Oven "fried" Fish

Irmgard's Note:

The other day, my husband was asking for fish and chips but with my high cholesterol, I have to avoid things like that. I found in a magazine at the doctor's office this recipe for oven fried fish, which is nice and crispy like the deep fried kind but without all the fat. This is excellent served with evelyn/athens' Spicy Oven Fries and your favourite cole slaw recipe.

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 4 (6 ounce) tilapia fillets
• 1 egg white
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Position rack on top shelf in oven.
2. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.
3. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack on top.
4. Lightly spray or brush rack with vegetable oil.
5. Pat fish dry with paper towels.
6. Slice fillets in half lengthwise to form long pieces.
7. In a pie plate or wide shallow dish, whisk egg white with buttermilk.
8. In another dish, stir flour with bread crumbs, paprika, cayenne and salt.
9. Working with 1 piece of fish at a time, lightly coat with flour mixture.
10. Shake off excess flour, then dip into buttermilk mixture.
11. Turn to evenly coat.
12. Shake off excess liquid.
13. Coat fish in flour mixture again.
14. Shake off excess coating, then place on rack.
15. Repeat with remaining fish, 1 piece at a time.
16. Discard any remaining buttermilk or flour mixtures.
17. Lightly spray fish with oil or, using a brush, lightly dab about 1 tbsp oil as evenly as possible over coating.
18. Do not skip this step -- it is essential for crispy fish.
19. Bake on top rack of preheated oven until coating is crisp and golden, 12 to 15 minutes.
20. Do not turn.

Reviews

[LifeIsGood]

Yum yum. I was happy to see a healthy "fried" fish recipe and even happier when it worked! I dabbed olive oil over half of the fish and used a few sprays of Pam-type oil over the other half; I thought the olive oil worked best. Thanks for the healthy recipe!

[Lavender Lynn]

This made a great supper for us. Very easy to make and delicious. We used red rock cod. Made for best of 2012.

[breezermom]

I wish I hadn't started this so late, because this recipe deserves a beautiful photo taken in the daylight. I cooked my fillets on a rack, and they turned out wonderfully crisp on the outside and flaky and moist on the inside. I will definitely make this again. Yum!!