By definition the technique of blackening fish and other proteins/meats is to dip in butter, season and then fry. Now as delicious as that is eating fried food on the regular isn’t exactly great for the waistline. I will admit that fish cooked in butter is one of my favorite ways to enjoy it so when you try to mimic that cooking technique it falls short in texture. Well I am here to show you the way I achieve a mouth watering baked blackened fish with that crunch we all crave, incredibly moist, and still low calorie!
The best part of this recipe is that it is SO EASY. Easy to prep, bake, and even easier clean up. We start with lining a baking sheet with parchment paper. I like to by the pre-cut paper, simply unfold and place on the pan. Boom done. Next is set cut the fish into 4-8 ounce pieces, (up to you for portion size) if not already done by the butcher. I recommend having it deboned to save time. Next we will mix up a Cajun style party of spices. Drizzle the fish with extra virgin olive oil then rub on the spice mix.
Bake for 15 minutes and then a nice high broil to get that CRUNCH. Simple as that! The great thing about this dish is is that it can be done on the grill in a foil pack which makes it perfect for summer or even camping!
A tip for extra juicy and DELICIOUS flavor is to add herbed butter at the end. It really sets the flavors off and not low calorie but something I like to do every once in a while for some razzle dazzle to the fish. 
Let’s get started!
Healthy Baked Blackened Salmon!
Ingredients
- 4 wild caught salmon fillets
- 2 lemons, sliced
- 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp. paprika
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
herbed butter (optional)
- 3 tbsp. butter
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dill, minced
- 2 tsp parsley, minced
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Rinse the fish under cold water. Pat dry.
- After the fish is on the baking sheet, drizzle a even amount of olive oil on all the fillets. Now pour on the seasoning. Rub gently into the salmon.
- Cut one lemon into slices, and place on the baking sheet around the fish
- Now into the oven we go. Bake for 15 minutes. (During this time lets mix up all the herb butter ingredients optional)After 15 minutes set the oven to high broil.
- Cook for about 5 more minutes. BE CAREFUL! The fish can burn so quickly on this setting and that is the last thing you want. We want to achieve a brown/blackened crust but not burnt. You can see here in the photo the color we are looking for.
- After 5 minutes or the perfect color, remove from the oven. Let the fish sit for 2 minutes(If you are using the herbed butter, this is when we will gently spread the herb butter all over the salmon and let it melt all over. Again this part is optional, but really adds a burst of flavor!)serve with fresh cut lemon slices.
- I like to make with a fresh salad, some steamed baby red potatoes tossed in basil and rosemary or white rice.
- ENJOY!
