The BEST Baja Fish Tacos! Loaded with citrus slaw, avocado, and spicy chipotle mayo, these tacos are packed with delicious flavor and perfect for the whole family.
Whether you’re doing fish on Fridays for Lent or just looking for a new twist on Taco Tuesday, these are better than restaurant quality.
They’re the perfect blend of crispy, crunchy, spicy, and oh so delicious. Guaranteed to become a new favorite!
I partnered with Pick ‘n Save to bring you this recipe. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Lemon Tree Dwelling possible!
There’s something about fish tacos that always makes me feel like I’m on vacation. Why? I have no clue! Maybe it’s the citrus slaw….or the fresh squeeze of lime….or the avocado.
Or maybe it’s the fact that they pair so well with margaritas and fresh salsa and chips & guacamole….a couple of my other vacation favorites. Whatever the reason, there’s no denying that they have that certain fun vibe about them. Like you could (or should!) be eating them on a beach somewhere. You with me?!
And as much as I love the idea of waiting for a beach vacation to enjoy them…what I love even more is the idea of making them at home. Whenever the heck I want to!
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📋 Ingredients
I know the list of ingredients is long, but don’t be intimidated. If you look closely, many of them are seasonings… and trust me… they’re 100% worth it!
For the fish, I used cod, but you can feel free to substitute mahi mahi, halibut, or any other white fish. You basically want a mild flavored fish that can take on all the other delicious flavors without overpowering them.
Being from Milwaukee, my go-to beer for this recipe is Miller Lite, but you can use any beer you have on hand. I would suggest a lighter variety – again, so it doesn’t take over the other flavors.
- 1 package tortillas (corn or flour)
- 1 ½ – 2 lbs. fresh cod, sliced
- 1 c. all purpose flour
- ½ c. panko bread crumbs
- 12 oz. beer (any light beer will work well)
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 c. cole slaw mix
- ½ c. cilantro
- 2 Tbsp. lime juice
- 2 Tbsp. pineapple juice
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- ½ c. mayo
- 1 tsp. honey
- 1 tsp. adobo sauce
*Adobo sauce can be found in the Mexican food aisle, either in a can with chipotle peppers OR all on its own.
🔪 Instructions
The great thing about this recipe is that the individual components can all be made ahead of time. When we make this recipe, we prepare the citrus slaw and mayo in advance and store them in the fridge so they’re ready to go. We also cut the fish into pieces so all we have to do is make the batter and fry it up!
- Prepare the citrus slaw by combining cole slaw mix, cilantro, pineapple juice, lime juice, and salt.
- Prepare the chipotle mayo by combining mayo, honey, and adobo sauce.
- Prepare the batter by combining flour, panko bread crumbs, beer, and seasonings.
- Cut fish into pieces and dip into batter.
- Fry in hot oil until golden brown and crispy.
- Cut avocado into thin slices.
- Assemble tacos by combining fried fish, citrus slaw, sliced avocado and chipotle mayo in corn tortillas.
- Enjoy!
🐟 Type of fish
Due to its mild flavor, white-fleshed, mild, saltwater fish makes for the best Baja-style tacos. I used cod in this recipe, but snapper, mahi mahi, grouper, flounder, or halibut are all good options.
For a richer flavor you can also use salmon to make these delicious Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa.
🔥 Spice level
These tacos are very low on the heat scale. The sauce has tons of flavor but not much spice. The combination of mayo, adobo sauce, and honey gives it the perfect balance of creamy and flavorful with just a touch of sweetness and spice. If you’re concerned, you can always decrease the amount of adobo sauce or add it slowly, tasting as you go.
Lucky for me, Pick ‘n Save makes it SO easy to grab everything I need all in one stop. From the fresh cod to the avocados to the tortillas and everything in between, I found everything I needed to make the best fish tacos ever. All at Pick ‘n Save!
Now. I have to admit. I’m not much of a frying person. I rarely heat up hot oil and to be honest? It kind of scares me.
But if I can do it, you can do it. I promise you it’s easier than it looks….and the end result is 100% worth it.
🌮 Related recipes
🍹 Side dishes
The BEST Fish Tacos! Loaded with citrus slaw, avocado, and spicy chipotle mayo, these tacos are packed with delicious flavor and perfect for the whole family. Whether you're doing fish on Fridays for Lent or just looking for a new twist on Taco Tuesday, these Baja Fish Tacos are better than restaurant quality. They're the perfect blend of crispy, crunchy, spicy, and oh so delicious. Guaranteed to become a new favorite! 1. Prepare citrus slaw by combining all ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Set aside. 2. Prepare sauce by combining all ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Set aside. 3. Slice cod into 1x2 inch pieces. Pat dry with a paper towel. 4. Prepare batter by combining flour, panko bread crumbs, beer, and seasonings in a medium mixing bowl. Mix well. 5. Pour canola oil into a medium skillet, filling it about 1 inch deep. Heat on medium-high. 6. Dip fish into batter. Working in small batches, add battered fish to hot oil. Fry for 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. 7. Remove fish from oil and place on a wire rack. Continue until all fish is fried. 8. Heat tortillas as desired. Assemble tacos by adding fish, citrus slaw, and sliced avocado to tortillas. Top with sauce and additional cilantro, as desired.Baja Fish Tacos
Ingredients
Fish
Citrus Slaw
Chipotle Mayo
Other
Instructions
Notes
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 689Total Fat: 53gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 46gCholesterol: 69mgSodium: 492mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 3gSugar: 5gProtein: 29g
The BEST Baja Fish Tacos! Loaded with citrus slaw, avocado, and spicy chipotle mayo, these tacos are packed with delicious flavor and perfect for the whole family. Whether you’re doing fish on Fridays for Lent or just looking for a new twist on Taco Tuesday, these are better than restaurant quality. They’re the perfect blend of crispy, crunchy, spicy, and oh so delicious. Guaranteed to become a new favorite!
Amanda says
These look absolutely amazing ! I can’t wait to try them out !
Mahy Elamin says
We lived in Baja when I was 10-11. I have such fond memories of the fish tacos. I’m going to try these this week. Thanks for the recipe!
Beth Pierce says
I usually make fish tacos with Mahi Mahi, but I will have to try cod! This looks like a great lunch or dinner to serve my family this week!
Melanie Bauer says
Oh my gosh, this is insanely delicious! Really love all the flavors packed on this, looking forward to making this!
Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert says
This is seriously making me hungry! This looks absolutely delicious! Yummy!
Katerina @ diethood .com says
These tacos look incredibly delicious!! YUM!!
Petra says
OMG, these Baja Fish Tacos remind me of my trip to Hawaii last year, I had Baja Fish Tacos almost every other night. They look so delicious, definitely will try these.
Debbir says
I made these. I have to say they were delish.. Better than any I’ve had in restaurants. I added a little diced fresh jalapeno in the slaw
Big hit.
Cathy Trochelman says
Thanks so much for the feedback! Glad you enjoyed them 🙂
Stefanie Cole says
The store was sold out of Adobo – can you suggest a substitution? Maybe sriracha?
THanks – so excited for these!
Cathy Trochelman says
Maybe Cholula Chipotle Hot Sauce?
Linda says
Can you use chipotle pepper powder?
Cathy Trochelman says
You can try it!
Megan says
We have catfish do you think this would work?
Cathy Trochelman says
Sure! fun and delicious!
Natalie says
These were AMAZING. We are native San Diegans and eat a lot of fish tacos. We couldn’t get enough of them. Excellent.
Cathy Trochelman says
Thanks, Natalie! Awesome to hear!
WILMER QUESADA says
first of all let me congratulate you for such a loving family and also for the wonderful recipes . today Ill try the baja fish tacos . thank you and keep up with the good excellent work. truly … Wilmer Quesada.
Cathy Trochelman says
Thanks so much, Wilmer!
Kelly says
Hello, I am trying to print a couple of your recipes to make them, and the site won’t let me. When I click the print button, it just takes me back to the top of the page. (Baja Fish Tacos is one I am trying to print).
Cathy Trochelman says
I am sorry to hear, with technology being different on each device, I would have no way to know how to help! I hope you got it figured out.
Marty says
Great tacos!!!