This delicious, colorful and healthy oven baked fish recipe is a complete meal in one pan! Crispy panko coated fish fillets are baked over chickpeas, spinach and tomatoes tossed in a lemony garlic dressing to create an easy weeknight dinner or elegant company-worthy meal!
This crispy oven baked fish has been part of my fish recipe repertoire for several years now. Lightly breaded fish on a bed of colorful vegetables tossed with a tangy lemon, garlic and olive oil dressing. Simply delicious, and healthy too!
I don’t recall how I first came across this recipe but I have been recreating this dish from memory and throughout the years it has evolved. The original recipe, which I have adapted, is from author Betty Rosbottom as published in this cookbook.
This easy baked fish recipe is the perfect weeknight meal and yet festive enough to serve for a traditional Italian Christmas Eve feast (which I have done)!
The recipe is for two servings but you can easily multiply it to feed a crowd. Just fill up as many baking dishes as needed!
Which type of fish is best for this recipe?
Any variety of white, firm fleshed fish fillets works well in this fish recipe. My top choice is haddock (as pictured) and I have also made this recipe with cod.
Other suggestions include halibut or grouper.
Do take note that baking time may vary according to the thickness of your fish fillets.
How much fish should I serve per person?
When it comes to fish fillets, the ideal portion size per person is about 225 grams which translates as 1/2 lb or 8 ounces. I purchased 450 grams of haddock to make this complete meal for 2 people.
Ingredient list
- Haddock fillets: or white fish fillets of your choice
- Baby spinach leaves
- Canned chickpeas
- Cherry tomatoes
- Olive oil
- Garlic
- Lemon: juiced and zested
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Salt and pepper, to taste
The following are step by step instructions with images to guide you through this recipe. Please scroll to the end of this post for the detailed printable recipe card.
Step by Step Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and have a 9 x 13 inch baking dish ready.
- In a small bowl stir together 1/4 cup of olive oil, add all but 1/2 tsp of the lemon zest (keep the remaining zest for the panko breadcrumb mixture), juice of 1/2 lemon, finely minced garlic, salt and pepper.
- In a separate small bowl, stir together the panko, reserved 1/2 tsp lemon zest, 2 tbsp olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper, to taste.
- Toss together the spinach, chickpeas and halved cherry tomatoes in the baking dish.
- Stir in all but 1 tbsp. of the olive oil/lemon mixture and toss to coat the vegetables well.
- Place the fish fillets on the bed of vegetables and spoon or brush the fillets with the remaining olive oil mixture.
- Sprinkle the panko evenly over both fillets. Press the crumbs into the fish with your fingers.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fillets) or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
- Broil for 1-2 minutes to brown the panko. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
-Any white, firm fleshed fish such as haddock, cod, grouper or halibut.
-If you don’t have access to panko, substitute with regular unseasoned breadcrumbs.
-This fish recipe has a light coating of breadcrumbs, you may double the amount of panko or breadcrumbs if you prefer.
-This one pan fish dish is filling enough as is, however you may round out the meal by serving it with a salad; steamed rice or fresh bread.
-Keep leftovers refrigerated for up to 3 days.
-Reheat in a 350 degrees F preheated oven until warmed through.
Did you try this recipe?
Let me know how much you enjoyed it by rating it in the recipe card below!
*****
Check out more fish and seafood recipes!
- Baccala alla Ghiotta
- Swordfish Pasta with Cherry Tomato Sauce
- Sicilian Swordfish with Capers, Olives and Tomatoes
- Coquilles St-Jacques
- Sicilian Past with Sardines
- Sicilian Fish with Mint, Onions and Vinegar
- Stuffed Calamari in Tomato Sauce
- Sicilian Pasta with Anchovies and Breadcrumbs
- Italian Seafood Pasta
- Seafood Arancini
- Portuguese Salt Cod and Potato Casserole
- Baked Tuna Potato Patties
- Pasta with Tuna and Peas in a Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 450 grams white fish fillets 2 fillets: cod; haddock; grouper or halibut
- 4 cups baby spinach leaves
- 19 oz can of chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
For the olive oil/lemon dressing
- ¼ cup olive oil divided
- grated zest of 1 lemon divided
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 clove garlic finely minced
- ½ tsp salt
- black pepper to taste
For panko topping
- ¼ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- ½ tsp. lemon zest
- pinch salt
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and have a 9 x 13 inch baking dish ready.
- In a small bowl stir together the olive oil, add all but 1/2 tsp of the lemon zest (keep the remaining zest for the panko breadcrumb mixture), juice of 1/2 lemon, finely minced garlic and salt and pepper.
- In a separate small bowl, combine the panko, reserved 1/2 tsp lemon zest, 2 tbsp olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper, to taste.
- Toss together the spinach, chickpeas and halved cherry tomatoes in the baking dish.
- Stir in all but 1 tbsp. of the olive oil/lemon mixture and toss to coat the vegetables well.
- Place the fish fillets on the bed of vegetables and spoon or brush the fish with the remaining olive oil mixture. Sprinkle the panko evenly over both fillets. Press the crumbs into the fish with your fingers.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fillets) or until the fish flakes easily. Broil for 1-2 minutes to brown the panko. Serve immediately.
Notes
-This fish recipe has a light coating of breadcrumbs, you may double the amount of panko or breadcrumbs if you prefer. To serve -This one pan fish dish is filling enough as is, however you may round out the meal by serving it with a salad; steamed rice or fresh bread. Storage -Keep leftovers refrigerated for up to 3 days.
-Reheat in a 350 degrees F preheated oven until warmed through.
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