Baked Cod with Tomatoes & Chickpeas
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Baked fish just got a whole lot more exciting with this baked cod with tomatoes and chickpeas recipe. Bursting with Mediterranean flavors, it’s as delicious as it is easy!
For those busy nights when you’re in the mood for something light yet satisfying, or when you want to impress guests without much effort, this baked cod is just the ticket. It’s so simple to pull together: Start by sautéing shallots in olive oil, add garlic and cherry tomatoes, and cook until the tomatoes burst, forming a chunky sauce. Stir in chickpeas and capers with a splash of sherry vinegar, then nestle the cod in this flavorful mix and give it a sprinkle of paprika. Slide it into the oven, whip up some couscous, and in just 15 minutes, you’ll be enjoying a flaky, scrumptious fish dish that’s bursting with Mediterranean flavors—all with minimal fuss!
“Healthy, light, satisfying, full of flavor, and easy – it hits all the marks.”
What You’ll Need To Make Baked Cod With Tomatoes And Chickpeas
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Forms the flavorful base of the tomato-chickpea mixture and adds richness.
- Shallots and Garlic: Contribute depth of flavor and aromatic notes to the dish.
- Cherry or Grape Tomatoes: Provide juicy bursts of sweetness and vibrant color.
- Sugar: Balances the acidity of the tomatoes and enhances their natural sweetness.
- Chickpeas: Add hearty texture and protein to the dish, complementing the flakiness of the cod.
- Capers: Contribute a briny tanginess, adding depth of flavor to the tomato-chickpea mixture.
- Sherry Vinegar: Provides a subtle acidity that brightens the dish, complementing the sweetness of the tomatoes.
- Thyme: Infuses the tomato-chickpea mixture with earthy and aromatic notes.
- Cod: A mild and flaky white fish that pairs perfectly with the tomato-chickpea mixture.
- Paprika: Adds a subtle flavor and vibrant color to the cod.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Prepare the Chickpeas and Tomatoes:
Preheat the oven to 400°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallots.
Cook, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent, a few minutes.
Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more. Do not brown.
Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, and sugar.
Stir periodically until the tomatoes start to break down and burst, 3 to 4 minutes. As the tomatoes burst, smash them a bit into a chunky sauce.
Stir in the chickpeas, capers, vinegar, and thyme. Taste the sauce/chickpea mixture and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Remove the pan from the heat.
Prepare the Fish:
Nestle the cod in the tomato and chickpea mixture, folding any very thin pieces in half.
In a small bowl, mix the salt and paprika.
Sprinkle evenly over the top of the cod pieces.
Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the cod is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and immediately place an oven mitt or dish towel over the handle to remind yourself that it’s hot (it’s easy to forget and burn yourself).
Frequently Asked Questions
You’ve got options! Halibut, tilapia, or even salmon would all be delicious substitutes for cod. Just adjust the cooking time accordingly based on the thickness of the fish fillets.
This dish is best served fresh out of the oven, but you can prepare the tomato-chickpea mixture in advance and refrigerate it until you’re ready to bake the fish. Just warm the mixture on the stovetop before adding the fish and spices and popping it into the oven.
Sure! If you’re not a fan of capers, you can leave them out without compromising the flavor of the dish. Feel free to customize it to suit your taste preferences.
Red wine vinegar makes a great substitute for sherry vinegar in this recipe. Like sherry vinegar, it adds a tangy acidity that balances out the sweetness of the tomatoes beautifully.
Video Tutorial
Baked Cod with Tomatoes & Chickpeas
Baked fish just got a whole lot more exciting with this baked cod with tomatoes and chickpeas recipe. Bursting with Mediterranean flavors, it’s as delicious as it is easy!
Ingredients
For the Tomatoes & Chickpeas
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup thinly sliced shallots, from 2 shallots
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (I use multi-colored)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ teaspoon sugar
- 1 (15-oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1½ tablespoons capers, drained
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar (red wine vinegar can be substituted)
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
For the Fish
- 1½ pounds cod, cut into serving pieces
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- Prepare the Chickpeas and Tomatoes: In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent, a few minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more. Do not brown. Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, and sugar and stir periodically until the tomatoes start to break down and burst, 3 to 4 minutes. As the tomatoes burst, smash them a bit into a chunky sauce. Stir in the chickpeas, capers, vinegar, and thyme. Taste the sauce/chickpea mixture and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Prepare the Fish: Nestle the cod in the tomato and chickpea mixture, folding any very thin pieces in half. In a small bowl, mix the salt and paprika. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the cod pieces. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the cod is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and immediately place an oven mitt or dish towel over the handle to remind yourself that it’s hot (it’s easy to forget and burn yourself). Serve.
- Note: If you don’t have an ovenproof skillet, you can transfer the tomato and chickpea mixture to a baking dish before adding the fish.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: This dish is best served fresh out of the oven, but you can prepare the tomato-chickpea mixture up to 2 days in advance and refrigerate it until you're ready to bake the fish. Just warm the mixture on the stovetop before adding the fish and spices and popping it into the oven.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 418
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Sugar: 9 g
- Fiber: 9 g
- Protein: 39 g
- Sodium: 942 mg
- Cholesterol: 73 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Comments
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So good and so easy to make
Another win for a picky (now college-aged) kid home for the summer!! Thank you!!
My husband will eat fish if I make it but generally doesn’t like it. He LOVED this. Thanks for another great recipe.
I made this for dinner tonight. I was looking for something light and flavourful. This had a really nice flavour. I used haddock because that’s what I had. I wanted to get a bit more sauce in the dish then I actually got. Your pic looks saucier and was wondering about using some white wine to get more of that for dipping? Otherwise, the flavours were really nice. The capers gave it a nice flavour that I love. What do you think about some wine? Thank you for all of your amazing recipes.
Hi Daniella, if you’d like more sauce you can add a splash of wine, broth, or water (or a combo). You could also try adding more tomatoes or using a slightly smaller pan; that way not as much liquid would evaporate. Hope that helps!
Simple, light and delicious. I used lime juice instead of vinegar because that was what I had.
A truly inspired recipe – so healthy, so easy and so very delicious! A new favorite!!
Jenn,
Delicious as always, thank you! Can the tomato chickpea be made ahead and FROZEN?
Thank you,
Bridget
Glad you liked it! I haven’t frozen the tomato/chickpea mixture myself, but I think you could.
Hi Jenn,
Your recipe was fantastic as always, but made me realize that I just don’t like cod. All of the sauce acoutraments around the cod tasted so so amazing. Do you think I could replace the cod with chicken, and if so, what type of chicken would work best? Thank you of your excellent and super delicious recipes!
Hi Tara, glad you liked the recipe (but sorry that it helped you determine that cod’s not your favorite). Yes, I think this would work nicely with boneless skinless chicken thighs, but they will take longer to cook. Once you place the pan in the oven, I’d bake it, covered, for 20 minutes then remove the lid/foil and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until the thighs are cooked through. Please LMK how it turns out!
Hi Chef,
I made this dish tonight subbing in boneless skinless chicken thighs as you recommended and cooked it just as you said. It was FANTASTIC! 5 stars! My husband even grabbed some crusty bread so we could sop up all the delicious sauce! Thank you Chef for another outstanding recipe! You are the best!
So glad it came out well – thanks for reporting back – I may try it too! 😊
Hi Jen!
This sounds delicious! Can I make this all in pan covered instead of oven, think it would. It’s just soo hot here now prefer not to use oven!
Thanks
Jim😊
Sure, that should work. Just give it a stir periodically so it doesn’t scorch on the bottom. Enjoy!
We’ve made this recipe 4 times since you published it. Amazingly delicious!
Made this last night for some new friends and it was amazing! I used thawed bassa fillets (easily available in Australia) instead of cod, and doubled the tomatoes, garlic and fish by 1.5. The fussy kids ate it too (not the chickpeas, but we ate their leftovers). Served it with creamy baked polenta which worked a treat. Saved!