Blackened Fish Taco Salad

This Fish Taco Salad is loaded with fresh veggies, blackened cod fish, creamy avocado dressing, and crunchy tortillas chips. In my world, it is delightful way to enjoy fish tacos everyday.. only served in a salad bowl!

Worth a mention, the creamy avocado dressing is bursting with flavor with yummy cotija cheese, tang of lime and taco seasoning. Friends, this will be your new favorite taco salad, ever!

I love the fact that not just a side salad, taco salad actually makes a complete summer meal. Packed with protein, good fats, loaded with veggies... it will fill you up without weighing you down.  Plus look at the colors, don't these remind you of happy summer season or what?

In summers, we are all about salads!

Actually, for me above line holds true whole year but summers are specially great. I love to plan few salads for weekday and prepare dressings/protein(if possible) over the weekend.

Now, Fish salads are a total exception. Thing is,  fish is ready within few minutes of throwing in pan and avocado dressing is best when made fresh. So, I like to spend 20 minutes and assemble this salad just before serving.

Now, confession time!

I initially planned a chicken taco salad but I ended up with Fish taco salad. :)

Well, humor me when I tell you that I took out chicken breast to thaw and it turned to fish fillets after defrosting. (magic!!!)

Actually, cod is very meaty fish and two fillets of cod were stuck to each other. When I took out the bag and not bothered to read label (so me)... I felt that this bag seems to be a hefty piece of boneless chicken breast. That's all I needed. Luckily though I did not defrost it in microwave and rather threw in lukewarm water which saved the fish from poaching in the microwave! lol! Or I might had nothing to share with you today! (lucky me)

Also, I have a killer blackening seasoning recipe which I often use for chicken or fish. This salad was my variation of same with taco salad ingredients. But when I saw two pieces of fish emerging from the bag... I actually loved the idea of blackened fish taco salad!

You know, salad actually turned out pretty good.

I mean, who does not love fish tacos?! In-fact, Vishal munched a portion of blackened fish right when I was preparing it. Before I came to know, he was munching one soft tortilla, stuffed with fish, taco salad ingredients and dressing.

And I was infuriated.

This fish has already changed all my recipe plans... now you finish it before I click pictures, I said!

Comm'on, fish smells so amazing! Click pictures next time, he giggled and kept eating! 

I ushered him out of kitchen and took pictures with remaining ingredients...

But we ate same fish tacos for dinner that day. I mean, not same but I made'em again for dinner. :-) 

taco love, my friends!!

Taco salad is also very versatile. Specially the blackening seasoning.  You can use it for chicken as well. And I bet, just changing protein will not mess any flavor. So feel free, use any protein you have handy at home. 

Note: If you want to make Blackening Seasoning at home. Recipe is in the Savita's Notes section below recipe.

I cannot end this post without saying few words about how healthy this salad is.

1) Cod is a meaty fish yet very lite, full of Omegas
2) Salad is gluten free, is loaded with veggies and uses very less oil per serving.
3) You can skip dairy in dressing with non-dairy yogurt to make it dairy free.

You know friends, I have been to BlogHer16 conference recently. I met so many talented ladies that are bringing lots of change in the society, around the world. Two messages I carried home from their are: love your community and never give up.

So are my word to you today. Whatever your goals are, put all your effort and success will be yours. Never give up but also never step on someone'e back to get ahead. 

Oh, and bookmark this scrumptious taco salad to try this week! -xo -Savita