TORTILLA ENCRUSTED TILAPIA with FIESTA RICE

How About This for Your Sunday Supper?

TORTILLA ENCRUSTED TILAPIA

with FIESTA RICE & CHIPOTLE TARTER SAUCE

This Tortilla Encrusted Fish recipe makes your Tilapia fillet crunchy on the outside, tender & flaky on the inside and puts a nice little zing on your tongue from the spices in the crust!  The Fiesta Rice is a perfect side and I served them both up with a Chipotle Tarter Sauce!

Here's how I did it:

THE TORTILLA ENCRUSTED TILAPIA

4 Tilapia Fillets, washed and dried

1/3 Bag of Tortilla Chips (I used White Corn)

2 Lg. Eggs

Juice of One Lime

2 Tsp. Cumin Powder

2 Tsp. Chili Powder

2 Tsp. Onion Powder

1 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

1/2 Tsp. Marjoram

1/2 Tsp. Smoked Paprika

2 Tsp. Kosher Salt

1 Tsp. Black Pepper

4 Tbsp. Flour

Parchment Paper

Aluminum Cooking Sheet

3 Dishes, all slightly larger than the fillets

Food Processor

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Crunch up about 1/3 of a bag of tortilla chips and toss these into your food processor.  Add in 2 Teaspoons of Cumin, Chili Powder and Onion Powder, 1 Teaspoon of Cayenne, 1/2 Teaspoon of Marjoram and Smoked Paprika, 2 Teaspoons of Kosher Salt and 1 Teaspoon of Black Pepper, then give this a few pulses until you get it roughly ground. You want it small enough to stick to your fish but not so small as a powder.
3. In one of the dishes mix together the lime juice and the eggs. In another add the flour and in the last pour in your spicy tortilla crumbs.
4. Set up your coating station: Flour, then egg mixture, then crumb mixture last.  Dip each fillet in the flour to coat completely then tap off all the excess. Dip next in the egg mixture and then last into the crumbs and set each fillet on a parchment lined cooking sheet.  Let these rest for about 10 minutes so the coating adheres to the fillets.
5. Bake for 15 minutes in your pre-heated oven.

 FIESTA RICE

2 Cups Low Salt, Fat Free Chicken Broth

1 Cup Basmati Rice

1/4 Each Red Bell Pepper, Orange Bell Pepper, Green Bell Pepper, Diced Medium

1 Can of Diced Green Chilis

1/2 Red Onion, Diced

1 Tsp. Crushed Garlic

1/2 Tsp. Cumin and Chili Powder
Zest of One Orange

1 Cup Frozen Corn, Thawed*

1 Cup Diced Tomatoes*
1 - 15 Oz. Can Black Beans, Drained*

3 Lg. Sprigs of Fresh Chopped Cilantro,

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

Lidded, Medium Sauce Pan

1.  Add your olive oil to your sauce pan over a medium-high heat until it shimmers, then add in your bell peppers and onion and saute until slightly caramelized.
2. Add in your diced green chilis, the crushed garlic and your rice and saute for a minute.
3. Pour in the chicken broth, orange zest, diced tomatoes and rice, bring to a boil then cover and reduce to a simmer.
4. Cook for ten minutes or until the rice is tender.
5. Remove from the heat and stir in the corn and the black beans.
6. Cover and let this stand for 10 minutes.
7. Just before serving sprinkle in the chopped cilantro.

*I choose not to add the tomatoes, black beans and corn this particular evening as I wanted a lighter rice side dish - plus I'd used up my last can of diced tomatoes the night before, lol. 

CHIPOTLE TARTAR SAUCE

1 Cup of Mayonnaise

1/2 Cup of Cholula Chipotle Hot Sauce

2 Tbsp. Sweet Pickle Relish

Blend all the ingredients together until mixed. Keep chilled until serving.

GARNISH

Several sprigs of Chives

ORDER OF STEPS

1. I made Blood Orange Margaritas for everyone. What? I'm also The Martini Diva, you think I wouldn't serve a cocktail???
2. I pre-heated my oven.
3. I set up my coating station and baking sheet and got my fish ready.
4. I chopped all the veggies for the rice and got them sautéing. 
5. I coated all my fish fillets and set them on the parchment lined cooking sheet to rest.
6. I added the rice and chicken broth to the rice pot and brought that to a boil then reduced to simmer. (You would also add the tomatoes here but remember I didn't have any.....)
7. I made more Blood Orange Margaritas.
8. Five minutes into the rice cooking I put the fish in the oven to bake.
9. I made the Chipotle Tarter Sauce and chilled it in the fridge.
10. I took the rice off the heat - this is where you would add the corn and the black beans (but I didn't because I just wanted a savory rice.....)
11. I plated and garnished.
12. I served. We ate.
13. I made Spiced Chocolate Martinis for dessert.
14. We drank them.

¡Buen apetito!

(& Salud!)

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