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This delicious Baked Red Snapper recipe is cooked in a foil packet in the oven, basted with a perfect sweet and spicy honey lime sauce. I serve this with rice and lime wedges for a simple but flavorful dinner. 

Baked snapper is such a treat! We love to enjoy it when we visit Isla Mujeres in Mexico. All over the island, restaurants feature a dish called Tixin Chic fish. This is an authentic Yucatan dish! Traditionally, it features red snapper or grouper rubbed with a chili paste, garlic and some sort of acidic juice (lime or orange, or both) Then, the fish is grilled, sauteed or roasted in banana leaves. We love it!  

a photo of baked red snapper in a foil pakcet

For this baked red snapper filet recipe, I I borrowed from the flavors of traditional Tixin Chic fish. But instead of banana leaves, I wrap the fish in aluminum foil for roasting. No matter the cooking method used, this snapper recipe is heavenly, and hits the spot on a hot day! It’s spicy without burning your mouth and complements the delicate flavor of the snapper perfectly.

“We made this tonight for dinner using red snapper and it was delicious. Highly recommend!” – Linda H

Baked Red Snapper with Spicy Honey Lime Sauce

Cooking with Red Snapper

For this recipe, I used an entire side filet of whole red snapper. If you have individual filets, use those! Don’t worry, it will still turn out great. I think the red snapper taste is super mild, sweet and a little bit nutty.

It really does not have a fish flavor at all! If your fish is frozen, that’s fine! Just make sure it’s totally thawed and pat it dry with paper towels before baking to remove any extra water.

Baked Red Snapper with Spicy Honey Lime Sauce

The sauce on this fish combines citrus, spiciness and a little bit of sweetness! My family agreed that honey was the perfect addition to balance out the spiciness of the sriracha and the tartness of the citrus juices. 

Baking the fish in the foil keeps it very moist. After about 12 minutes, it will be perfectly flaky and ready to serve!

Quick Tip

If you want to thicken up the sauce and brown the top of the fish, open up the foil for a few minutes towards the end of the bake time and roast on the top rack! 

Made this tonight, and it was delicious!!! I’m not a hot spicy fan, but the honey calmed the heat. My husband loved it, and he figured I wouldn’t like it. It’s a keeper!!!- Laura

Recipe Substitutions and Additions

This delicious fish recipe is forgiving and can handle a wide variety of substitutions! Here are a few suggestions: 

  • Substitute lemon juice for the lime juice 
  • Have fun with the fresh herbs! I like cilantro best with the sauce flavors, but green onion, fresh parsley or fresh basil would work, too! 
  • Instead of honey, try agave syrup, maple syrup or brown sugar! 
  • I know this is a baked snapper recipe, but you don’t have to use snapper! Try grouper, mahi mahi, sea bass or salmon if that’s what’s available to you. And, I also think tilapia would work well. Any flaky white fish will pair well with the sweet and spicy sauce. 
  • Add sliced red onion or yellow onion for extra savory flavor. 

“Just made this tonight because I wanted something ”unique” tired of lemon garlic or breaded seafood. Used Florida Red snapper little less spicy for my husband ( I added more after for me) w local honey. EXCELLENT and unique and exactly the sauce I was looking for! You are right any white fish. I didn’t do the broiler at the end, and that would make it ”prettier”!.. Not required for my husband because tasted so good!”

– Lucia

Serving Suggestions 

This baked red snapper has so much flavor! I like to pair it with this coconut rice recipe or Cilantro Lime Cole Slaw. Or, Esquites is a good choice!

Baked Red Snapper with Spicy Honey Lime Sauce

Storing Leftovers

Store leftover red snapper in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. 

Baked Red Snapper with Sweet and Spicy Sauce
Baked Red Snapper with Sweet and Spicy Sauce
Baked Red Snapper with Sweet and Spicy Sauce
a photo of baked red snapper in a foil pakcet

Baked Red Snapper with Spicy Honey Lime Sauce

Yield: Serves 3-4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

This delicious Baked Red Snapper recipe is cooked in a foil packet in the oven with a sweet and spicy honey lime sauce. Serve with rice and lime wedges!

Ingredients

  • 1 pound red snapper filets (whole side filet or individual fish fillets)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ lime, juiced

For the sauce:

  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1.5 tablespoons sriracha sauce
  • ½ lime, juiced
  • 1 tablespoon orange juice

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Lay a large sheet of aluminum foil on a baking sheet or baking dish. 
  3. Lightly grease the foil, then lay fish on top of foil. Pat the flesh of the fish dry with paper towels. 
  4. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Squeeze juice from half of the lime onto the fish and allow to sit for about 5 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the honey, sriracha, and orange juice. Squeeze the remainder of the lime juice into the bowl. Stir to combine. Taste for heat. If it's too spicy, add extra honey, lime juice, or orange juice until you can tolerate the heat.
  6. Seal the pouch, allowing a small hole for steam to escape.
  7. Place in oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, until fish flakes easily.
  8. Optional: Open the foilet packet for the last few minutes. This will allow the top of the fish to crisp up a bit, and the sauce to thicken.

Notes

Any flaky white fish will do. Grouper, mahi mahi or tilapia are perfectly fine substitutes.

Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 4
Amount Per Serving Calories 262Total Fat 6gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 74mgSodium 365mgCarbohydrates 16gFiber 0gSugar 15gProtein 36g

The nutrition for this recipe is calculated by an app and may be incorrect.

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© Michelle Goth
Category: Main Course

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Baked Red Snapper with Spicy Honey Lime Sauce