This recipe for panko breaded fish features rockfish, a flavorful white fish that's flaky and firm in texture — the perfect canvas for a sun-dried tomato and breadcrumb topping that's bold in texture and taste. You might also enjoy substituting a firmer, heartier species like yelloweye rockfish or Pacific cod for this recipe.
While this dish calls on you to make your own batch of sun-dried tomato pesto, a good quality store-bought sun-dried tomato pesto can be used instead. This will save you time and effort, but it also can be a great option when the basil at your local market is less than vibrant.
Panko breadcrumbs are ideal to use in this recipe for breaded fish, as they'll crisp up nicely when baked in the oven, giving the meal a fried texture without the mess of frying. If you don't have panko breadcrumbs, regular breadcrumbs are fine to use — but we recommend pre-toasting them before cooking with them to ensure that they'll have the right level of crunch once the fish is baked.