Fish Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw

4.45 from 9 votes

Fish Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw

This Fish Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw recipe is made with breaded cod or walleye that is pan seared and topped with spicy cabbage coleslaw!

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Diet: Gluten Free

Keyword: pan fried fish tacos, breaded fish tacos, homemade fish tacos, gluten free fish tacos

Servings:

Calories: 390kcal

Author: Christine Rooney

Ingredients

For The Breaded Fish:

2 lbs. firm white fish such as cod, Mahi Mahi, haddock, or walleye
1 cup gluten free flour blend or AP flour if not gluten free
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
¾ teaspoon kosher salt split
¾ teaspoon pepper split
4 Tbsp. cooking oil such as safflower, avocado, canola, or peanut

For The Cilantro Lime Coleslaw Dressing:

¾ cup sour cream
¼ cup mayo
2 cloves garlic
1-2 jalapeno peppers remove seeds and membranes
1-2 limes juicy only
½ tsp. sugar honey or agave syrup work as well
1 cup fresh cilantro
¼ teaspoon salt adjust to taste
¼ tsp. pepper adjust to taste
8 cups shredded cabbage or 1 bag shredded coleslaw mix
1 package corn tortillas can use flour tortillas if not GF
Toppings such as avocado, tomatoes, peppers, guacamole, salsa, or hot sauce optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

To Make The Pan Fried Fish:

Cut each fish filet into slices. The slices can be up to an inch thick and roughly the size of a tortilla (3-4 inches long).
Pat the fish filets dry with a paper towel and sprinkle them with ¼ tsp. kosher salt and pepper. (It's important that the fish is not too damp or it will steam in the pan and become rubbery instead of flaky).
To make the coating simply combine 1 cup gluten free flour blend (or AP flour), 2 tsp. cumin, 2 tsp. chili powder, 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. onion powder , and ½ tsp. each of kosher salt and pepper in a small bowl. Stir until completely combined.
Place the pieces of fish onto a large plate, platter, or bowl and pour some of the flour mixture over the top. Flip each of the fish filets over a few times until each piece is completely coated in the flour mixture. Shake each piece of fish to remove any excess flour and repeat until all the fish is coated.
Heat the skillet to medium-high and add 2 Tbsp. of oil. Make sure the oil is thoroughly heated before adding the fish to the skillet (the fish should sizzle once it hits the pan).
Fry the fish for 4-5 minutes on the first side. Do not move the fish around much or the coating will not stick. Once the first side has developed a golden brown coating flip it over and cook for another 4-5 minutes on the other side.
Once each side has developed a golden brown coating remove the fish from the skillet and place it on a plate or paper towel. Add more salt and pepper if needed.
Repeat with the second batch of fish, adding more oil to the pan so that it doesn't stick to the bottom. Repeat the process until all of the fish is cooked.

For The Cilantro Lime Slaw:

Place ¾ cup sour cream, ¼ cup mayo, 2 cloves garlic, 1-2 jalapenos (remove seeds and membranes), the juice of 1 large lime (or 2 small limes), ½ tsp. kosher salt and pepper, and 1 cup fresh cilantro in a food processor or blender. Pulse until the dressing is completely combined.
Chop 8 cups of fresh cabbage (red or green) and place it in a large bowl. You can also use a bag of shredded cabbage to save time if you like.
Pour the dressing over the cabbage and toss until completely combined. The coleslaw may be prepare 1-2 hours or even the day ahead and stored in the fridge until ready to serve. Alternately, you can make it right before serving.
To Serve: Place the pan fried fish on a couple of warmed corn tortillas. Pile a generous amount of spicy coleslaw on top. Additional toppings may be added if desired.

Video

Notes

Cooking times may vary depending on the thickness of your fish filets and the variety of fish used.

It's important not to overcook fish or it will become rubbery. It's also important not to undercook fish. The safe internal temperature for fish is 145 degrees Fahrenheit (this can be checked using a food thermometer).

It's very important that the oil is hot before adding the fish. If the oil is not hot enough, the fish will absorb the oil and become greasy.

Remember to remove seeds and membranes from the jalapeno peppers or the dressing may become too spicy. If you find it is too spicy feel free to add more sugar to balance out the spice.

Nutrition