We love everything about the idea of fish and chips—the crunch of the batter playing off the tender bite of the fish, the pile of crispy potatoes, the dollop of tartar sauce or splash of malt vinegar served on the side. It's a classic menu item, and this recipe is a playful ode to the English staple. We combine all of the fish and chips experience in one bite, using crushed salt and vinegar potato chips to coat cod fillets, which are then baked until crispy and golden brown. The only thing it leaves out of the equation is the most regrettable part of fish and chips: all those excess calories from the deep fryer. But you don't have to skip the chips all together! If you want to add some real chips on the side, we suggest crispy, oven-baked fries or smoked paprika potato chips. This way you can leave the deep-frier out of your meal and off of your waistline, too!
Nutrition: 380 calories, 14 g fat (1.5 g saturated), 810 mg sodium
Serves 4
You'll Need
4 cod fillets, 6 oz each
1 cup nonfat buttermilk
Tabasco to taste
3⁄4 cup panko bread crumbs
3⁄4 cup crushed salt and vinegar chips
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 Tbsp olive oil mayonnaise
2 Tbsp Greek yogurt
Juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp chopped pickles
1 Tbsp capers
1 tsp Dijon mustard
How to Make It
- Combine the cod, buttermilk, and a few shakes of Tabasco in a sealable plastic bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Combine the bread crumbs and crushed chips in a shallow baking dish and season with a few pinches of salt and black pepper.
- Working with one piece at a time, remove the fish from the buttermilk and roll in the coating, using your fingers to pat the mixture onto the surface of the fish.
- Place the coated fish onto a rack set in a baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the coating is nicely browned and crunchy and the fish flakes with gentle pressure from your finger.
- While the fish bakes, combine the mayo, yogurt, lemon juice, pickles, capers, and Dijon in a mixing bowl.
- Serve the fish with a scoop of tartar sauce on the side.
This recipe (and hundreds more!) came from one of our Cook This, Not That! books. For more easy cooking ideas, you can also buy the book!