Last week, I shared a 15 minute meal plan builder perfect for hectic nights when you don’t even have time for takeout. Today, I’m talking about a favorite 15 minute main dish. To prepare it, tilapia is cooked in a non-stick skillet, alongside lime, butter and fresno chilis. Sautéed over a medium heat, the butter browns a bit, making the edges decadent. It’s one of those perfect weeknight dinners* that is greater than the sum of its parts and ridiculously fast.

15 Minute Main Dish: Tilapia with Fresno Chili and Lime

Ingredients: 

• Tilapia – 2 fillets
• 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• Lime, zest and juice
• 1 whole garlic clove
• 1 tbsp. of unsalted butter (or less)
• 1 fresno chili, sliced.
• Salt and pepper

Directions: 

Season the tilapia with salt and pepper on both sides. Then, get the rest of your ingredients ready. This all goes really quickly. Heat 1 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat in a non-stick skillet. Add the fish.

When it’s cooked on one side, flip it. This should take about 3-4 minutes. Now, grate in the zest of one lime and add in a whole garlic clove, as well as the sliced chili. Place 1/2 a tbsp of butter (or less) on top of each piece of fish. Squeeze half a lime over the the whole pan. Cover the pan and let it cook until the fish flakes easily. This will take around 5 minutes. Once cooked through, it’s ready to enjoy.

*Like many children who’ve come before her, Ellie doesn’t like fish or spicy things. So, a lot of the time, I’ll pull some other main together for her. Nothing that requires extra effort for me though – lunchmeat, leftovers or peanut butter sandwiches.