Crispy Fish Tacos with Lime Slaw
Baja fish tacos at home, no deep fryer required. White fish gets a quick cornmeal crust in a hot skillet, then piled into warm tortillas with crunchy lime slaw and smoky chipotle crema. Every bite is a textural masterpiece — crispy, creamy, crunchy, tangy.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Pan-fried, not deep-fried — crispy without the mess
- The lime slaw takes 2 minutes and makes the whole taco
- Chipotle crema adds smokiness with zero effort
- Light, fresh, and endlessly satisfying
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Crispy Fish Tacos with Lime Slaw
Ingredients
- 2 white fish fillets (cod, tilapia, or mahi-mahi), cut into strips
- 1/4 cup cornmeal or panko
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 small flour or corn tortillas
- Slaw: 2 cups shredded cabbage + 2 tbsp lime juice + 1 tbsp olive oil + pinch of salt
- Crema: 3 tbsp sour cream + 1 tsp chipotle in adobo (minced) + 1 tsp lime juice
- Cilantro and lime wedges
Instructions
- Make the slaw: toss cabbage with lime juice, olive oil, and salt. Set aside.
- Make the crema: stir together sour cream, chipotle, and lime juice. Set aside.
- Mix cornmeal with chili powder, salt, and pepper. Coat fish strips in the mixture.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Pan-fry fish strips 2-3 minutes per side until golden and crispy.
- Warm tortillas. Build tacos: fish, slaw, crema, cilantro, lime squeeze.
Recipe Tips
- Cut fish into strips rather than chunks — more surface area for crispiness.
- Press the cornmeal coating firmly onto the fish so it adheres.
- The slaw gets better as it sits — make it first.
- Swap chipotle crema for sriracha mayo if you don’t have chipotle peppers.
Calories: 380 | Protein: 28g | Fat: 16g | Carbs: 32g
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Nutritional information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients used.
