Crispy Chickpea-Crusted Fish with Spicy Lime Tartar

5 from 1 vote
1 hour 15 minutes
Jump To Recipe

Crispy Chickpea-Crusted Fish with Spicy Lime Tartar is the perfect crunchy, nut-free topping for your favorite fish fillets! This protein-packed crust adds a golden, flavorful crunch, while the zesty lime tartar sauce brings a bold kick of heat and freshness to every bite.

Photo of Curried Chickpea Encrusted Fish on baking sheet.

The inspiration behind this recipe:

As a personal chef, I often have to find ingredient substitutes for people with food allergies so they can continue to enjoy the same flavors and textures as people without those allergies.  Nuts are one of the major food allergens that can cause a serious, life-threatening reaction.  Roasted chickpeas make a great crunchy coating substitute for nuts.

Photo of Curried Chickpea Encrusted Fish with Jalapeno - Lime Tartar Sauce on black plate garnished with cilantro and lime wedges.

When roasted, chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) become crunchy.  They are not as calorie-dense as nuts and can be seasoned in a variety of ways.  For ease, I use canned chickpeas.  (If you start with dried chickpeas, you’re looking at a lot more work to soak, cook and roast them.)

The roasted chickpea topping is perfect for my Chickpea-Encrusted Fish with Jalapeno-Lime Tartar Sauce.  It’s a little Indian, a little Mexican with a whole lot of delicious!

Photo of chickpeas on baking sheet ready for being roasted.

ro

How to roast chickpeas:

  • First, drain and rinse the canned chickpeas thoroughly.
  • Pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels.  If you have the time, let them air dry for 30 minutes to an hour.
  • Place on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and place in the oven.
  • Shake the pan or stir every ten minutes.
  • After approximately 30 minutes, they should have a crispy exterior with an oh-so-slight soft interior.  (Don’t worry about that slightly soft interior–when chopped, placed on the fish and baked, it will all get delightfully crispy and crunchy!).
Photo of roasted chickpeas on baking sheet.
  • Let cool thoroughly and then place in a mini food processor.
Photo of roasted chickpeas chopped up in mini food processor.

Ta-daa!  An allergen-free crispy coating perfect for fish or chicken!  I used barramundi here, but you could also use tilapia, sole or catfish.

Photo of Curried Chickpea Encrusted Fish on baking sheet after being baked.
Photo of Jalapeno - Lime Tartar Sauce in glass bowl.

I think you’ll love this tartar sauce!  Instead of gherkin pickles typically used in tartar sauce, I use pickled jalapenos to give it a spicy kick.  The lime tanginess pairs perfectly with the curry in the chickpea crust.

Soooooo good and hope you enjoy as much as we did!!

Photo of Curried Chickpea Encrusted Fish with Jalapeno Lime Tartar Sauce on black plate with black napkin in the background.

More great easy fish recipes:

Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email and I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
Save Recipe
* By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails.
Logo for From A Chef's Kitchen with gray oval border and green knife.
Three Curried Chickpea Encrusted Barramundi on baking sheet.

Chickpea Encrusted Fish with Jalapeno Lime Tartar Sauce

5 from 1 vote

Click to Rate!

By: Carol | From A Chef’s Kitchen
Crispy Chickpea-Crusted Fish with Spicy Lime Tartar is the perfect crunchy, nut-free topping for your favorite fish fillets! This protein-packed crust adds a golden, flavorful crunch, while the zesty lime tartar sauce brings a bold kick of heat and freshness to every bite.
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Fish and Seafood
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4
Calories 483 kcal

Ingredients
  

Chickpeas and Fish

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil - plus more for the baking sheet
  • 1 cup purchased chickpea snack - seasoned only with sea salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder - hot or mild
  • 1/4 cup panko - regular or gluten-free
  • zest of 1 large lime
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste
  • 4 (8-ounce) fish fillets - such as barramundi, tilapia, sole or catfish
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • Cooking spray

Tartar Sauce

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 scallions - finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 2 cloves garlic - minced
  • 1 large lime - juiced
  • 1/4 cup pickled jalapeno peppers - chopped

Instructions
 

Chickpeas

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Place chickpeas in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground, scraping the sides and stirring with a spatula if necessary. Transfer to a bowl.
  • Add curry powder, panko, lime zest and cilantro and stir to combine. Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper if needed.

Fish

  • Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush with olive oil.
  • Place fish fillets on the baking sheet and brush the top of the fish with mustard. Top the fish with equal amounts of the chickpea topping, pressing slightly to adhere. Spray lightly with cooking spray.
  • Bake for 15-17 minutes at 400 degrees or until cooked through and fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve with tartar sauce.

Tartar Sauce

  • Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Serve with fish.

Recipe Notes

TO MAKE YOUR OWN ROASTED CHICKPEAS:
  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  • Pat the chickpeas as dry as possible with a clean dish towel or paper towel.  Remove any loose skins.  Leave them to air dry for 30 minutes to an hour if possible.
  • Place chickpeas on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and stir to coat. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  • Roast for approximately 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. The chickpeas are done when they are golden, dry, and crispy with a slightly soft center. Let cool thoroughly.
MAKE AHEAD:
  • Fish can be topped with the chickpea blend 1 day ahead of time.  Leave uncovered in the refrigerator.  Bake as directed.
  • Tartar sauce can be made 1 day ahead.  Refrigerate until needed.

Nutrition

Serving: 4 | Calories: 483kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 26g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 725mg | Potassium: 170mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 403IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 2mg

These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you’re using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment, star rating or post your photo on Instagram and tag @fromachefskitchen.
5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




6 Comments

  1. I love the idea of using a chick pea coating for the fish instead of bread crumbs. I’ve been meaning to try adding flavor to roasted chick peas too, so this recipe could be a great way for me to try both chick peas as an appetizer and as a bread crumb substitute.