets though it is much more effort as you first need to toast the breadcrumbs. Why? Because the fish cooks very quickly, which doesn’t give the crust enough time to brown, which in turn means it’ll be pale and blotchy rather than golden and crispy. To do this, toss the panko with a tablespoon of vegetable oil then spread in an even layer on a small baking tray. Bake for 4 to 5 minutes, or until golden, then leave to cool. Use this to bread the fish.You can then either air fry the nuggets at 200°C for 5 to 7 minutes, or until cooked through, or bake at 200°C for 9 to 11 minutes, or until cooked through.
