blackened fish tacos with mango cabbage slaw

Photo by: The Culinary Nest

There is nothing more satisfying than taco filled with fresh & flaky blackened fish topped with a sweet & crunchy slaw in a charred flour tortilla shell. Well, at least that’s true to me! Summer is inching its way into view and so is lighter fare foods that will leave us satisfied without the overly full feeling.

These tacos are strong in my rotation over here in the nest because they come together SO quick… like literally 20 minutes. I would totally make these for any kind of summer luncheon, pool gathering or dinner party with family and friends with all the toppings their hearts could desire! Total fiesta style!

I personally use Tilapia a lot for these tacos. Before you stick your nose up to the “bad rap” this poor fish has gotten, just go and try it. It is an affordable option that holds up to being sautéed, a very mild flavor and has the perfect flakyness for fish tacos. However, this recipe can easily be used with other varieties such as Mahi-Mahi, Cod or Halibut! Yum!

Recipe by: The Culinary Nest

MAKES

4 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

4 tilapia filets (you can also use mahi-mahi, cod or halibut)

about 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil for sautéing

4 flour tortillas (or corn if preferred)

for the rub:

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1 tablespooon chili powder

1 tablespoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 teaspoon pepper

for the slaw:

1 cup green cabbage, thinly sliced

1 cup red cabbage, thinly sliced

1 mango, peeled, core removed and diced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, removed from stem & roughly chopped

2 limes, juiced

1 tablespoon cumin

1 teaspoon salt

drizzle of olive oil

*Optional toppings: cotija cheese, sour cream, tartar sauce, hot sauce, baja ranch, jalapeños, cilantro, lime wedges

METHOD

1. Remove fish filets from the refrigerator about 15-20 minutes before cooking and pat dry with a paper towel. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, smoked paprika, chili powder, thyme, cayenne, salt & pepper. Liberally coat both sides of the filets with the spice rub.

2. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add about 1/4 cup of olive oil. Once heated, gently place two of the filets into the pan and sauté about 3-4 minutes per side. Repeat this step with the other two filets.

3. While the fish is sautéing, in a large bowl mix together the green & red cabbage, diced mango, cilantro, lime juice, salt and drizzle liberally with olive oil. Toss to coat and blend. Taste for flavor and add more lime juice, cumin or salt if needed.

4. If you have a gas range, I highly recommend “charring” your tortillas over the open flame. Using tongs, place directly on the stove grate, flipping every couple of seconds until the tortillas have darkened edges to your liking. If you are not using a gas range, heat your tortillas for about 10-15 seconds in the microwave, in a sauté pan over medium heat on the stove, or for 3-4 minutes in an oven on 250˚F.

5. Once the fish is cooked through and flaky, cut each filet in half to create two tacos per filet. You can either leave whole or flake gently with a fork.

6. On each plate, lay two charred tortillas, evenly distribute the blackened fish, top each with the mango cabbage slaw and top with all of your favorite toppings! Enjoy!