Okay, so I tried making that tzatziki chipotle baked cod thing today. I saw it online and thought, “Why not?” It sounded kinda fancy but not too hard.
Getting Everything Ready
First off, I grabbed all the stuff I needed. I already had some cod fillets in the freezer, so I took those out to thaw. Then, I checked for the other things: Greek yogurt, cucumber, garlic, dill, lemon, and those chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. I was out of fresh dill, but I had some dried dill in the spice rack, so I figured that would work. Also, I made sure to preheat my oven to around 400F, as most recipes call for it.
Making the Tzatziki
The tzatziki part was pretty simple. I grated about half a cucumber and squeezed the heck out of it to get rid of the extra water. Nobody wants a watery tzatziki, right? Then I minced a couple of garlic cloves—I love garlic, so I might’ve added a bit extra, don’t judge me. I mixed the cucumber, garlic, a big dollop of Greek yogurt, a good squeeze of lemon juice, and a sprinkle of that dried dill in a bowl. Gave it a good stir, tasted it, and added a pinch of salt and pepper. It was yummy! I put that in the fridge to chill while I worked on the fish.
Prepping the Cod
Next up, the cod. I patted the fillets dry with some paper towels. Then I laid them out in a baking dish that I greased with a little olive oil. I finely chopped one of those chipotle peppers and mixed it with some of the adobo sauce. Then I brushed the mixture over the cod. It smelled smoky and spicy already, so good! I squeezed some more lemon juice on it, cause why not?
Baking Time
I popped the baking dish into the oven. The recipe said to bake for about 12-15 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. I set a timer for 12 minutes to check on it. While it was baking, I chopped up some fresh parsley to sprinkle on top later, because I like things to look pretty.
Checking and Serving
After 12 minutes, I peeked into the oven. The cod looked good, but I tested it with a fork to be sure. It was perfect—flaky and moist. I took it out of the oven and let it cool for just a couple of minutes. Then, I served the cod with a big spoonful of that chilled tzatziki on top and sprinkled it with the parsley.
The Verdict
Guys, it turned out so good! The cod was tender and had that nice smoky chipotle kick, and the tzatziki was cool and creamy. It was a hit! Even my picky eater loved it. It’s definitely going into my “make again” list. Plus, it felt good to make something a little different and feel like a real chef for a minute.
- Total time: Maybe like 30-40 minutes, tops.
- Difficulty: Easy peasy.
- Taste: 10/10 would recommend.
So, yeah, that was my cooking adventure for today. If you’re looking for something new to try, give this tzatziki chipotle baked cod a shot. You won’t regret it!