Dinner recipe · from the recipe book
Chili-Lime Tilapia Melts in Romaine Cups
Smoky chili-rubbed tilapia under melted cheddar sits on cumin-lime hummus in crisp romaine, topped with a crunchy jalapeño-cilantro slaw and creamy avocado.

- Skillet
- 35 min · 30 min hands-on
- Serves 4
- Mexican
- Pescatarian
- Gluten-free
- Up to 30 g carbs
- Protein 30 g+
- Fiber 6 g+
- 500 calories or less
Ingredients
- 5 fillets560 gTilapia filletpatted dry, cut into 8 pieces
- 1½ tsp4 gChili powder
- 2 tsp4 gGround cumindivided
- ¾ tsp2 gGarlic powder
- ½ tsp3 gSaltdivided
- 2¼ tsp10 gCanola oil
- ⅔ cup shredded80 gCheddar cheeseshredded
- 1 can, drained254 gChickpeas, canned, drained and rinsed
- 2 tbsp30 gTahini
- 2 cloves6 gGarlicfinely grated
- 2¼ tsp10 gOlive oil
- 2 tbsp30 gWater
- 1 lime, juiced40 gLime juicedivided
- 2¼ cups shredded150 gGreen cabbagethinly shredded
- ½ medium50 gRed onionthinly sliced
- 1 whole14 gJalapeñoseeded and minced
- 1 cup chopped15 gFresh cilantrochopped
- 1 cup diced150 gAvocadosliced
- 6⅓ cups chopped300 gRomaine lettuceseparated into large leaves, washed and dried
Steps
- Make the hummus first: in a bowl, mash the chickpeas with a fork or potato masher until mostly smooth, then stir in the tahini, garlic, olive oil, water, half the lime juice, half the cumin and one third of the salt until creamy. Set aside.
- Make the slaw: in another bowl, toss the cabbage, red onion, jalapeño and cilantro with the remaining half of the lime juice. Set aside.
- Mix the chili powder, garlic powder, the remaining half of the cumin and the remaining two thirds of the salt. Rub this spice mix all over the tilapia.
- Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the tilapia 3 minutes, flip, and cook 1 minute more.
- Scatter the cheddar over the fish pieces, cover the skillet and cook 1 to 2 minutes until the cheese melts and the fish flakes easily and reaches 145°F (63°C). Remove from heat.
- Spread the hummus inside the romaine leaves, stacking two leaves for each wrap if they are small.
- Lay a cheesy tilapia piece in each lettuce wrap, top with the slaw and the avocado, and serve right away, two wraps per person.
Contains: Milk, Fish, Sesame.
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Saved in the Every Helping recipe book on October 24, 2026.
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