Mango Salsa Fish Tacos (Printable Version)

Fresh grilled fish paired with vibrant mango salsa, served in crisp lettuce for a light, flavorful meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fish

01 - 1.1 lb white fish fillets (tilapia, cod, or halibut)
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
05 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
06 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
09 - Juice of 1 lime

→ Mango Salsa

10 - 1 large ripe mango, peeled and diced
11 - 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
12 - 1 small red bell pepper, diced
13 - 1 small jalapeño, seeded and minced
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
15 - Juice of 1 lime
16 - Salt to taste

→ Assembly

17 - 8 large crisp lettuce leaves (romaine, butter, or iceberg)
18 - 1 small avocado, sliced
19 - Extra lime wedges for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - Pat the fish fillets dry. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and lime juice. Rub the spice mixture evenly over the fish fillets. Allow to marinate for 10 minutes while preparing the salsa.
02 - In a bowl, combine diced mango, red onion, red bell pepper, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime juice. Mix thoroughly. Season with salt to taste and set aside.
03 - Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill the fish fillets for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Remove from heat and let rest for 2 minutes. Gently flake the fish with a fork into bite-sized pieces.
04 - Lay out lettuce leaves on a platter. Divide the grilled fish evenly among the leaves. Top each with mango salsa and avocado slices. Serve with extra lime wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in 30 minutes flat, so dinner doesn't feel like a production.
  • The lettuce shells keep everything light and crisp without any of the heaviness you'd get from bread.
  • Fresh mango salsa tastes like a vacation in a bowl, and somehow makes the simplest grilled fish taste restaurant-worthy.
02 -
  • Undercooked fish is a mistake you'll only make once—trust the fork test, where the flesh should flake apart easily and look completely opaque throughout.
  • The mango salsa tastes infinitely better when made just before serving, as the lime juice will soften the vegetables if it sits too long, dulling that essential crunch.
03 -
  • Buy your mango at least a day ahead and let it ripen on the counter—a perfectly ripe one is worth the small wait and will taste noticeably better than one that's been refrigerated too long.
  • Don't skip the resting period for the fish; those 2 minutes allow carryover cooking and make the flesh more tender and forgiving when you flake it apart.
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