Charred Tilapia with Crispy Chili Oil and Lime
Ingredients
- 4 filletstilapia fillets (6 ounces each)
- ·kosher salt
- ·black pepper
- 2 tablespoonneutral oil
- ½ teaspoondried red pepper flakes
- 3 clovegarlic
- 1lime
- 1 tablespoonsoy sauce
- ½ teaspoonhoney
Prep
- 01
Mince 3 cloves garlic.
- 02
Cut 1 lime into wedges or halves.
Method
- 01
Pat the tilapia fillets dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with kosher salt and black pepper.
- 02
Heat 1 tablespoon of neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 2 minutes.
- 03
Working in batches if needed, place tilapia skin-side up in the pan. Cook for 4 minutes without moving, until the bottom is deeply golden and crispy.
- 04
Flip and cook for another 2–3 minutes until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily. Transfer to a platter.
- 05
In the same pan, reduce heat to medium and add 1 tablespoon oil, the minced garlic, and red pepper flakes. Toast for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- 06
Remove from heat and stir in the soy sauce and honey. Drizzle this chili oil over the fish and finish with fresh lime juice.
Spice Tips
For more heat, increase the red pepper flakes to 3/4 teaspoon or add a pinch of cayenne. For a deeper flavor, substitute 1/2 teaspoon of gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) for the pepper flakes. A dash of fish sauce in the chili oil adds savory complexity.
For extra crispiness, use skin-on fillets if available. Serve with steamed rice or stir-fried vegetables to catch the chili oil.