What do you get when you take a taco and fill it with delicious fish? A fish taco! My Fish Tacos with Chipotle Sauce and Cilantro Coleslaw recipe is definitely worth the time and effort to make at home.
While tacos have been part of Mexico’s culinary history for many years, fish tacos were born in the last few decades. Fish Tacos are said to come from Baja California, Mexico’s northernmost state. This delicious fish taco consists of a lightly battered mild white fish that is deep-fried, then served in a corn tortilla topped with a crunchy cabbage slaw and sauce.
There are many variations of Baja style tacos you can make, and a variety of white fish to choose from. Choose a fish like mahi mahi, grouper, flounder, halibut or cod for the tastiest Baja-style tacos.
Fish tacos are fairly easy to prepare – if you have all the ingredients on hand – but they’re also festive and fun for guests. You can prepare much of the ingredients ahead of time and store in the refrigerator until time to chow down.
So here is my recipe for the complete dish: Fish Tacos with Chipotle Sauce and Cilantro Coleslaw.
Let’s start off with the cilantro coleslaw!
How to make the Cilantro Coleslaw
Ingredients
- 3 cups shredded red cabbage (thinner is better)
- 1 small red onion, sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Sea salt to taste
Method
- Toss the cabbage, red onion, cilantro, vinegar, oil and salt together in a bowl.
- Place in refrigerator.
How to make the Chipotle-Lime Sauce
Ingredients:
- 1-2 chipotle peppers or more depending on level of spice, plus sauce (you can find chipotle peppers in adobo in the grocery aisle)
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 large garlic clove, shredded
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 sour cream
- 1/4 yogurt
Method
- In a small bowl, stir together mayo, yogurt with lime juice and garlic.
- Add 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce; use more peppers for a spicy sauce.
- Use a hand blender to chop peppers until sauce is smooth.
- Cover bowl and refrigerate.
How to make the Fish Tacos
Battered Fish ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup beer, like Corona
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Juice from 1/2 lime
- 1 1/2 pounds your choice of skinless boneless white fish (I used wild fresh cod)
Method
- Prepare the beer batter by whisking together the flour, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
- Pour in the beer and stir.
- Cut the fish into strips, about one inch wide and three inches long.
- Dip the fish into the beer batter, mixing with fingers to coat.
- In a cast-iron skillet, add about 1/2 inch of cooking oil.
- Once the oil is hot, add the battered fish and fry about 2-3 minutes a side.
- When the fish is golden brown, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
Allow guests to assemble their own tacos. For mess-free hands, use Old El Paso Tortilla Bowls. Add fish, and top with a heap of coleslaw and chipotle sauce. Serve with lime wedges, and cilantro.
Note: To substitute for gluten free, set aside a few strips of fish, and dip into gluten-free bread crumbs. Fry in a separate pan. Serve with corn flour tortillas, or Old El Paso Hard Taco Shells.
Disclosure: I’ve partnered with Old El Paso and as such receive perks and compensation for my participation. As always, the opinions expressed herein are my own.
15 Comments
I love tacos! Although I don’t eat meat or fish, so I like to use beans and lentils instead – I also need to try mixing rice in too!
What an awesome recipe idea! I love tacos – chicken tacos are my favorite, they’re so versatile and delicious!
I am all about fish and this is a really lovely recipe that I can easily do at home. Thanks for the tips too on how to perfect it. I sure would love to make this for the whole family.
I was surprised the first time I had a fish taco that I like it so much. I don’t like salsa so I was intrigued that I didn’t have to worry about it being on the taco. I really like your recipe and would like it even more with shrimp.
thats nice!! im a taco and coleslaw lover!! never tried to combine it! this looks so unique and delicious!
I loved a local chain restaurant’s fish tacos so much, that I had to try to duplicate them. They combine flour tortillas filled with breaded, fried tilapia, layered with chipotle mayo, topped with napa cabbage, dressed with honey-cumin sauce, and served with pico de gallo, sour cream, chips and salsa. You’ll find them very refreshing and packed full of flavor!
This looks so delicious! My husband fishes all the time so we always have an abundance in our house, and I love to find new fish recipes!
My DIL loves fish tacos. That’s what she’ll order every single time when we go out to eat (if it’s on the menu). I bet she’d love if I made some when she was visiting!
Thank you for sharing this. All of these look so yummy!
This is how my husband likes to make his tacos. The cilantro is my favorite topping on a taco!
Love fish tacos, and proud to say I ate my fair share in Baja California.
Those look delicious! I love fish tacos in the summer–so easy and light!
Wow! This recipe looks amazing. I’m definitely going to try and make this same recipe gluten and dairy free. I can’t wait to try it and just pinned it to Pinterest… yay!! ?
I absolutely love fish tacos. I have never tried to make them at home but this recipe looks easy enough I may just give it a try. Thanks so much for the ideas
That Cilantro Coleslaw and Chipotle-Lime Sauce are just what I have been wanting for my fish tacos. Bookmarked!!!