Spicy Pan-Fried Swai -- A 15 Minute Affordable Fish Dinner

One of my nutritional goals for the past few months has been to get more seafood into our diet. But one thing I knew could be a hindrance is the expense. Seafood is not always affordable. Sales help, of course, but even then it can be pricey.

One thing I have going for me though is that I'm not a fish snob. I've never lived on the coast, so even though I've had delicious fresh fish a few times in my life, I don't require it. Not to say that the swai I am presenting here is less than stellar, I am just not promising it will satisfy the pickiest of fish eaters. That being said, I find it to be sweet, tender, moist, and flaky when prepared well. I prefer it over tilapia which I would say is the best comparison if you're not familiar with swai. 

So not only would I consider swai to be tasty, it is also one of few fish that falls into the affordable category. Further proof that I'm not a fish snob, I actually get this from the frozen section at Target! I pay $7.99 for 24. oz. which usually turns out to be 5 fillets, sometimes 6. That means two or three dinners since one fillet each is enough for Marshall and I, and I could also get away with using one for both of us if I flake it up in a soup or pasta dish. It still isn't the cheapest meal to appear on our menu, but I'd call that pretty affordable for fish.

So not only is swai affordable and tasty, it is also said to have a high fish oil content, which is one of the great reasons to eat fish is the first place! So if you're not familiar with it I'd recommend giving it a try. This simple recipe I am sharing here takes only 15 minutes to prepare (at most!). Not many dinners can claim they're healthy, affordable, and ready in 15 minutes. This one can!

Spicy Pan-Fried Swai

Ingredients:
Swai fillets -- As many as you need for your group
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon of cajun seasoning (or similar) per fillet -- my mix has salt, onion salt, garlic salt, paprika, chili powder, and cayenne pepper.
1 tablespoon butter per fillet

Directions:
Heat a pan as large as you need over medium-high heat with the butter, allowing it to melt. While your pan is heating season the top side of your fish fillets. Once your pan comes to temperature and the butter is melted, add your fillets with the seasoned side down. Now season the side facing up. Let cook about 3 minutes and then flip over each fillet. Allow to cook until tender and flaky, about 3 more minutes. The time will vary based on how hot your pan is and how thick your fillets are.

I served this with rice and peas with spinach, and these sides only take a few minutes as well. The peas and spinach I just tossed in a small covered pot with a tiny bit of water on medium heat and let it cook until the spinach was wilted and the peas were hot (and added a small bit of butter and salt at the end), and I took some leftover cooked rice and heated that in the same pan as the fish once I removed the fish from the pan. It soaked up the excess butter and spices left in the pan and was delicious.


So there you go - that's my 15 minute affordable fish dinner.

If you're looking for more inexpensive ways to eat seafood check out my salmon salad and lemon shrimp and herby cream cheese sandwiches.


Thanks for introducing me to swai, Mom!