Chili Lime Baked Trout (Printer-friendly)

Whole trout baked with a tangy chili-lime marinade for a light, flavorful gluten-free meal.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 whole trout (about 12–14 oz each), cleaned and gutted

→ Marinade

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - Zest and juice of 2 limes
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 fresh red chili, finely chopped (seeds removed for less heat)
06 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
07 - 1 teaspoon paprika
08 - 1 teaspoon honey or agave syrup
09 - 1 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

→ Garnish

11 - Fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
12 - Lime wedges, for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or lightly grease it with oil.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime zest, lime juice, garlic, red chili, cumin, paprika, honey, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
03 - Rinse each trout under cold water and pat thoroughly dry with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, score each side of the fish with three diagonal cuts.
04 - Rub the marinade generously over and inside each trout, making sure it penetrates the scored cuts and fills the cavity.
05 - Arrange the marinated trout on the prepared baking tray. Bake for 18–20 minutes until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily when tested with a fork.
06 - Transfer the baked trout to serving plates. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and serve alongside lime wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The marinade doubles as a finishing sauce once it caramelizes in the oven, so nothing goes to waste.
  • Whole trout looks like a restaurant dish but requires almost zero technical skill to pull off.
  • It is naturally gluten free and dairy free, which means you can serve it to almost anyone without a second thought.
02 -
  • Do not skip scoring the fish because those shallow cuts are what let the marinade penetrate beyond the surface and flavor the meat inside.
  • Dry the trout completely before adding the marinade or the water left on the skin will create steam instead of that gorgeous golden finish.
03 -
  • Let the marinade sit for five minutes before applying it so the garlic and chili have time to bloom in the acid of the lime juice.
  • Serve the trout immediately because the crispy skin softens quickly once it starts to cool.

Go back