Description

This Thai-Style Whole Baked Fish with Chili, Lime & Herbs is a vibrant and flavorful seafood centerpiece made with fresh lime, spicy chili, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, and fragrant herbs. The whole fish is baked until tender and finished with fresh cilantro, Thai basil, and lime. It’s an easy yet impressive recipe perfect for a family dinner or special occasion.

Ingredients

Scale

For the fish

1 whole sea bass, sea bream, snapper, or branzino, about 2–2½ lb, cleaned and scaled
2 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp chili flakes
Salt and black pepper
1 lime, sliced
2–3 sprigs cilantro
2 scallions, roughly chopped

Chili-Lime Herb Topping

3 red Thai chilies, thinly sliced
1–2 green chilies, sliced
3 scallions, finely sliced
¼ red onion, thinly sliced
½ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
Juice of 2 limes
1½ tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp honey or brown sugar
1 tbsp neutral oil
1 tsp toasted sesame oil, optional

For serving

Lime wedges
Extra cilantro
Steamed jasmine rice
Thai sweet chili sauce or chili-lime dipping sauce

Instructions

Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
Prepare the fish. Pat the fish very dry. Make 3–4 diagonal cuts on each side of the fish, cutting down toward—but not through—the bone.
Season. Mix the olive oil, garlic, ginger, coriander, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Rub this mixture all over the fish, working it into the cuts.
Stuff the cavity with lime slices, cilantro, and scallions.
Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet for approximately 25–30 minutes, depending on the size of the fish. The flesh should flake easily and reach 145°F (63°C) at the thickest part.
Make the topping. While the fish cooks, combine the sliced chilies, scallions, red onion, cilantro, and garlic. Stir in lime juice, fish sauce, honey, neutral oil, and sesame oil.
Finish the fish. Transfer the baked fish to a serving platter and spoon the chili-lime herb mixture generously over the top. Let it sit for 2–3 minutes so the juices soak into the crispy skin.
Serve with plenty of lime wedges, cilantro, jasmine rice, and extra chili sauce.

Prep Time: PT15M
Cook Time: PT30M
Category: Seafood
Method: Baking
Cuisine: Thai-inspired

Nutrition

Serving Size: ¼ whole fish with chili-lime herb topping
Calories: 350 kcal
Sugar: 5 g
Sodium: 650 mg
Fat: 18 g
Saturated Fat: 3 g
Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 8 g
Fiber: 1.5 g
Protein: 38 g
Cholesterol: 85 mg

Keywords: Thai baked whole fish, Thai-style baked fish