Crispy Chickpea-Topped Fish with Jalapeno Tartar Sauce
Published May 07, 2025
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This Crispy Chickpea-Topped Fish recipe features a nut-free coating that is super crunchy and adds extra protein! The flavorful chickpea topping forms a golden crust that complements the tender and flaky baked white fish. Pair with a homemade spicy jalapeno tartar sauce for freshness and a kick of spice!
Why This Recipe is a Keeper!
This Crispy Chickpea-Topped Fish recipe offers a delicious and healthy twist. Its crunchy golden-brown crust is made with roasted chickpeas, and a touch of curry powder perfectly contrasts the tender and flaky fish.
To keep things simple, this recipe uses store-bought crunchy chickpea snacks that get blitzed up in a food processor to form the crumbs, eliminating the process of making the crispy chickpeas yourself. This chickpea and fish recipe is a dish that’s quick enough for a weeknight dinner yet elegant enough to impress guests!
The zesty homemade tartar sauce ties this whole dish together. Instead of gherkin pickles typically used in tartar sauce, I use pickled jalapeños for a spicy kick.
This Crispy Chickpea-Topped Fish recipe is:
- Wholesome and overall healthy! Chickpeas are full of protein, and the fish is baked instead of fried.
- Nut-free! Roasted chickpeas replace the nuts for crunch, making this recipe perfect for people with nut allergies.
- Zesty! Fresh lime zest is used in the breadcrumb coating for the fish, and the homemade tartar sauce uses lime to add a bright and refreshing component to this recipe. Lemon zest and juice can also be used.
- Quick and Easy. Packaged chickpea snacks are used in this recipe to make it simple. But, you can always make your own roasted chickpeas, too.
How to Make Crispy Chickpea-Topped Fish:
Recipe Ingredients:
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this chickpea fish recipe. The exact quantities are on the recipe card below.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:
- Barramundi: Barramundi, also known as Asian sea bass, is a white-fleshed fish known for its sweet, mild flavor and firm texture, similar to snapper, grouper, striped bass, and sole. It’s commonly found in the waters between India, Southeast Asia, and Australia, but farmed barramundi is widely available. A common brand is The Better Fish, found at Whole Foods. Tilapia, sole, halibut, catfish or cod also work well in this dish.
- Chickpeas: This recipe uses packaged chickpea snacks. Be sure to use the variety seasoned with sea salt. They’re available in the natural foods aisle of grocery stores. You can also make your crispy chickpeas from canned in the oven. (See instructions below.)
- Curry Powder: Curry powder adds a warm, spiced flavor and pairs beautifully with the lime. Use hot or mild, depending on your preference.
- Panko: This dish uses panko breadcrumbs, a Japanese style that gets crispy when baked or fried. Gluten-free options are available.
- Dijon Mustard: Dijon mustard adds a sharp and tangy flavor and acts as the binder for the breadcrumbs to the fish.
- Pickled Jalapeño Peppers: To make the tartar sauce spicy, I like to use pickled jalapeno peppers instead of the traditional gherkin pickles. They still have a nice tanginess to them and are also a bit milder compared to fresh jalapenos. If you don’t want the tartar sauce to be spicy, just use pickles instead.
Step-By-Step Instructions:
- Gather and prep all the ingredients.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush with olive oil.
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Refrigerate while prepping and baking the fish.
- 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.
- Stir to combine. Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper if needed.
- 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 to 17 minutes at 400 degrees or until cooked through and fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve with tartar sauce.
To Make your own roasted chickpeas:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 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 the prepared 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. Let cool thoroughly and store at room temperature.
Recipe FAQs:
Blend the chickpeas in short bursts until you achieve a coarse, but not overly smooth, consistency. This will help create a crispy texture when baking.
Yes, the fish can be topped with the chickpea blend 1 day before and refrigerated. Leave uncovered and refrigerate. Bake as directed. Tartar sauce can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated.
The fish should take about 15 to 17 minutes of cooking at 400 degrees. The fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork. You can also test the internal temperature, which should be at 145 degrees for safe consumption.
Serve with:
- Moroccan Potato Tagine
- Garlic Green Beans
- Cucumber Onion Salad
- Roasted Curry Cauliflower Wedges with Cilantro Chutney
More great easy Fish recipes you’ll love!
- Mediterranean Fish Recipe en Papillote
- Grilled Tilapia Recipe
- Pistachio Crusted Fish with Lemon Dill Aioli
- Baked Catfish Pecan Meuniere and Spicy Sauteed Greens
Get all my fish and seafood recipes at Fish and Seafood Recipes – From A Chef’s Kitchen.
Crispy Chickpea-Topped Fish with Jalapeno Tartar Sauce
Ingredients
Tartar Sauce
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 scallions, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large lime, juiced (or lemon)
- 1/4 cup pickled jalapeno peppers, chopped
Chickpeas and Fish
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup purchased chickpea snacks, 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, or lemon
- 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
Instructions
Tartar Sauce
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Refrigerate while prepping and baking the fish.
Fish
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush with olive oil.
- 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 (or lemon) zest and cilantro and stir to combine. Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper if needed.
- 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.
Notes
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 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 the prepared 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 and store at room temperature.
- Tilapia, sole, halibut, catfish, or cod also work well in this dish.
- Fish can be topped with the chickpea blend 1 day before. Leave uncovered in the refrigerator. Bake as directed.
- Tartar sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Refrigerate until needed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
LOVE this recipe – that coating is genius! And we really enjoy barramundi in my house. This is a keeper for sure!
Hi, Ashley, Thanks so very much and happy you enjoyed!