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Looking for a quick and delicious weeknight dinner? Try this recipe for fish fillets, oven-fried to golden brown perfection! With this no-fuss cooking method, you’ll have time to add an extra layer of flavor by making our tangy lemon-basil butter while the fish is in the oven.
Notes From the MGC Kitchen
Oven-frying is our favorite way to cook thin, firm fish fillets. This cooking method is a healthier option that requires very little oil, minimizes mess and odors, and doesn’t require constant attention, leaving you free to prepare sauces and side dishes. In addition, the oven provides even heat distribution, ensuring the fish is uniformly cooked with a satisfyingly crispy exterior similar to conventional fried fish. It’s also a great way to make a homemade fillet of fish sandwich!
Key Ingredients
Here’s what you need to know about the key ingredients in this recipe. The complete list, including quantities, is in the printable recipe card below.
- Firm white fish fillets (barramundi, tilapia, catfish): When making oven-fried fish, you’ll want to choose fillets that are 1/2-inch thick at most. This allows the fish to cook through without the coating becoming over-browned. Barramundi (more info below) is our favorite fish for this recipe, but tilapia, catfish, and snapper are all good substitutes.
- Dry breadcrumbs: Plain dry breadcrumbs are the best choice for this recipe, as the pre-seasoned type could overwhelm the flavor of the lemon-basil butter. Avoid panko crumbs because they don’t adhere well when oven-frying and tend to crumble off when you turn the fish.
- Lemon: Fresh lemon (the juice and zest) is essential to this dish. We always keep bottled lemon juice in the house for a squeeze here and there, but when lemon is a featured flavor in a recipe like this one, there’s no replacing the tangy citrus flavor of fresh lemon.
- Basil: Lemon and basil have a natural flavor affinity, and just like lemon, using fresh basil is essential to this dish. It’s added to the lemon butter right before you remove it from the heat to preserve its fresh, aromatic qualities.
How To Make Oven-Fried Fish with Lemon-Basil Butter
Planning to make this recipe? Here’s a quick overview of how it’s done. Detailed, step-by-step instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
Prepare the fish: Preheat the oven and coat a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil spray. Whisk the egg and milk together in one shallow dish and combine the breadcrumbs and seasonings in a second. Cut the fish into similarly sized portions, dip each piece into the egg mixture, coat them in seasoned breadcrumbs, and arrange them on the baking sheet.
Bake the fish: Lightly coat the top of the fillets with olive oil spray and bake until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily. For best results, turn the fillets midway through the cooking time.
Make the lemon-basil butter: While the fish is in the oven, prepare the lemon-basil butter. Melt the butter in a small frying pan over medium heat, add the garlic, and cook until fragrant and softened. Stir in the lemon juice and zest and cook until the liquid has reduced and the sauce has thickened slightly, about 2 minutes longer. Stir in the basil and remove from the heat.
Serve: When the fish is done, plate individual servings and spread lemon-basil butter over each fillet.
Frequently Asked Questions About Barramundi
Here’s some info on barramundi for those of you who aren’t familiar with this tasty and easy-to-cook fish.
Barramundi (sometimes called Asian sea bass) is a white-fleshed fish native to Northern Australian and Southeast Asian waters. It can thrive in fresh, brackish, and saltwater, and this versatility makes it especially well-suited for sustainable farming practices.
Barramundi has a mild, buttery flavor and a delicate yet firm texture that allows for various cooking methods, including grilling, frying, baking, or broiling. In addition, its subtle flavor pairs well with all sorts of seasonings and ingredients, making it a good choice for many different fish recipes. Our Fish Puttanesca is another favorite where we use barramundi.
Barramundi is a naturally disease-resistant fish that can be sustainably farmed without antibiotics and harmful chemicals, thus protecting wild fish populations.
Australis Aquaculture is the world’s largest producer of barramundi. Their sustainably farmed fish is flash-frozen immediately after harvesting to preserve flavor and texture, and you can find it in the frozen seafood sections of Whole Foods, Costco, BJ’s, Sprouts, and Stop & Shop. Australis is an ASC-certified (Aquaculture Stewardship Council) American company that farms barramundi using environmentally and socially responsible aquaculture practices.
Side Dish Suggestions
Need some side dish inspiration to go with your oven-fried barramundi? An easy choice is Roasted Asparagus with Lemon Butter. You can prepare it first, transfer it to a serving dish, and reheat it in the microwave when you’re ready to serve. You could also consider doubling the quantity of lemon-basil butter sauce to flavor cooked orzo or rice. If you’re trying to keep your meal low-carb, add a fresh green salad and whisk some fresh basil into your dressing.
Discover More Easy Fish Recipes
Oven-Fried Fish with Lemon Basil Butter
Ingredients
- 3/4 lb fish fillets, barramundi, tilapia, catfish (see notes)
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 3/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Freshly ground black pepper
For the lemon-basil butter:
- 2-1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons chiffonade of fresh basil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and thoroughly coat a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil spray (or regular nonstick spray).
- Whisk the egg and milk together in a shallow dish (a pie plate works well for this).
- Combine the breadcrumbs, salt, garlic powder, and a few grinds of black pepper in a second shallow dish or on a sheet of wax paper.
- If necessary, cut the fish into similarly sized portions.
- Dip each piece of fish in the egg mixture, let the excess drip off, then coat in the seasoned breadcrumbs and arrange on the prepared baking sheet.
- Lightly coat the top of the fillets with olive oil spray and bake until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily, 7 to 9 minutes, depending on thickness. For best results, turn the fillets midway through the cooking time.
- While the fish is in the oven, prepare the lemon-basil butter. Melt the butter in a small frying pan over medium heat, add the garlic, and cook until fragrant and softened, about 1-1/2 minutes (do not brown).
- Stir in the lemon juice and zest and cook until the liquid has reduced and the sauce has thickened a bit, about 2 minutes longer.
- Stir in the basil and remove from the heat.
- When the fish is done, plate individual servings and spread lemon-basil butter over each fillet.
Notes
Ingredient Recommendations:
- Use thin white fish fillets: When making oven-fried fish, you’ll want to choose fillets that are 1/2-inch thick at most. This allows the fish to cook through without the coating becoming over-browned. Barramundi is our favorite fish for this recipe, but tilapia, catfish, and snapper are all good substitutes.
- Use dry breadcrumbs: Plain dry breadcrumbs are the best choice for this recipe, as the pre-seasoned type could overwhelm the flavor of the lemon-basil butter. Avoid panko crumbs because they don’t adhere well when oven-frying and tend to crumble off when you turn the fish.
- Use fresh lemon: Fresh lemon (the juice and zest) is essential to this dish. We always keep bottled lemon juice in the house for a squeeze here and there, but when lemon is a featured flavor in a recipe like this one, there’s no replacing the tangy citrus flavor of fresh lemon.
- Use fresh basil: Lemon and basil have a natural flavor affinity, and just like with the lemon, fresh basil is essential to this dish. It’s added to the lemon butter just before removing it from the heat to preserve its fresh, aromatic qualities.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
