This Blackened Chilean Sea Bass with Garlic Sauce is everything a weeknight dinner should be. It's quick, full of flavor, needs minimal prep and super customizable. The creamy garlic lime dipping sauce compliments the fish very nicely.
This is my favorite type of recipe! It has all of the rich, smokey flavors from the perfect blackening seasoning combined with flakey white fish that is quick, easy and so delicious.
And since these light but flavorful types of recipes are so easy to make, I have created quite a few that you should try: Blackened Flounder, Blackened Snapper, Blackened Trout, Blackened Grouper, Blackened Cod and Blackened Swordfish.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Quick dinner - The entire fish recipe, including the sauce is done in about 20 minutes. Just add an easy side dish and dinner is ready.
- Customizable - You can easily make the blackened seasoning more or less spicy. And the same for the sauce, changing a few ingredients won't make this fish dinner any less delicious!
Ingredients
You will need these ingredients to make this pan seared blackened sea bass:
- Chilean sea bass filets
- butter
- paprika
- Old Bay
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- cayenne
- ground thyme
- salt
- black pepper
Ingredients for Garlic Sauce
- mayonnaise
- garlic cloves
- lime juice
- salt
- pepper
- sriracha sauce/hot sauce (optional, not shown)
- olive oil
How to cook Blackened Chilean Sea Bass
(These are basic directions. You will find full step-by-step instructions in the recipe card below.)
Step 1: Make sauce: Mince garlic cloves and combine with remaining sauce ingredients. Use a mini processor, immersion blender or whisk very well in a small bowl.
Step 2: Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Step 3: Stir the seasoning mixture together. Pat dry fillets with paper towels. Press spice mix onto both sides of fish.
Step 4: Heat a large frying pan or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Melt butter in pan.
Step 5: Place fish in pan, don't move it and let it cook for 4 minutes.
Step 6: Carefully slide a large metal spatula under the fish and carefully turn over. Cook for another 3-4 minutes or until the temperature reaches 145°F.
Helpful Recipe Tips
When choosing Chilean sea bass, look for the most fresh fish fillets available. The flesh should be firm and smell like the ocean waters. Store it covered in the refrigerator for 1-2 days, preferably used as soon as possible.
If you purchase frozen fish you should defrost them for 8-10 hours in the refrigerator. Or you can pull out the fillets with the inner packaging and place in a bowl of very cold water for about 15-20 minutes. Change the water after 10 minutes.
This recipe serves 3 portions. If you are cooking more fish, place only the amount of fish in the pan without overcrowding the fish. Depending on the size of your fillets, you may have to cook them in batches. Just plate and cover the cooked fish while finishing the remainder.
Additions & Substitutions
You can make the blackened fish less spicy by leaving out the cayenne in the seasoning mix. Substitute with ½ teaspoon of sugar and 1-2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning. You can also leave out the hot pepper sauce or sriracha in the garlic sauce.
Lemon juice would go just as well as lime in the sauce. Fresh citrus is best. But if you use bottled, add a pinch of sugar since it is a bit more acidic.
If you would like to try a different sauce with this recipe, I suggest trying my Baja sauce, Lemon herb sauce, Red pepper sauce or Lemon Butter sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
My best advice to avoid sticking is to make sure your pan is very, very hot and then carefully adding the butter. (avoid spattering) Most importantly, don't move the fish for at least 3-4 minutes until it gets a really good sear on the bottom.
When you slide your metal spatula underneath, the fish should have some give to it and then you can carefully slide the spatula all the way and turn to the opposite side. If the fish does not feel like it's loosening, then let it cook another 1-2 minutes and try again. No amount of added butter or oil will help loosen the fish
Since this is a quick cooking fish that you should keep your eye on, I would suggest a side dish that you can cook a bit ahead and just keep warm. You can make a Cajun Cole slaw, with the flavors of Cajun cuisine, the day ahead or morning of. If you don't mind cooking two dishes at once, try Blackened Green Beans. They have a bit of a kick and will be done about the same time as the fish.
MORE seafood recipes to try: Orange Roughy with Wasabi, Cod Francese, Seafood Stir Fry and Grilled Haddock.
If you tried this recipe and enjoyed it, I'd love if you gave it a 5 star rating. This tells me what you like and want to see more of. Thank you!
Blackened Chilean Sea Bass
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 3 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Blackened Chilean sea bass is everything a weeknight dinner should be. It's quick, full of flavor, needs minimal prep and super customizable. The lime garlic creamy dipping sauce compliments the seafood very nicely.
Ingredients
- 12 ounce Chilean sea bass fillets
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning*
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- ½ -1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, (depending on how spicy you like it)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
Garlic Lime Aioli
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 1 teaspoon sugar or substitute
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons sraicha sauce or hot sauce (optional)
Instructions
Step 1: Make sauce: Mince garlic cloves and combine with remaining sauce ingredients. Use a mini processor, immersion blender or whisk very well in a small bowl.
Step 2: Pour into a bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Step 3: Stir the seasoning mixture together. Pat dry fillets with paper towels. Press spice mix onto both sides of fish. If you have enough spice mix, also pat it onto the sides of fish.
Step 4: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Melt butter in pan.
Step 5: Place fish in pan, don't move it and let it cook for 4 minutes. You do want the filets to get a good sear on them but if the pan begins to smoke or the fish is getting too brown, turn the heat down to medium heat or low-medium.
Step 6: If the fish is not easy to turn over or is sticking, let it cook another minute.
Step 7: Carefully slide a large metal spatula under the fish and carefully turn over. Cook for another 3-4 minutes or until the temperature reaches 145°F. The Chilean sea bass should be golden brown, easily flaked and the inside of the fillet will be opaque (not translucent).
Step 8: Serve with the garlic lime sauce and lemon slices
Notes
*If you don't have Old Bay, add a ¼ teaspoon paprika, onion powder, celery salt and cayenne.
*Make sure the pan is very hot and then carefully add the butter before placing the fish in the pan. Extra butter will not prevent it from sticking.
*Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for 2 days. Reheat in the microwave on low heat for 1-2 minutes. Or heat in a pan lightly sprayed with non stick cooking spray for 3-4 minutes on low heat.
*Leftover fish can be frozen in an airtight container for 2 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight and reheat as above.
* This recipe serves 3 portions. If you need to make more fish, make sure to double the sauce if you will be serving it.
*Nutrition (including the sauce) is an estimate from the Nutrifox.com calculator.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3
- Calories: 442
- Sugar: 0
- Sodium: 1033 mg
- Fat: 34 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Protein: 28 g
deb says
This rub is just the right amount of smoky and spicy. Delicious on other fish too!
Dawn Salyards says
I the ingredients you will need section it says cayenne and ground thyme. In the recipe section, those are not listed.
Deb Belsha says
Yes, there is 1 teaspoon thyme and 1/2-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (depending on how spicy you like it)
Kim says
This was delicious! Will definitely make it again😋
Deb Belsha says
Thank you. I'm happy you liked it!