Cilantro Jalapeno Pesto Fish

cilantro chile pesto fish on white plate with tomatoes and fork

5 from 2 votes

Bring fresh, vibrant, summery flavors to your dinner table with this cilantro chile pesto fish. Tilapia is grilled to tender perfection, then topped with a spicy and fresh cilantro jalapeno pesto. Low carb and gluten-free.

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Total Time40

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings:

Calories: 475kcal

Author: Denise Bustard

Ingredients

Cilantro Chile Pesto

4 jalapeño peppers (whole *see note)
spray oil
4 cups cilantro leaves (loosely packed)
2 cloves garlic
½ teaspoon salt
2 limes (juiced)
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup slivered almonds
¼ cup parmesan cheese (shredded)

Fish

4 tilapia fillets (or white fish of your choice; see note **)

Instructions

Pesto:

Pre-heat barbecue to medium heat (350°F). Spray jalapeño peppers with oil, and cook on the grill, turning every 2 minutes until charred and cooked through.
Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. (**leave the BBQ on for cooking the fish!)
While jalapeño peppers are cooling, assemble all pesto ingredients in a 7-cup food processor fitted with a steel blade.
Remove the stems and seeds from the cooled jalapeños, and do your best to peel off the skin. If it wouldn't peel, don't worry about it and move on. **You may wish to wear protective gloves when handling the jalapeños.
Place the peeled and de-seeded jalapeños into the food processor and blend for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the processor with a spatula and blend for 30 more seconds.

Fish:

Spray a large piece of aluminum foil with spray oil. Arrange fish fillets on the aluminum, and spread generously with pesto.
Cook the fish on the foil over medium heat on the barbecue. Cook for 3 minutes, then flip and cook for another 4 minutes, or until fish is cooked through and flakes with a fork.

Notes

Storage

pesto may be stored in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 1 week
pesto may be frozen for up to 1 month (I recommend a small mason jar)
after cooking, tilapia fillets may be stored in the fridge- they are best eaten within 2 days

*Jalapeños vary in their spiciness, so use your judgment when preparing the pesto. Try with 1-2 jalapeños to start, taste and decide if you want the others.

**if you use a different type of fish, you will need to alter the cook time. Cook to an internal temperature of 145°F or until it flakes easily with a fork.

Nutrition