This recipe for crispy fried fish tacos features tender white fish. It includes suggestions for delicious toppings and a zesty lime crema recipe. The fish is perfectly fried to achieve a deliciously crunchy exterior.
Prepping for Crispy Fish Tacos
Crispy fish tacos made with fresh white fish are delicious! The preparation involves some chopping, so having a partner lend a hand can be helpful. If you tackle this solo, you can prepare some elements a day in advance to make the process quicker.
Things to Make Ahead of Time
Pico de Gallo for Crispy Fish Tacos
These fried fish tacos have pico de gallo, along with all the other chopped vegetables. You can make pico ahead so the flavors have a chance to meld. Click here for my pico de gallo recipe.
Lime Crema for Crispy Fish Tacos
You can prepare the sauce for these tacos in advance. Mix all the ingredients together and refrigerate. It boasts a hint of spice from the sriracha and sweet chili sauce, enhanced by the flavors of onion and garlic powder. However, the standout flavor comes from the fresh lime juice. The longer the sauce chills, the more its flavor develops, making this lime crema even tastier.
Chopping Vegetables for Crispy Fish Tacos
You can chop any or all of the vegetables ahead of time. This recipe includes the following vegetables:
- purple cabbage
- green onion
- cilantro
- tomato
- lettuce
- avocado
- roasted corn
Chop the cabbage, onion, cilantro, tomato, and lettuce and place each in a separate container or bag and refrigerate. If you slice the avocado ahead, dip it in lemon juice to keep it from turning brown. Then, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until it is ready to use.
You can roast the corn in a frying pan a day ahead and keep it in the refrigerator until ready to use. Just take it out and let it sit for about 30 minutes before serving, or warm it a little in the microwave.
White Fish for Crispy Fish Tacos
I suggest cod for this recipe, although you can use other white fish. It is best to use a mild white fish that holds together well when you cut it into strips. Some fish to consider include tilapia, bass, grouper, and haddock, to name a few.
Preparing the Fish
Slice the fish into pieces approximately four inches long and one inch thick. Then, coat them with buttermilk.
Next, coat the fish in the dry mixture containing flour and cornstarch. Adding cornstarch helps create a crunchier texture than using flour by itself.
Heating the Oil for Crispy Fish Tacos
Use oil with a high smoking point, such as canola, vegetable, or peanut oil. Canola oil has a neutral taste, so it won’t change the taste of your food. Use a cooking thermometer to heat the oil to 350°F before placing the fish in it. Cook the fish to an internal temperature of 145°F.
Room Temperature Ingredients
Take out anything stored in the refrigerator about 30 minutes ahead of time. If the ingredients are too cold, they will cool the fish. To assemble the tacos, place a fish strip into the tortilla shell first, then add the sauce, vegetables, and finally the pico de gallo. Enjoy!
Other Recipes You Might Like
Click on each name to link to the recipe.
- Mini Crab Cakes
- Salmon with Garlic Lemon Butter
- Crab Nachos
- Crab-Stuff Shrimp
- Seafood Campechana
- Baked Fish Tacos
- New Orleans Style BBQ Shrimp
- Shrimp Tacos
- Shrimp Po’boy
Crispy Fish Tacos
Equipment
- cooking thermometer
Ingredients
Lime Crema
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 small lime)
- 2 teaspoons sriracha hot chili sauce
- 1 teaspoon sweet chili sauce
- ⅛ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
Fish
- 1 ¼ pounds white fish fillet, cut into 4 x 1-inch strips (cod used in this recipe)
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper, ground
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- cooking oil with high smoke point (such as canola or peanut oil)
Tacos & Toppings
- ½ cup corn, toasted (may use fresh, canned, or frozen corn)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- (6) 6-inch flour tortillas
- 1 cup red cabbage, shredded
- 1 cup iceberg lettuce, shredded
- 2-3 green onions, chopped
- 3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
- ½ avocado, sliced (sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent browning)
Instructions
Lime Crema
- Stir the mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, hot and sweet chili sauces, onion powder, and garlic powder until well mixed. Place in the refrigerator.
Cooking Fish
- Pour the buttermilk into a wide, shallow bowl.
- In another wide, shallow bowl, add the flour, cornstarch, red pepper, salt, and pepper. Stir to mix
- Soak the fish strips in buttermilk for 5 minutes.
- Pour 2 inches of cooking oil into a pan. Heat it to 350°F.
- Take the fish from the buttermilk and dredge it in the flour mixture until well coated. Then, shake off the excess.
- Add a few fish pieces to the hot oil and fry until golden brown or the internal temperature is 145°F.
Assembling Tacos
- Melt a tablespoon of butter in a skillet and add fresh or frozen corn. Stir on medium heat until the corn is cooked and begins to toast. Remove from the heat.
- Heat tortilla shells one at a time in a non-stick skillet for a few seconds until they begin to toast. Remove from the heat and gently fold in half.
- Place chunks of fish, lime crema, pico de gallo, corn, cabbage, lettuce, green onions, cilantro, and avocado in the folded tortilla shells. Serve immediately.