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Mango Blackened Fish Taco Bowls

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Spiced, crispy pan-seared fish with a sweet and spicy mango herb salad layered up over a bed of jasmine rice: these Mango Blackened Fish Taco Bowls are a game-changing dinner.

Spiced, crispy pan-seared fish with a sweet and spicy mango herb salad layered up over a bed of jasmine rice: these Mango Blackened Fish Taco Bowls are a game-changing dinner.

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Nothing screams summer quite like fish tacos. Whether you go with white fish, salmon, or tuna… salsa, quac, or veggies… or even lettuce wraps, a flour tortilla, or a corn tortilla: they’re always delicious. Whenever I go out to eat in the summer, I tend to gravitate towards these classic fresh tacos. But, although I definitely push the limits a bit, there’s really only so many fish tacos one person can handle. That’s where these Mango Blackened Fish Taco Bowls come into play. Yes, they have all the good summer flavors of a juicy, flavorful fish taco. BUT, they also take on a little twist: instead of a tortilla, these “tacos” are served over your fav rice in a bowl style. And, let me tell you, you don’t want to skip this one. These Mango Blackened Fish Taco Bowls are truly the best!!

The breakdown…

This Mango Blackened Fish Taco Bowls starts off by prepping the star of the show: the mango herb salad. With finely diced herbs, tons of acid, a jalapeno, some scallions, and of course that mango, this salad can really be thought of as more of a salsa or pico de gallo — perfect for a fish taco situation. The base of this salad is really quite simple. It’s got some oil for smoothness, orange juice for sweetness, and lime juice for tanginess… hits all the marks if you ask me! Oh, and it’s super customizable. You could definitely substitute another sweet fruit juice (mango or pineapple juice maybe?) for the OJ, and lemon juice would also be delicious instead of the lime. Either way, you’ve got a great balance of flavors.

To that base, you’ve got to go in with the spicier components. Now, when I say spicy, I really just mean the ingredients that give this dish a little bite. These Mango Blackened Fish Taco Bowls by no means have to be spicy, if you don’t want them to be. This salad calls for some garlic, chipotle chili powder, cilantro, and a jalapeño. Given that garlic, chili powder, and cilantro aren’t usually too spicy, I would add or remove some of the jalapeño if you’re looking to reduce the spice. 

so much flavor!!

However spicy you make it, this mango salad will still have tons of flavor. With spices like cumin and chipotle chili powder, you get the perfect smoky Mexican-style notes. Then, with some bright flavor from tons of fresh mint and cilantro, you get nice fresh notes that truly bring your Mango Blackened Fish Taco Bowls to life. Don’t skimp on the herbs!!

Lastly, you’ve got to go in with some scallions for crunch and some cotija for creaminess. Cotija can easily be substituted for feta cheese, or really any white crumbly cheese. Scallions could also be substituted for some more red onions or shallots… you really just need that crunch!! Either way, your mango salad is sure to be delicious. Let it marinate while you prep that fish and you’re golden!

Spiced, crispy pan-seared fish with a sweet and spicy mango herb salad layered up over a bed of jasmine rice: these Mango Blackened Fish Taco Bowls are a game-changing dinner.

that blackened fish…

Now, let’s talk about that fish. This blackened fish could not be simpler. Yes, you could go with a simple grilled fish for these bowls, but blackened fish really takes any fish taco to the next level… and the fish in these Mango Blackened Fish Taco Bowls is definitely not an exception. 

“Blackening” fish really just comes down to the seasonings you rub on your fish. This seasoning consists of chipotle chili powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, paprika, cumin, cayenne, salt, and pepper. While this may seem like a lot of spices, you probably already have all of these in your kitchen. Plus, you really do need to throw a lot of spices onto any blackened fish if you’re looking for a good char… so, moral of the story: don’t go light on the seasoning!!

the method…

With that rub, your fish is sure to be perfect. Whether you grill your fish or use a cast iron skillet, you’ll definitely pack in lots of flavor. I find that a cast iron skillet is the easiest method to get a good blackened crust, but go with what you have! Oh, and don’t worry too much about sticking to the 4-5 minutes noted in the recipe. In reality, every fish will have a different cooking time depending on how thick it is. The key is to not flip it until the fish feels ready to be picked up off the grill pan or skillet. If you greased your pan well enough, the fish should release when it’s ready to be flipped. This way, you only need to flip your fish once, allowing for the nice crispy layer to not fall apart. 

assemble!

Once your mango salad has marinated a bit, and your fish is all flaky and crisp, it’s time to assemble that bowl!! Start off with a bed of your favorite rice. This Mango Blackened Fish Taco Bowls recipe calls for jasmine rice, but you really can go with whatever grain you love. Brown rice, quinoa, or even cauliflower rice would all be delicious here, so go with you fav!! And def don’t forget a little layer of butter lettuce. This brings in a nice little freshness to the bowl that I absolutely love. Then, with some sunflower seeds (or really any seed of choice) for some crunch and some sweet pickled onions for a little tanginess, you’re golden!! 

These Mango Blackened Fish Taco Bowls are truly perfect for any occasion. Given that they’re super simple, quick, and versatile, I like to serve these up for an easy weeknight dinner. But, these would also make for a delicious lunch or meal on the go. Really, you can never go wrong with a bowl. 

Whenever you eat these Mango Blackened Fish Taco Bowls, I hope you love them as much as I do! Let me know in the comments below:)

Mango Blackened Fish Taco Bowls

Recipe by Annie PatrickCourse: Main Course, BowlCuisine: American, CaribbeanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

20

minutes
Cooking time

5

minutes
Total time

25

minutes

Spiced, crispy pan-seared fish with a sweet and spicy mango herb salad layered up over a bed of jasmine rice: these Mango Blackened Fish Taco Bowls are a game-changing dinner.

Ingredients

  • fish:
  • 2 tsp chipotle chili powder*

  • 2 tsp garlic powder

  • 2 tsp dried oregano

  • 1 tsp paprika

  • ½ tsp cumin

  • ¼ tsp cayenne (optional)

  • Salt and pepper, to taste

  • 1.5 lb flaky white fish*

  • Olive oil or olive oil spray, as needed

  • 1 lime, juiced

  • bowl:
  • 3 tbsp olive oil

  • 2 tbsp orange juice

  • 2 limes, juiced

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 tsp cumin

  • 1 tsp chipotle chili powder*

  • Salt and pepper, to taste

  • ⅓ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped

  • ¼ cup fresh mint, finely diced

  • 2 cups fresh mango, finely diced (about 3 mangoes)

  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced

  • 3 scallions, sliced

  • ½ cup cotija cheese, crumbled*

  • 1 head butter lettuce, pulled apart

  • Sweet pickled red onions, to serve

  • Toasted sunflower seeds, to serve

  • 2 cups jasmine rice, prepared according to package*

Instructions

  • In the bottom of a medium bowl, whisk the olive oil, orange juice, lime juice, garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Mix in the cilantro, mint, mango, jalapeño, scallions, and cotija. Allow to marinate while you prepare the rest of the recipe.
  • Whisk the chili powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, paprika, cumin, cayenne, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Pat the fish dry, then generously rub all of the spice blend onto all sides. Drizzle or spray the fish with olive oil so that it is entirely coated.
  • Heat a greased grill pan or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the fish and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until it is cooked through and flaky (the cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of your fish) Do not flip the fish more than once! Once done, squeeze the lime juice over top.
  • To assemble your bowls, start with a bed of jasmine rice, then layer on some butter lettuce and a few scoops of the mango salad. Top with some of the blackened fish and garnish with pickled red onions, sunflower seeds, and more herbs, as desired. Enjoy!

Notes

  • My fish of choice for this recipe would be a thinner, flaky white fish, such as cod, grouper, or mahi mahi. However, you could really use any white fish, or even salmon.
  • If you do not have chipotle chili powder, regular chili powder will also work.
  • If you cannot find cotija cheese, crumbled feta or any queso fresco make for great substitutions
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