Pescado Zarandeado con Tortillas (Chipotle Grilled Butterflied Fish)
A butterflied whole fish painted with smoky chipotle and lime, grilled until crisp at the edges and served with warm tortillas.
Made with Fresh pico de gallo and Chipotle in adobo sauce (homemade) and Corn tortillas from masa harina. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time45 min plus marinating
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £1.27 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Ask your fishmonger to butterfly the fish by cutting along the backbone and opening it flat, leaving the skin on.
- 2
Mix the chipotle adobo sauce (see the base recipe), lime juice, garlic, oil and salt. Put 3 tbsp into a clean bowl for basting later. Spread the rest over the flesh side of the fish.
- 3
Cover and chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Heat a barbecue or oven grill to high.
- 4
Cook the fish flesh side down first for 5 to 6 minutes, until browned, then turn skin side down and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the flesh is opaque all the way through and flakes easily.
13 min - 5
Brush with the reserved clean chipotle mixture for the last minute. Do not use any that touched raw fish.
- 6
Warm your ready made corn tortillas (see the base recipe) in a dry pan. Serve the fish whole at the table with the pico de gallo, coriander and lime wedges, and let everyone flake it into the tortillas.
Tips
- Use a fish basket on the barbecue if you have one, or oil the grill very well.
- Do not move the fish until it releases from the grill, or the skin tears.
- Keep some marinade back before it touches the raw fish for basting at the end.
- Check thickest part of the fish is opaque and flakes before serving.
Storing and freezing
Best eaten fresh. Keeps in the fridge for up to 1 day. Cool within 1 to 2 hours, remove bones and reheat gently until steaming hot all the way through. Do not freeze.
Questions
What does zarandeado mean?
Zarandeado describes fish shaken or rocked over the coals. It is a speciality of Nayarit and Sinaloa, traditionally made with snook or sea bream.
Can I use fillets?
Yes. Use 4 skin on fillets and cook for 3 to 4 minutes a side. They will not need a fish basket.
Is this dish gluten free and dairy free?
Yes. Fish, chipotle sauce, pico de gallo and masa harina tortillas contain no gluten, dairy, egg or nuts.
More made with fresh pico de gallo
Ensalada de Pollo con Maiz y Frijoles Negros (Chicken, Corn and Black Bean Salad)
GFDFEFFajitas de Arrachera (Skirt Steak Fajitas)
EFNFHPTacos de Huevo con Chorizo (Chorizo and Egg Breakfast Tacos)
DFNFTacos de Champiñones Asados (Grilled Mushroom Tacos)
DFEFNFDouble check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.