Crispy Baja Fish Tacos
Crispy Baja Fish Tacos with Creamy Lime Sauce are so fantastic, these are sure to become a fast family favorite! They're healthier and tastier than regular tacos. Make them part of your Taco Tuesday rotation.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
For Creamy Lime Sauce
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- fresh lime juice, from 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 sprigs fresh dill
- ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder, or more, to taste
- kosher salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For Battered Fish
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 12 oz dark beer
- 1 cup cornstarch, more or less, for dredging
- 2 pounds cod fillets, cut into 1-ounce strips
- oil, for frying
For Fixings
- 12 tortillas , corn or flour, taco sized
- ⅓ head green cabbage, finely sliced
- 2 ripe tomatoes, diced
- cilantro , for garnish
Optional Garnishes
- avocado, sliced
- lime, sliced
- red onions, diced
- guacamole
Instructions
- Make Creamy Lime Sauce: Mix together yogurt and mayo. Stir in lime juice. Stir in cumin, dill, and cayenne. If desired, add dash of salt and black pepper to taste. Cover and chill until ready to use.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, Old Bay, salt, and baking powder.
- Whisk in the beer until the batter is smooth, without lumps. Consistency should be similar to pancake batter. If too thick, add a bit of water to loosen. Set aside.
- In a large/deep pot or deep fryer, heat oil to 350F. Keep watch on throughout frying process, turning up the heat between batches so you can maintain the 350F while frying. Maintaining oil temperature is essential for attaining crispy texture that's not too greasy.
- Use paper towels to fully pat dry all excess moisture from the fish fillets on all sides. Place enough cornstarch in a shallow pan, to be used for dredging.
- Working in batches, dredge a few fish fillets into cornstarch and shake off excess. Dip fish into batter, let excess drip off, and gently submerse in the oil. Be sure pieces do not touch each other or they will stick together.
- Turn fish over in oil as needed to evenly brown all sides, about 2 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Place on rack lined with paper towels and keep warm in oven while you finish frying remaining fish.
- Warm up tortillas in microwave or oven, just enough to soften. Assemble fish tacos with desired garnishes and creamy sauce.
Notes
- Pat the fish fillets completely dry with paper towels before dredging. This helps the cornstarch and batter stick better and keeps the coating crispy.
- Pierce the fish lightly with a fork before marinating to help it absorb more flavor if you’d like even more depth.
- Maintain your oil at a steady 350°F while frying. Let the oil come back up to temperature between batches so the fish cooks up crispy instead of greasy.
- Use a deep pot or Dutch oven to safely fry and reduce splatters. Fry in batches to avoid overcrowding, which can lower the oil temperature.
- Prep all your toppings and creamy lime sauce ahead of time. Fry the fish last so it’s hot and crispy right when you’re ready to eat.
- If you want to lighten it up, try grilling the fish instead of frying. It’s still delicious paired with the sauce and crunchy toppings.
- This recipe is part of our Healthy Takeout Recipes Collection.
- Serve the tacos with extra lime wedges, fresh cilantro, avocado slices, or chunky Homemade Guacamole so everyone can pile them up just how they like.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 410kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 1239mg | Potassium: 248mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 3748IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 2mg