Pan-Seared Catfish with Spicy Amarillo Pepper Sauce

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

Delicate catfish fillets pan-seared to golden perfection and drizzled with a smoky, spicy pepper sauce. This Southern US-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 30 minutes, pairs catfish fillets, kosher salt, black pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 15 min Cook: 15 min Serves 4 Southern US cuisine 320 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Pat dry 4 catfish fillets and season both sides with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper, then dredge evenly in 1/2 cup cornmeal for a light crust.
  2. Step 2: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add catfish fillets and cook 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove and keep warm.
  3. Step 3: In a blender, combine 1 large chopped yellow bell pepper, 1 seeded jalapeño, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 tbsp lime juice, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp honey, 1/4 cup water, and 2 tbsp olive oil. Blend until smooth.
  4. Step 4: Pour the sauce into a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes until thickened slightly and fragrant.
  5. Step 5: Spoon the warm Amarillo pepper sauce over the pan-seared catfish fillets and serve with fresh lime wedges.

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