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The BEST Baja Fish Tacos! Loaded with citrus slaw, avocado, and spicy chipotle mayo, these tacos are the perfect blend of crispy, crunchy and spicy. A whole new twist on Taco Tuesday!
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!
What are Baja Fish Tacos?
Fish Tacos originated in Baja California, Mexico, and the term “Baja Fish Tacos” refers to this type of preparation. It usually involves fried white fish, shredded cabbage, and a creamy white sauce.
what you’ll need for this recipe
Tortillas – I used 1 package of small tortillas. Flour tortillas or corn tortillas will work just fine.
Fish – I used about 2 pounds of fresh cod, which is a mild white fish with a dense texture. You can also use tilapia, halibut, snapper, grouper, or any mild flavored fish. For a richer flavor you can also use salmon to make these delicious Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa.
Beer Batter – I made a simple beer batter using 1 cup all purpose flour, 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs, and 12 ounces light beer (I used Miller Lite, but any light beer will work).
Seasonings – For spices, I used a combination of cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and salt. Feel free to add black pepper or cayenne pepper for extra flavor.
Citrus Slaw – To top the tacos I made a cabbage slaw using 2 cups coleslaw mix, 1/2 cup cilantro, 2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice, 2 Tablespoons pineapple juice, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Feel free to substitute shredded green cabbage or purple cabbage in place of a mix.
Spicy Chipotle Mayo – I made a 3-ingredient sauce using 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon honey, and 1 teaspoon adobo sauce. Adobo sauce can be found in the Mexican food aisle, either separately or in a can with chipotle peppers.
Oil – I used canola oil to fry the fish. You could also use peanut oil, vegetable oil, or avocado oil.
how to make baja fish tacos
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 strips so all we have to do is make the batter and fry it up!
Make the slaw. Prepare the citrus slaw by combining shredded cabbage, cilantro, pineapple juice, lime juice, and salt.
Make the chipotle mayo. Prepare the chipotle mayo by combining mayo, honey, and adobo sauce.
Prep the fish. Cut the fish into strips and set aside.
Make the batter. Prepare the batter by combining flour, panko bread crumbs, beer, and seasonings.
Heat the oil – Pour oil into a large skillet, filling it about 1-2 inches deep. Heat to 350°F (use an oil thermometer to gauge temperature.)
Fry the fish. Working in batches, dip the fish into the batter, then transfer to the hot oil and fry until internal temperature reaches 145°F. Remove from the oil using a slotted spoon or spider strainer. Place on a wire rack to cool.
Assemble the tacos. Assemble the tacos by combining fried fish, citrus slaw, sliced avocado and chipotle mayo in tortillas. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve with fresh lime wedges.
Recipe Variations
- Top with sliced tomatoes, red onions, or sliced jalapeños
- Use Cilantro Lime Sauce instead of chipotle mayo
- Add additional seasonings to the batter, such as garlic powder, oregano, smoked paprika, or cayenne pepper
- Top with pineapple salsa
- Skip the tortillas and serve the fish and toppings over cilantro lime rice
- Make Baja Fish Tostadas using homemade tostada shells and refried black beans
tips for success
- Cut the fish into equal portions for even frying. Be sure to cut with the grain so it doesn’t fall apart.
- When making the batter, combine the dry ingredients first, and then add the beer. Mix well to get rid of any clumps.
- Dip the fish in the batter just before frying, and be sure not to overcrowd the skillet.
- Use a thermometer to measure oil temp and internal temperature of the fish.
More Taco Recipes to Try
Always on the lookout for new taco recipes to try? These are some of our favorites!
Baja Fish Tacos
Ingredients
Fish
- 1 1/2 - 2 pounds fresh cod sliced
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 12 ounces beer any light beer will work well
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Citrus Slaw
- 2 cups cole slaw mix
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 2 Tablespoons lime juice
- 2 Tablespoons pineapple juice
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Chipotle Mayo
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon adobo sauce
Other
- 2 cups Canola oil
- 1 package white corn tortillas
- 1-2 avocados thinly sliced
Instructions
- Prepare citrus slaw by combining all ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Prepare chipotle mayo by combining all ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Slice cod into 1x2 inch pieces. Pat dry with a paper towel. Set aside.
- Prepare batter by combining flour, panko bread crumbs, and seasonings in a medium mixing bowl. Stir in beer; mix until no clumps remain.
- Pour canola oil into a medium skillet, filling it about 1 inch deep. Heat on medium-high to 350°.
- Working in small batches, dip fish into batter. Add battered fish to hot oil. Fry for 2 minutes on each side or until internal temperature reaches 145°F.
- Remove fish from oil and place on a wire rack. Continue until all fish is fried.
- Heat tortillas as desired. Assemble tacos by adding fish, citrus slaw, and sliced avocado to tortillas. Top with sauce and additional cilantro, as desired.
Notes
- Traditionally, Baja-style tacos are paired with corn tortillas. However, if your family prefers flour tortillas you can feel free to substitute.
- Substitute orange juice or lemon juice for the pineapple juice, or just use more lime juice.
- The citrus slaw can be made up to 24 hours in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
- Adobo Sauce can be found in the Mexican food aisle at your local grocery store. It is sometimes sold separately in a jar. If not, you can use the sauce from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
These look absolutely amazing ! I can’t wait to try them out !
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!
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!
Oh my gosh, this is insanely delicious! Really love all the flavors packed on this, looking forward to making this!
This is seriously making me hungry! This looks absolutely delicious! Yummy!
These tacos look incredibly delicious!! YUM!!
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.
These were so yummy! I pan seared my tilapia and tossed the slaw with some of the chipotle mayo. My husband had his on flour tortillas with pico, we both had a drizzle of cilantro avocado dressing. Absolutely wonderful recipe!
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.
Thanks so much for the feedback! Glad you enjoyed them 🙂
The store was sold out of Adobo – can you suggest a substitution? Maybe sriracha?
THanks – so excited for these!
Maybe Cholula Chipotle Hot Sauce?
Can you use chipotle pepper powder?
You can try it!
We have catfish do you think this would work?
Sure! fun and delicious!
These were AMAZING. We are native San Diegans and eat a lot of fish tacos. We couldn’t get enough of them. Excellent.
Thanks, Natalie! Awesome to hear!
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.
Thanks so much, Wilmer!
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).
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.
Great tacos!!!
Just made these today; very good. The fish recipe was especially tasty. A few tweaks we made:
1. We used barramundi instead since we had it on hand
2. We used egg and 1/4 cup milk instead of beer because we don’t have beer readily available
3. Added a splash of rice vinegar to the chipotle mayo
4. Subbed flour tortillas, the corn ones we got overpowered it a bit.
5. Used apple juice instead of pineapple, again didn’t have on hand. Worked good though!
Very happy with the dish overall. Very versatile even if you don’t have the exact ingredients. Will be putting this in our meal rotation.
Glad to hear it! Thanks for the substitution suggestions!
These were delish! Definitely a keeper! Thank you for sharing!
Note: I used the recipe merely as a guide. The 4 stars is for the dinner inspiration my house loved last tonight and the author’s time.
Tweaks: Frozen breaded fish filets (too hot to fry), made the slaw with red cabbage, cilantro, green onions, carrot, lime & orange juice, pickled jalapeno juice & salt. For the sauce, added more adobo and no sugar. Topped with diced mango.
Delicious, fun, and so easy. Thank you lemontreedwelling.
These fish tacos are delicious! The slaw is so god and so is the chipotle mayo. I upped the amount of adobo to make it a little spicier. Love that the batter has panko in it for crunch. I didn’t use all 12 ounces of the beer or the batter would be too thin so I recommend not just pouring the whole,e amount in at once. Great recipe! Will be making it on repeat!