This week I have been craving fish tacos. Actually, I have been craving the return of summer, and warmth, and salads, and all of that fabulous fresh summer produce. But while it’s January and still freezing in the Midwest, I had to settle for fish tacos. :)
Ever since I have been cooking, tacos have always been a favorite go-to meal of mine. They are simple, versatile, and have the potential to be wonderfully healthy and flavorful. One of my favorite methods is to make them with some simple grilled fish or shrimp, and then top them with whatever salsa sounds good. Easy. Quick. Done!
This week, I happened to have a can of mandarin oranges in the pantry (although fresh are also in season!). So used those to make a yummy salsa (using some red peppers and jalapenos I still have frozen from this past summer!), added in some fresh greens and blackened tilapia, and voila! Wonderfully delicious and very fresh-tasting tacos were ready in minutes!
Perfect for winter blues in the middle of January, or yummy taco cravings year-round. :-)
(Healthy) Fish Tacos With Mandarin Orange Salsa
Ingredients
Mandarin Orange Salsa Ingredients:
- 1 (11 oz.) can mandarin oranges, drained and halved (or you can substitute fresh mandarin oranges)
- 2 Tbsp. chopped red bell peppers
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 Tbsp. chopped red onion
- 1/2 Tbsp. finely diced, seeded jalapeño
- dash of salt
Taco Ingredients:
- 2 (6 oz) tilapia filets
- 2 tsp. blackening powder (or favorite rub)
- 4 small flour tortillas
- 1 handful mixed salad greens
- 1 lime, quartered
Instructions
- To prepare the salsa, gently toss the 5 salsa ingredients together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Place fish on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; sprinkle fish evenly on both sides with seasoning. Broil 6 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. (You could also grill the fish, or cook it in a skillet.)
- Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly coat tortillas with cooking spray. Add the tortillas to pan, 1 at a time; cook 1 minute on each side or until lightly toasted. Top each taco with 1/4 cup greens, 1/4 cup salsa, and 1 piece of tilapia. (Feel free to break the tilapia into smaller piece like I did.) Sprinkle with a little lime juice, and serve immediately with lime wedges.
Notes
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, pinch of salt
- 1 Tbsp. lime juice (sprinkle on fish first), 2 tsp. chili powder, 1/2 tsp. cumin, pinch of salt
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
Ali’s Tip:
Here are some other possible seasoning mixes for the fish:
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, pinch of salt
- 1 Tbsp. lime juice (sprinkle on fish first), 2 tsp. chili powder, 1/2 tsp. cumin, pinch of salt
I can totally relate for craving all things summer with this dreadful Midwest weather. I love the idea for this salsa :-)
Oh YUM! After all the heavy holiday foods, these look SO perfect! You’ve got me craving fish tacos now! :)
Love the photography on this one, it looks really great!! I definitely have to agree with you that tacos are the best go-to around. Somehow all of our leftovers make their way into a taco shell at some point…lol. These sound really yummy…now to convince Jason that fish is tastes good…hmmm… :)
I made Fish taco’s tonight too. We must be thinking the same things :) We will talk sometime soon, I really believe it.
Hands down, the best fish tacos I have ever seen. YUM
We love fish tacos and the mandarin orange salsa sounds like a fun twist. Thanks for sharing your idea!
My boyfriend would love these. thanks for sharing. That salsa looks so colorful and pretty!
Fish tacos remind me of home! Nothing says summer+beach like a good fish taco!
These have everything I love about tacos: flavorful, un-fried fish, colorful, zesty salsa, and chewy corn tortillas. Canned mandarin oranges are perfect for this. I must admit, I like the canned ones better than fresh sometimes.
I LOVE fish tacos!! I prefer mine with corn tortillas which are a bit healthier than flour. I’ve never had mandarin orange salsa so I’ll definitely have to give that a try. Fish tacos are also definitely a go-to for me too! Yummy!
Those look fantastic! I think even my kids would love these. The mandarin orange is a great idea — and a quick sweet sub for when there’s no mango available. :)