![Blackened Tilapia with Cucumber Avocado Salsa [21 Day Fix] - This healthy and easy recipe is one of the most fresh, flavorful, and mouthwatering dishes you could possibly make! You will be in love! (It uses 1 red, 1 green, and 1 blue container in 21 Day Fix.) TheGarlicDiaries](https://i1.wp.com/www.thegarlicdiaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/IMG_7260.jpg?ssl=1)
WHEW this has been a crazy several days! I have been trying to find a spare minute to cook, photograph, and post all week. I ended up having to use artificial light for these pictures because I kept getting home after dark, and I am writing this at 9:45 pm! Like I said…cray cray week. Craaaaaay.
Okay so before I start going on and on about this DELICIOUS recipe, I need to talk about the next three weeks for a minute. A friend of mine wanted to start the 21 Day Fix, and she asked me to do it with her. At first I was thinking it would be impossible with blogging, but then I decided to go for it and just develop 21 Day Fix friendly recipes.
If you don’t know what 21 Day Fix is, it’s this healthy eating/workout program that is kind of sweeping America right now. It all revolves around eating super healthy food in correct portion sizes. They achieve this by giving you little Tupperware containers for different food groups, blah, blah, blah. Google it! It’s pretty cool. And then you have to do these ridiculous workouts every day. I will say one thing about the workouts: I cannot move my legs. Or body.
They are no joke, people! Anyway, I love eating healthy, and I thought this would be great for the blog! It is kind of hard to find yummy, single-serving 21 Day Fix recipes out there.
![Blackened Tilapia with Cucumber Avocado Salsa [21 Day Fix] - This healthy and easy recipe is one of the most fresh, flavorful, and mouthwatering dishes you could possibly make! You will be in love! (It uses 1 red, 1 green, and 1 blue container in 21 Day Fix.) TheGarlicDiaries](https://i2.wp.com/www.thegarlicdiaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/IMG_7294.jpg?ssl=1)
So for the next three weeks(ish), I will be posting 21 Day Fix friendly recipes. However, if you aren’t participating in the 21 Day Fix, these recipes are still delicious and healthy and perfect for you! And they will all be easy to double/triple/quadruple (what comes after quadruple??) if you so desire!
For anyone that landed on this page who is participating in the 21 Day Fix, the container amounts will be listed down where the recipe is at the bottom of this post ?.
NOW…enough about that. This tilapia…it is so amazingly, wonderfully, deliciously perfect. The blackening season on the fish adds SO much mouthwatering flavor and gives the fish a crispy exterior.
The perfect pairing for this flavorful, bold blackening seasoning is a fresh, perfectly balanced salsa. Made with cucumbers, jalapeño, red onion, avocado, cilantro, and lime juice, this glorious little mixture gets piled (and by “piled,” I mean heaping, heaping, laaaarge piles) on top of your perfectly cooked, perfectly seasoned fish.
The combination of the crispy, blackened fish and the fresh, bright salsa = the PERFECT BITE. The most perfect bite that ever was bitten. Fo reals.
![Blackened Tilapia with Cucumber Avocado Salsa [21 Day Fix] - This healthy and easy recipe is one of the most fresh, flavorful, and mouthwatering dishes you could possibly make! You will be in love! (It uses 1 red, 1 green, and 1 blue container in 21 Day Fix.) TheGarlicDiaries](https://i2.wp.com/www.thegarlicdiaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/IMG_7289.jpg?ssl=1)
You will not feel like you are eating healthy in the least when you eat this fish. It tastes just as good as a big, greasy pizza, but you will feel awesome afterwards! Aaaaand now I want pizza. Just because my mind went there for two seconds. #Strug.
Speaking of fish…I very rarely cook seafood on here. I like seafood…I do…I promise. It probably has something to do with the fact that I live smack-dab in the MIDDLE of the country and don’t really trust the seafood here. We are preeeeetty much as land locked as it gets over here in Kansas. Yikes…Then again, I started going to a different grocery store instead of the commissary recently, and their seafood section actually seems pretty legit.
The fish didn’t look like it had just sat outside for an hour and been beaten with a hammer repeatedly before being set out for customer selection.
Yay for more seafood in my future!
![Blackened Tilapia with Cucumber Avocado Salsa [21 Day Fix] - This healthy and easy recipe is one of the most fresh, flavorful, and mouthwatering dishes you could possibly make! You will be in love! (It uses 1 red, 1 green, and 1 blue container in 21 Day Fix.) TheGarlicDiaries](https://i1.wp.com/www.thegarlicdiaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/IMG_7264.jpg?ssl=1)
For you 21 Day Fix people – this recipe uses the following:
- 1 green container (cucumbers, jalapeños, red onion)
- 1 red container (tilapia)
- 1 blue container (avocado)
- 2 teaspoons (olive oil)
*The spices, lime juice, and cilantro are “free”*
- 1 tilapia fillet
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- For the blackening seasoning:
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- For the salsa:
- 1 cup finely diced cucumber, peeled and seeds scooped out
- 1 tablespoon finely minced red onion
- ½ jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
- ½ avocado, diced into small cubes
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- For the salsa, add the cucumber, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime juice into a medium bowl. Stir together and season to taste with salt and pepper
- Add your avocado gently - fold it into the salsa so it doesn't mash. You want it to stay in cubes
- Let this sit in the fridge until the fish is ready
- For the blackening seasoning, stir all the spices together in a small bowl
- Lay out your tilapia fillet and season each side with 1 teaspoon of blackening seasoning. Rub the seasoning around with your hands so that it evenly coats both sides of the fish
- Heat a pan over medium-high heat with 2 teaspoons of olive oil
- When the pan is hot, add your fish
- Let it cook until both sides are blackened and the fish is cooked through
- Serve and heap the cucumber avocado salsa on top!
*This recipe is gluten free*
![Blackened Tilapia with Cucumber Avocado Salsa [21 Day Fix] - This healthy and easy recipe is one of the most fresh, flavorful, and mouthwatering dishes you could possibly make! You will be in love! (It uses 1 red, 1 green, and 1 blue container in 21 Day Fix.) TheGarlicDiaries](https://i1.wp.com/www.thegarlicdiaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Untitled-1-7.jpg?ssl=1)
If you make this or any of my other recipes, be sure to Instagram it and hashtag #thegarlicdiaries!
In the mood for more yummy seafood recipes? Check these out:
Blackened Salmon with Lime Cream
I have been using recipes for a very long time. It is a go to every time my husband says he wants fish I make the spice rub when fault if that tells you how much we love it. We’ll use it on swai fish just cuz we prefer it but we’ve had it on tilapia and it’s amazing on that as well. The only thing that I do differently is I add seeded tomato extra cilantro and I use a whole avocado just cuz we like those things a lot. Thank you so much for this delicious recipe
Hey Kendra! That’s awesome – I’m so glad this recipe has been a hit for you. Thank you so much for the comment!
Omg this recipe is awesome I love it . I just added more lemon to the salsa but that’s just me ..
Yay! So glad you love this recipe, Evelin!
This is amazing!! I’ve never blackened anything before, but your instructions were simple and easy to follow. I am so impressed with the flavor. Thank you very much!
Stacy
I’m so happy this recipe turned out well for you Stacy! And that the directions were easy to follow :). Blackening is such a yummy way to cook food!
This was delicious!! I will definitely be making it again!! I did not put the jalapeno in, but following another posters suggestion, I did add grilled corn that I had from another recipe it was trying.
I’m so glad you liked it, Kym! Adding grilled corn sounds super yummy – I’ll definitely try that next time!
Unfortunately I made this and the particular rub for the tilapia was extremely salty. Maybe I put some of the measurements in wrong but I didn’t think so. The cucumber avocado salsa was delicious though.
I’m sorry about that Kathleen! I’m not sure exactly what happened, but I’m glad the salsa was good at least!
Oh I also cooked this using avocado oil which I highly recommend for frying since olive oil isn’t ideal for cooking. That blend of spices was so amazing though! Thanks again!
Tried this just now and it was amazing!! I’m tempted to add some corn to the salsa, might add some nice color! Thank you for the recipe! Also I was wondering about the daily value, it says 53% sodium, but it’s only 1/2 a tsp?
Thank you so much Rama! I think corn would be a super yummy addition. Oh! Good catch on the sodium level. Something must have recorded wrong when I was creating the nutrition label. I’ll check that out.
I made this tonight and it was amazing!! What do you suggest to serve with it>?? I had some rice and a quick veg because I didn’t have much to choose from
Yay! I’m so glad you loved it, Jac! I think rice and veggies were a good serving choice. I usually eat this with quinoa mixed with lime juice, cumin, salt, and pepper.
I stumbled on your blog when I Pinterest search for a tilapia dish. I made it tonight and it was delicious, I didn’t add the jalapeño and only had white onion, it turned out amazing!!
Mmm how gorgeous does this talipia look? My husband and I make fish often, so I’m always looking for new ways to prepare it. This blacked version looks just perfect, Annie!
You will love it if you try it :). Thanks, Gayle!
I’ve always wanted to try the 21 Day Fix, but was too cheap to buy it haha. However, my mom bought it and never opened it so maybe I’ll steal her containers and give it a shot! If I can eat things like this tilapia I”d have no problem! It looks AMAZING! I love anything blackened and that salsa sounds so so good!
Keri @ Fashionable Foods recently posted…Sriracha Glazed Salmon with Spiralized Celery Root Salad
It’s kind of a pain in the butt with the meal planning and containers, but I think it’s worth it! You feel great and it teaches you portion size really effectively! Thanks, Keri :).
I’ve been seeing the 21 day fix everywhere but never took the time to google it, so thanks for filling me in on the fad a bit! I’m not into diets, but i’m totally into THIS dish! Shoot, you can keep 21 day fixin’ it up, if this is the type of food you are eating!! I love tilapia (reminds me of my dad) and your blackened version looks seriously delish! LOVE that cucumber avocado salsa you paired it with! This is my kind of meal, Annie! Good luck with the fix, doll! Cheers!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary recently posted…Breakfast Polenta Bowls {with Kale, Sausage, Poached Egg & Sundried Tomato Pesto}
It doesn’t feel like you are making sacrifices at all when you can eat food like this :). Thanks, Cheyanne!
This sounds so refreshing – especially after a winter full of soups and stews!
Refreshing is a perfect work to describe it, Rebeccah :).
I was just looking at the 21 day fix. I appreciate the recipes and serving portions.
Absolutely! It is kind of a lot of work with the meal prep and containers, but you feel awesome and it works really well :).
I love cucumber and avocado salsa. It’s so refreshing and goes with almost everything!
Agreed, Dannii!