Chili Lime Mahi-Mahi with Blackened Broccoli
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If you are looking for ways to get the whole family to love fish, this recipe for Chili Lime Mahi-Mahi may be the one! The mahi-mahi is pan-seared in a slightly sweet chili and lime sauce, and is ready to serve in 25 minutes with blackened broccoli on the side.
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Chili Lime Mahi-Mahi
The full ingredients list and instructions are found in the printable recipe card at the end of this post. I highly recommend reading the blog post all the way through so that you don’t miss any tips or substitution suggestions; to ensure that you have all the ingredients and equipment required, and to understand the steps and timings involved.
If you want to include more fish in your diet but stuck for ideas of how to add more flavor to a plain fish fillet, then you must try this mahi-mahi recipe!
Mahi-mahi is a fish from Hawaii (the Hawaiian translation of mahi-mahi is strong-strong), but can be found in all warm seas worldwide.
It is also known as lampuki, dorado, or dolphinfish (but it doesn’t have anything to do with dolphins, it’s because they jump out of the water like dolphins do!).
If you live in very warm or sub/tropical climates you’ll probably find this fish quite easily in your grocery store. Sadly, it’s highly unlikely here in the UK – however, it is a fish that freezes very well and can be bought frozen from online fishmongers. So if you’re looking to try a new type of fish, give mahi-mahi a try.
This tropical fish is an excellent source of healthy, lean protein, and rich in Niacin, Vitamin B12, Phosphorus, and Selenium.
Mahi-mahi is a firm fish with a flaky texture and a sweet flavor. It is light pink when raw, but turns to a creamy white when cooked.
Although this fish recipe was tested with mahi-mahi, the chili lime sauce would pair well with other types of white fish including cod, halibut and snapper. It would also work great with salmon or tuna steaks.
The chili lime sauce is made with lime juice, cilantro, olive oil, honey, red pepper flakes, chili powder, ground cumin, and garlic powder, and is used on both the fish and the broccoli.
The broccoli is blackened which is a cooking technique used on fish, meat and even vegetables. It’s often associated with Cajun cuisine and is simply the addition of a dry rub of herbs and spices onto buttered or oiled food which is then pan-fried in a very hot pan or skillet. The blackened effect comes from the cooking of the rub combined with the fat.
Enjoy this dish with rice or mashed potatoes, or serve it as-is for a lower carb option.
Ingredients & Equipment Used In This Recipe
While most ingredients can be bought in grocery stores, for your convenience, any specialized or notable ingredients (and equipment) needed for this recipe have been listed below and linked to Amazon, Amazon Fresh, or other stores if available online. The complete list of ingredients with measurements is found in the recipe card.
- Fresh Produce – Broccoli Florets, Limes, Cilantro (Fresh Coriander).
- Protein – Mahi-Mahi Fillets or you could use any other firm white fish or even salmon.
- Honey – always buy locally produced honey if possible.
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- Chili Powder – use mild or hot depending on your personal tastes and spicy heat preference!
- Ground Cumin
- Garlic Powder
Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog use both cup measurements and/or weighted measurements. American cups and kitchen food scales are handy pieces of equipment to have in your kitchen as it means you’ll be able to make all of the different recipes on my blog. I try to give American, imperial, and metric measurements in my recipes. You can mix cup measurements with weighted measurements, but never mix imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.,) with metric (kilograms, grams, litres, etc.,).
More Recipes Using Fish
One of the hero ingredients in this dish is of course fish, so here are some more recipes using the same:
- Blackened Fish Tacos
- Parmesan Haddock with Tomatoes & Basil Salad
- Super Easy Atlantic Cod with Garlic-Herb Butter
Recipe Tips
- Use ¼ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes for less spicy results
How Do I Make Chili-Lime Mahi-Mahi?
Just check out the printable recipe card below with full ingredients and instructions. Any demonstration photos do not print out to save your ink.
Chili Lime Mahi Mahi with Blackened Broccoli
If you are looking for ways to get the whole family to love fish, this recipe for Chili Lime Mahi-Mahi may be the one!
Ingredients
- 3 cups broccoli florets, fresh or frozen
- 2 Tbsp water
- 3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- ½ cup fresh cilantro (fresh coriander), chopped
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 Tbsp honey
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes*
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 (6 oz/170g) mahi-mahi fillets
Instructions
- Place the broccoli florets in a microwave safe bowl along with 2 tablespoons of water. Cover and microwave on high for 2-3 minutes, or just until crisp-tender. (Cook time will vary by unit, so check after 2 minutes and adjust cook time accordingly. Do not overcook). Remove from microwave and transfer broccoli to a strainer to drain. Set aside.
- While the broccoli is in the microwave, whisk together the lime juice, cilantro, one-quarter cup of olive oil, honey, red pepper flakes, chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl until well combined. Set aside.
- Heat the remaining olive oil in a large, nonstick skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Pat the mahi-mahi fillets dry with a paper towel and add to the hot skillet. Brush the tops and sides generously with the chili lime sauce while it cooks. After 4-5 minutes, carefully flip the fillets and brush the exposed surfaces with additional sauce.
- Cook for another 3-4 minutes, or just until the fillets are cooked through. Remove from heat and transfer the mahi-mahi to a plate. Set aside.
- Toss the steamed broccoli with the remaining chili lime sauce and transfer to the skillet. Increase heat to medium-high and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the broccoli is nicely browned and caramelized.
- Return the mahi-mahi and its juices to the skillet. Remove from heat and serve immediately with the blackened broccoli. Enjoy!
Notes
*Use ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes for less spicy results
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 533Total Fat: 38gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 31gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 811mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 9gSugar: 12gProtein: 25g
This site uses Nutritionix to provide estimated nutrition. Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.
Make It A Meal!
You’ve made the main dish and a side vegetable, but what about the rest of the courses?
Here are additional recipes to make a full meal!
- Appetizer: Gluten-Free Baked Coconut Shrimp with Avocado-Lime Dip
- Side Dish: Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice
- Beverage: Brazilian Caipirinha Cocktail
- Dessert: How To Make Beignets At Home
There are 500+ Recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog for you to enjoy – please feel free to check them out too!