Spicy Blackened Tilapia Tacos with Avocado-Cilantro Cream Sauce

If you know anything about me, or have looked through my blogs, I HATE, (yes that's a strong word) Hate, seafood!  I mean, I can't even to tuna fish.  No shrimp, no California roll, Nothing!  So don't ask me why I've been on a quest to get a good tilapia recipe.  I guess you can say it's the one fish, I could almost, kinda, sorta tolerate if I was forced to take a bite!  But I just know how healthy fish can be, so when I saw this recipe, I decided to give it a whirl, and seriously ate it 3 times in 1 week because I LOVED it that much!  So give it try!

 BLACKENED FISH TACOS WITH AVOCADO-CILANTRO SAUCE

 

hOST THE tOAST

PREP TIME

15 mins

COOK TIME

10 mins

TOTAL TIME

25 mins

 

Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS

For the Blackened Fish:

• 1.5 lbs tilapia fillets
• 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon brown sugar / I used organic coconut sugar
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil
• 6 corn tortillas

For the Slaw:

• ½ red cabbage, sliced thin
• ¼ green cabbage, sliced thin
• ½ medium-sized onion, diced
• ½ cup cilantro - chopped
• Juice of 1 lime

For the Avocado-Cilantro Sauce:

• ½ cup sour cream or plain greek yogurt
• 1 ripe avocado, pitted and skinned
• ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 jalapeno, chopped and seeded
• Salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small bowl, combine the smoked paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, onion powder, cumin, salt, brown sugar, and cayenne pepper. Sprinkle the mixture over both sides of your tilapia fillets, and then rub the seasonings in.
2. Combine all of the Avocado-Cilantro Sauce ingredients in a food processor or blender. Pulse until well-combined.
3. Combine all of the Slaw ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
4. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Once heated, add in the tilapia (a few at a time if you can't fit them all at once). Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until the outside is blackened and the fish flakes apart easily.
5. Remove the fish from the heat, and warm the corn tortillas on a skillet over medium heat, cooking for about 30 seconds on each side.
6. Break up the tilapia into 2-3" pieces.  Distribute the fish evenly between the 6 tortillas, and top with Slaw and Avocado-Cilantro Sauce. Serve.

Recipe adapted from: Host the Toast Food Blog