Blackened Tilapia Recipe

Prepare mango by peeling and dicing into small, roughly 1/4-inch pieces. Place diced mango in a medium bowl.

Add diced red bell pepper, red onion, chopped cilantro, and minced jalapeño to the bowl with mango.

Whisk together lime juice and honey in a small cup until honey dissolves. Pour over mango mixture.

Season with sea salt and black pepper, toss gently to combine. Taste and adjust lime, salt or honey as desired. Refrigerate while you prepare rice and fish to allow flavors to meld (at least 15 minutes).

Rinse rice under cold water until water runs clear to remove excess starch; drain well.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 tbs butter with 1 tsp olive oil. Add chopped onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 3–4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add drained rice to the pan and stir to coat in butter/onion mixture. Cook, stirring, 1–2 minutes to lightly toast the rice.

Pour in 3 cups chicken broth, add bay leaf, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.

Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover tightly with a lid, and simmer undisturbed for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, discard bay leaf, stir in 2 tbs chopped parsley and adjust seasoning if needed. Keep warm.

Pat tilapia fillets dry with paper towels and season both sides lightly with a pinch of salt (included in blackening mix measurement).

In a small bowl, combine paprika, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, dried thyme, cayenne pepper, ground black pepper and 1 tsp sea salt. Mix thoroughly to form the blackening spice blend.

Brush both sides of each fillet lightly with 2 tbs olive oil. Sprinkle the blackening spice blend evenly over both sides of the fillets, pressing gently so the spices adhere.

Heat a large heavy-bottomed skillet (cast-iron preferred) over medium-high heat until very hot, about 3–4 minutes. Add 2 tbs unsalted butter and let it foam and become slightly browned but not burned.

Carefully place the seasoned fillets in the hot skillet (work in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding). Cook undisturbed for 2–3 minutes until a dark crust forms and the edges turn opaque.

Using a thin spatula, flip fillets and cook 1–2 minutes more until fish flakes easily with a fork and reaches an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C). Total cook time depends on thickness; thinner fillets may take less time.

Transfer cooked fillets to a warm plate and tent loosely with foil while you finish remaining fillets.

Divide rice pilaf among 4 plates (about 3/4 cup–1 cup each). Place one blackened tilapia fillet atop each serving of rice.

Spoon zesty mango salsa over the fish (approximately 3–4 tbs per fillet) and garnish with extra chopped cilantro.

Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side for squeezing over the fish.