Blackened Rockfish Tacos

5 from 5 votes

These rockfish tacos are made with blackened fish cooked under a broiler, a quick lime yogurt sauce, and an easy homemade mango salsa (using fresh or frozen mango).

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: people

Calories: 583kcal

Author: Sarah Trenalone

Ingredients

Lime Yogurt Sauce:

⅓ cup plain yogurt (whole milk preferred)
1 lime, zested + juiced, juice divided Half the lime juice will be used for the mango salsa

Mango Salsa:

1 cup diced mango (~½" pieces), fresh or frozen If using frozen, allow mango to thaw before making salsa
2 sprigs fresh mint, removed from stem

Blackening Seasoning:

2 teaspoons light brown sugar (optional)
2 teaspoons paprika or smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon cayenne
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon sea salt

Rockfish:

6 ounces rockfish
2 tablespoons avocado oil, divided Or another high smoke-point oil

Taco Shells:

4 tortillas (corn or flour) Use corn tortillas for gluten-free tacos
a few drops of oil (for brushing the pan)

Taco Toppings:

1 avocado, thinly sliced

Extra Toppings (Optional):

1 lime, cut into 8 wedges
hot sauce

Instructions

Prepare Toppings:

Make the lime yogurt sauce:
Mix together the plain yogurt, lime zest, and half the lime juice. (Reserve remaining lime juice for the salsa.)
Make the mango salsa:
Add mango, mint, and remaining lime juice to the basin of a food processor. Roughly chop.
Both the lime yogurt sauce and the mango salsa can be prepared up to 2-3 days ahead of time. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Prepare + Cook Rockfish:

Mix together all of the blackening seasoning ingredients in a small bowl.
Brush an oven-safe pan with half the oil (1 tablespoon). Alternatively, use a sheet pan.
Add the rockfish to the pan, and generously season the top of the fish with the blackening spices.
Extra Seasoning Note: You will probably use about half the blackening seasoning. Reserve the remaining seasoning for your next batch of tacos.
Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon oil on the fish, and use your fingers to rub the oil into the seasoning.
Move an oven rack to about 4" away from the broiler.
Preheat broiler to high.
Slide the pan into the oven.
Cook rockfish for 5 minutes per ½" thickness, or until the fish is tender and easily flakes apart with a fork.
Do not flip the fish halfway through cooking.
While the fish broils, heat the tortillas.
Brush a non-stick or cast-iron pan with oil. Heat the pan over medium-high heat, and cook the tortillas one at a time. Heat about 30 seconds on the first side and 15 seconds on the other side, until each side begins to bubble up.
Keep tortillas warm by placing on a plate and covering with a towel.
When the rockfish is done cooking, slice or flake apart with a fork.
To assemble the tacos, divide the rockfish, mango salsa, and sliced avocado among the tortillas. Top each taco with a dollop of yogurt sauce. Alternatively, arrange all the ingredients as a taco bar and let everyone build their own tacos.
Serve right away while the fish and tortillas are still warm.

Notes

Yields: Four tacos. Serving size estimates two tacos per person.

Spicier Tacos: As written, this recipe does not make spicy tacos. (They are well-seasoned, but not hot.) To increase the heat level, try adding a jalapeño to the mango salsa, or use extra cayenne in the blackening spice.

Nutrition Information: Assumes corn tortillas were used. Does not include optional extras.

Nutrition