Oven Baked Blackened Tilapia

Bursting with spicy goodness, everybody will love this easy recipe. This is now the current leader for recipe of the year and it is FISH.

Do you want grilled version? Try my Grilled Blackened Tilapia

I have been thinking of doing this for awhile. I had 5 or 6 recipes saved in my file with one over a year old. I looked at Paula Deen but really lots of thyme and no pepper. It just didn't seem right for me. I ended up with an Aaron MaCorgo Jr (Food Networks "Big Daddy") recipe. This man can really cook and is a joy to watch, highly recommended. Only a few changes. I use spanish paprika instead of smoked. I just like the taste better. I cut the cayenne pepper a little. It was just right for me and my wife. The whole teaspoon would have been way too much for me. The big change was going from fry pan to oven. See my reason below.

Rating

Wonderful.

Notes:
I did an easy tarter sauce that went well with this. This is included in the recipe. The seasoning would go well on chicken and other things and I will be trying it there. My tilapia was frozen and ended up being very large fillets. I cooked them for 10 minutes and they were just right. Thinner fillets probable need a minute or two less. I was oven baking but did not want dry so I use more oil on the tray and even sprayed the top with some oil in the form of PAM. I find frying fish in a pan a "pain". You have to do multiple batches, keep it warm in the oven and stand there all the time. Oven baking is just a lot easier and less messy.
Lastly the heat... I use a half teaspoon plus of cayenne pepper. This was a 7/10 hot.

 Preheat oven to 425 convection. Combine 3 T paprika, 1 t salt, 1 T onion powder,1 t black pepper, 1/2 to 1 t cayenne pepper, 1 t dry thyme, 1 t dry oregano and 1/2 t garlic powder.

 Line a sheet pan with foil and add 2 T olive oil. Brush it over the foil in any area that will have fish.

 Rinse and pat dry 1 pound of tilapia.

 Brush with olive oil.

 Cover the fillets with the spices and rub it in (both sides).

 Place on the oiled pan and give the fish a light spray of PAM. Place in the preheated oven.

 If you want a homemade tarter sauce, combine 1/3 cup mayo, 2 t lemon juice, 1 t sweet pickle relish and 1/4 t onion powder. Mix well.

Cook until nicely brown and flaky. This is about 10-11 minutes for big fillets and a minute or two less for small to medium fillets.

Oven Baked Blackened Tilapia

by DrDan at 101 Cooking for Two August-3-2012

Bursting with spicy goodness everybody will love this easy recipe. This is now the current leader for recipe of the year and it is FISH.

Ingredients

• 1 pound tilapia fillets
• 2 T extra-virgin olive oil

Blackening Rub

• 3 T Paprika
• 1 t salt
• 1 T onion powder
• 1 t black pepper
• 1/2 to 1 t cayenne pepper
• 1 t thyme
• 1 t oregano
• 1/2 t garlic powder

Simple Tarter Sauce

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 2 t lemon juice
• 1 t sweet pickle relish
• 1/4 t onion powder

Instructions

1) Preheat oven to 425 convection. Combine 3 T paprika, 1 t salt, 1 T onion powder,1 t black pepper, 1/2 to 1 t cayenne pepper, 1 t dry thyme, 1 t dry oregano and 1/2 t garlic powder.2) Line a sheet pan with foil and add 2 T olive oil. Brush it over the foil in any area that will have fish.3) Rinse and pat dry 1 pound of tilapia. Brush with olive oil. Cover the fillets with the spices and rub it in (both sides).4) Place on the oiled pan and give the fish a light spray of PAM. Place in the preheated oven.5) If you want a homemade tarter sauce, combine 1/3 cup mayo, 2 t lemon juice, 1 t sweet pickle relish and 1/4 t onion powder. Mix well.6) Cook until nicely brown and flaky. This is about 10-11 minutes for big fillets and a minute or two less for small to medium fillets.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 10 mins Total time: 20 mins Yield: 4

Updated

April 18 2013

DrDan