TastyTalkWithAmy: Oven-Fried Catfish with Cajun-Style Sauce (Easy)

Catfish with sauce on top, spinach and rice pilaf on the side.

Frying fish is not a healthy way now-a-days to cook and eat fish. I really like this recipe because it is baked and it is so easy to prepare. The Cajun sauce with it really adds to the flavor since the only seasoning you add to the breadcrumbs is salt. My husband likes to eat this catfish with just lemon juice drizzled over his fillets and no sauce, I, myself, prefer the sauce and so do my kids. I use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream for the sauce because it is just healthier for you, full of protein and no added sugar.

This recipe comes from The Pampered Chef cookbook from Doris Christopher's Stoneware Sensations Baking with The Family Heritage Collection page 67.

Sauce:
2/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt or sour cream (I use Greek yogurt)
1 green onion with top, chopped
1 small garlic clove, pressed (I buy the jar of minced garlic and use 1 tsp)
1 tsp. chili powder
1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Catfish:
2 eggs
3/4 cup dry Italian-style bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. salt
2 lbs catfish fillets(4-6 fillets)
Olive oil spray for greasing baking pan

For sauce, combine mayonnaise, yogurt, green onion, garlic, chili powder and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Mix well. Cover if storing overnight for 24 hours, if eating within the hour, covering is not necessary.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. For catfish, beat eggs lightly in a shallow dish. In a second shallow dish, combine bread crumbs and salt. Dip fillets into egg, then into bread crumb mixture to coat evenly. Place fillets on a greased cookie sheet or a baking stone, spray fillets with olive oil spray lightly to help them to crisp up. Bake 25 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Cooking tip: Orange roughy, perch, halibut, or haddock fillets may be substituted for the catfish fillets.