Grilled Tilapia Tacos with Chipotle Crema: A 6-Hour Marinated Summer Meal

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Grilled tilapia tacos with a smoky chipotle crema rely on a six-hour marinade to build flavor before a quick 10-minute turn on a hot grill. The recipe, which serves six, combines citrus, honey, and seafood seasoning for the fish and a sour cream-based dressing spiked with adobo sauce from chipotle peppers.

The marinade brings together ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, and 2 teaspoons lime zest. Minced garlic, 1 ½ teaspoons honey, 1 teaspoon seafood seasoning such as Old Bay, 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon chili powder, and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper round out the mixture. One pound of tilapia fillets, cut into chunks, sits in the marinade for 6 to 8 hours in the refrigerator.

Smoky Chipotle Crema and Fresh Toppings

While the fish marinates, the dressing comes together by stirring ½ cup adobo sauce from chipotle peppers into an 8-ounce container of light sour cream. Two tablespoons fresh lime juice, 2 teaspoons lime zest, ½ teaspoon seafood seasoning, ¼ teaspoon cumin, and ¼ teaspoon chili powder are added, with salt and pepper to taste. The crema is covered and refrigerated until needed.

For assembly, the recipe calls for a 10-ounce package of tortillas, 3 ripe tomatoes (seeded and diced), 1 small head of cabbage (cored and shredded), 1 bunch of chopped cilantro, and 2 limes cut into wedges.

Grilling and Assembly

An outdoor grill is preheated to high heat and lightly oiled, with the grate set 4 inches from the heat. The fish is removed from the marinade, drained of excess liquid, and the marinade is discarded. The tilapia pieces grill until they flake easily with a fork, turning once, about 9 minutes.

To assemble, fish pieces go in the center of each tortilla and are topped with desired amounts of tomatoes, cabbage, and cilantro, then drizzled with the chipotle crema. The tortillas are rolled around the fillings and served with lime wedges.

Each serving provides 416 calories, 19 grams of fat, 39 grams of carbohydrates, and 23 grams of protein, according to the recipe's nutrition facts.