In a shallow bowl or pie plate, mix the flour, salt, and pepper, and set aside.
⅓ cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
In a separate shallow dish, whisk the egg whites until they are smooth.
2 eggs
Prepare a third shallow bowl or pie plate with the panko breadcrumbs, garlic powder, oregano and paprika, mixing until combined.
1 cup panko bread crumbs, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon paprika
Cut each mozzarella stick in half.
8 mozzarella cheese sticks
Working one at a time, place a mozzarella stick into the flour and turn to coat well.
Dust off any excess flour, then dip into the egg mixture, coating the cheese stick completely. Allow excess egg mixture to drip off.
Place the cheese stick in the panko breading and press the crumbs into the cheese.
Line the coated cheese sticks onto a parchment lined tray and place in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. Refrigerate the egg mixture between uses.
Remove from freezer and dip each stick back into the egg mixture, then again in the panko crumbs. Return to the freezer for an additional 30-60 minutes.
Preheat your air fryer to 390°F (199°C) for 5 minutes. Spray the air fryer basket with olive oil spray. Place the mozzarella sticks into the bottom of the basket in a single layer, with space between each stick. You will need to work in batches.
Olive oil spray
Spray the mozzarella sticks lightly with olive oil spray. Cook in the air fryer for 5-8 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and the breading is crispy.
Olive oil spray