Crispy Fish Tacos with Margarita Slaw
Crispy fish tacos in the summer time are a must! These crispy fish tacos are topped with fresh, crispy margarita slaw and roasted pepita seeds and are perfect for dinners on the patio. You'll love my version of baja-style crispy fish tacos!
Prep Time20 minutes mins
Cook Time20 minutes mins
Total Time40 minutes mins
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Little Spice Jar
For the crispy fish:
- 1 1/4 pound firm white fish, cut into 2-inch pieces (such as tilapia, cod, or halibut)
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour + 2 tablespoons
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder or more to taste
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups 12 ounces sparkling water (carbonated) (I used Perrier Lemon)
- 1/2 cup oil for frying
For the chipotle sauce:
- 2 chipotle peppers + 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 5.3 oz container greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon milk
For the margarita slaw:
- 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- zest of 1 lime
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar honey, agave, or sweetener
- 3 cups 6 oz shredded cabbage mix
- 1/2 red bell pepper cut into strips
- 1/3 cup red onions sliced
- 1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves roughly chopped
- 1 jalapeno cut into strips with ribs and seeds removed
To serve:
- 12 flour tortillas warmed
- 12 corn tortillas warmed
- 1/4 cup pepitas roasted pumpkin seeds
To make the crispy fish:
In a medium bowl whisk together the 1 1/2 cups of flour, garlic powder, cumin powder, salt, chili powder, and the baking powder. Add the sparkling water and whisk until you've worked out most of the lumps from the batter. It's okay if some small lumps remain. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap; refrigerate for 10 minutes.
Heat a skillet on medium heat with the oil. In a medium bowl, toss the fish pieces in the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour. Dip each individual piece into the batter, make sure to coat both sides. Working in batches, fry 4-5 pieces at a time, making sure to not overcrowd the skillet. Fry on both sides until golden brown. Remove fried fish pieces onto a plate lined with a paper napkin.
For the chipotle sauce:
In the mini food processor or a blender, combine the chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, salt, greek yogurt, mayonnaise, and milk. Let the food processor run until the chipotle peppers break down completely. Pour into a squeeze bottle or a small bowl, refrigerate.
For the margarita slaw:
In a small bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, lime juice, orange juice, lime zest, garlic powder, salt, and sugar.
In a medium bowl, combine the cabbage mix, red bell pepper, red onions, cilantro leaves, and striped jalapenos. Toss with the dressing when ready to serve.
To assemble the crispy fish tacos:
Place a corn tortilla on top of a flour tortilla, top with a little bit of chipotle sauce, a few pieces of crispy fish, margarita slaw, more chipotle sauce, and a sprinkle of pepitas.