I would have to say my only complaint about Chipotle is that they don’t have a fish option. There’s just something about deliciously tender and flakey fish with salsa that just hits differently than any other type of taco bowl. This delicious and easy taco bowl is perfect for your paleo and Whole30 meal prep time – it heats up deliciously and easily in the same bowl so you don’t have to worry about all the pieces and parts to take to work with you!
A few weeks ago, I asked around to see how people felt about spicy, and it seemed like many people loveeee a good pepper added to recipes. The hot peppers and spiciness are of course optional for this recipe, but if you’re a fan of the burn, the mango cools this recipe down and creates a deliciously sweet and spicy combo.
Before we jump in, I just HAD to research what hot peppers can do for your health. Read on to see some of the amazing facts I found!
Health benefits of spicy peppers
We all know that heart disease and cancer combined are some of the deadliest killers in our world today – and eating spicy peppers might reduce your chances of getting both. Regularly eating hot peppers could potentially reduce your risk of dying of heart disease by a whopping 26%, and reduce your risk of dying from cancer by 23%. While there are some skeptics, it’s important to remember that these studies simply find correlations. If you’re unfamiliar with the phrase, “Correlation does not equal causation,” it simply means that a connection via statistics between two things might be coincidental. Scientists by no means can directly say that eating hot peppers will directly cause you to reduce your risk of both cancer and heart disease, but it seems that people who do eat hot peppers regularly tend to have a reduced chance of dying from both heart disease and cancer.
One of the reasons why hot peppers might play a role in keeping spicy lovers alive a little longer might be due to the high Vitamin A content in peppers, along with a ton of vitamin C. It only takes 1/4 cup chili peppers to reach your entire day’s worth of Vitamin C. By comparison, 1/4 cup of an orange only contains 23.9 mg of vitamin C, which amounts to less than 30% the recommended daily value. Both vitamin A and vitamin C are vital for supporting your immune system- meaning, next time you feel a cold coming on, maybe some hot and spicy food might not be a bad idea.
Hot peppers also contain an impressive chemical known as capsaicin, and ingesting capsaicin has been known to reduce the pain associated with migraine of all types. Capsaicin is what gives peppers that punch that you taste whenever you eat it, and not only does it feel hot, but it can actually speed up your metabolism. That firey feeling can also help trick your brain if you suffer from any other painful situations, such as arthritis. Capsaicin is often an ingredient in topical creams to reduce arthritis pain, migraines, and diabetic neuropathy. Even if you aren’t a fan of a spicy taste, the benefits of hot peppers can be still be a part of your healthy routine.
How to Make Chili Lime Fish Taco Bowl with Mango Salsa
This recipe takes a little more prep than what I usually do, but it’s simple and very rewarding. You can save some time the day of cooking by prepping the mango salsa on the same day that you prepare the marinade for the fish. Everything else is simply chopping and sautéing.
To make this recipe, you will need the following ingredients:
- tilapia
- limes
- chili powder
- salt
- sweet peppers
- jalapeño peppers (or other hot peppers)
- onions
- olive oil
- cauliflower rice
- cilantro
For the mango salsa, you will need:
- tomatoes
- red onion
- mango
- lime
- cilantro
- cumin
- salt
- pepper
- chili powder
Start by marinading the fish in a sealed container. Place the tilapia in the container and add the juice of 6 limes, chopped cilantro, chili powder, and salt. Stir all the ingredients together, making sure that as much of the fish is covered as possible. Marinade the tilapia overnight.
When you are ready to make the salsa, chop and dice 1 mango, 1 large tomato, 1/2 a medium red onion, and add them to a bowl. Add in the lime juice, chopped cilantro, cumin, salt, pepper, and chili powder. Stir thoroughly. This salsa only gets better with time, so feel free to make it the same night that you start your fish marinade!
To cook the fish, line a broiler sheet with tinfoil for easy cleanup. Place fish on the covered broiling pan, and broil for 15 minutes.
While the fish is broiling, chop and sauté the onion and sweet peppers. Add in chopped hot peppers for more of a firey kick to your taco bowl. Sauté the peppers and onions with some olive oil over medium heat until cooked through. Add in some more cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper to the vegetables for some extra flavor.
Once the fish is done, serve over a bowl of cauliflower rice, with some of the sautéed vegetables and some mango salsa. Be sure to serve this bowl with a few squeezes of lime on top – trust me, you don’t want to miss this extra deliciousness!
Chili Lime Fish Taco Bowl with Mango Salsa (Whole30, Paleo)
Ingredients
For the fish
- 1.5 lb tilapia
- 6 limes, juiced
- 3 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp salt
For the Mango Salsa
- 1 mango, chopped
- 1/2 medium red onion, chopped
- 1 medium tomato
- 2 limes, juiced
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp salt
For the side vegetables
- 1 white onion, chopped
- 1 sweet pepper, chopped
- 1 tsp olive oil
For the cauliflower rice
- 1 bag cauliflower rice
Instructions
For the fish
- Add the tilapia, lime, chili powder, and salt to a sealed container. Refrigerate and marinate overnight.
- The following day, preheat your oven to broil
- Line a broiler pan with tin foil.
- Lay fish on the tinfoil covered pan and place in the oven. Broil for 15 minutes. Remove fish when done and allow the fist to cool before serving. Serve with vegetables and mango salsa over cauliflower rice. Don't forget to add a slice of lime!
For the vegetables
- Chop the onion and peppers.
- Add olive oil to a pan over medium heat. Once oil has heated, add in the chopped vegetables.
- Cook until onions are translucent and peppers are no longer firm. Add in additional salt, pepper, and cumin while the vegetables are cooking.
- Set aside until tilapia is cooked. Serve with fish and cauliflower rice.
For the mango salsa
- Chop the mango, tomato, onion, and cilantro. Place in a bowl.
- Add in the lime juice, cumin, and salt. Stir and serve with the fish and the vegetables over cauliflower rice.