Tortilla Encrusted Tilapia with a Sweet and Spicy Twist on the Traditional Black Bean & Corn Salad

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We were walking through Costco the other day and saw a package of frozen tilapia with a corn tortilla crust. We looked at each other and said almost simultaneously in our best hoity-toity voice , “We can make that, but better.”

Below is our LatinoFoodie version of the recipe. It’s a wonderful way to incorporate more white fish into your family’s diet. The well-seasoned corn tortilla chip crumble delivers a nice crunch. Make sure to bake the fish until you see a warm, golden brown coating.

Serve the tilapia on a Black Bean and Corn Salad like we made with a sweet and spicy twist. The diced kiwis and mangoes added a nice freshness to the salad. The minced serrano chili added enough heat to make the salad pop. We are definitely making this salad again in our kitchen. Everything in it was yummy and good for our tummies and our waistlines. We especially love it because you can get creative with various seasonal fruits and vegetables to make it your very own.

Tortilla Encrusted Tilapia
Yields 4 servings

4 tilapia fillets, thawed if frozen
1 large lime, zested and juiced
2 oz. tortilla chips, crushed or finely crumbled in a food processor
½ tsp. Ancho chile powder
¼ tsp. ground cumin
Salt & pepper to taste


Preheat oven to 400 °F.  Line your baking sheet/shallow baking dish with foil.
In a shallow dish toss the tortilla chip crumbs, Ancho powder, and cumin.  Salt and pepper to taste.
Use half the lime juice to pour over the tilapia.
Gently bread each side of the fillets with the tortilla mixture and place on the baking sheet.
Sprinkle the lime zest over each fillet.
Bake for about 15 minutes.  (Baking the fillets longer would give the crumb coating a darker golden color but might over cook the small fillets.  Use your judgment.)

Mango, Kiwi, and Black Bean Salad:
Yields 6 servings or 4 generous servings

 

½ medium red onion, small dice
1 mango, peeled and diced
2 large kiwis, peeled and diced
1 Serrano pepper, small dice (leave seeds & pith for added heat)
1/3 bunch of cilantro, roughly shopped
1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 15 oz. can sweet corn, drained
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained

Lime Vinaigrette:
Juice of ½ a lime
3 Tbspn extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbspn white wine vinegar
Salt & Pepper to taste

Mix all the salad components together in a large mixing bowl.  Slowly pour in the lime vinaigrette and toss.

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