Baja Fish Tacos with Chili Lime Crema

There are certain flavors that just scream “fresh”! And many of them are in these Baja Fish Tacos with Chili Lime Crema. There’s something about avocado, fresh fish, grilled corn and crispy slaw that make me feel like I’m doing something good for my body. Seasonal ingredients like these are what make summer summer. I’ve been making these tacos forever, probably before they were trendy.

And the thing about these tacos is they are decidedly not fancy. In all the times I’ve visited Mexico, I can’t remember ever having a fancy taco. They keep it clean, fresh and pretty basic. And that’s how these Baja Fish Tacos with Chili Lime Crema are.

How to make these Baja Fish Tacos

In most restaurant versions of this dish, the fish is either grilled (and usually lacking in flavor) or fried to a crisp (which sort of defeats the healthy-ish purpose of the fish taco). I have found that the perfect balance is to toss the fish in a simple mixture of flour (or cornstarch for a gluten free option), salt and pepper and then pan fry it in a little vegetable oil.

The fish will get a nice crust on it if you cook it long enough, and this is super important – let it get crusty! Don’t worry, you won’t overcook it. The crust is key!

Whip up the simple cabbage slaw while the fish is getting crusty. Then, just sprinkle the cheese over the fish, let it melt, and serve!

What kind of cheese to use for fish tacos

Good ol’ cheddar cheese is what I’ve always used in these Baja Fish Tacos with Chili Lime Crema. It might sound weird when many recipes call for queso fresco or cotija. But trust me, cheddar is better.

Whenever I’m using cheddar cheese, I always go for the sharpest kind I can find. The combo of pan-fried fish with sharp cheddar is enough to just grab a fork and eat right from the pan.

What’s the best fish for fish tacos?

Tilapia is my fish of choice for fish tacos, but any white flesh fish would be good. Mahi mahi is popular but more expensive than tilapia. You could also go with halibut, cod or even catfish.

Tilapia is mild, flaky and inexpensive. It also gets a nice crust on it when it’s pan fried. I know I keep talking about the crust. It’s just so good.

What to serve with Baja Fish Tacos

Have fun with your taco toppings! My favorite ways to top fish tacos:

• avocado
• corn
• cabbage slaw
• salsa
• crema
• pickled radishes
• cilantro

The slaw for these tacos is light, simple and offers a nice crunch with each bite. If you have any left over, serve it as a side dish or burger topping. And the chili lime crema doubles as a fun dip for fries.

So let’s stir (or shake) up a margarita, and get this taco party started! If you make these Baja Fish Tacos with Chili Lime Crema, I’d love to hear about it. Drop a rating or leave a comment below. Enjoy!

For more Tex Mex recipes, try these:

• Rolled Tacos with Chicken & Cheese
• Honey-Lime Chicken & Corn Tacos
• Tex Mex Jalapeño Poppers

For more pescatarian recipes, try these:

• Citrus Thai Basil Shrimp with Coconut Rice
• Salmon Rice Bowl with Avocado & Spicy Mayo
• Greek-Style Swordfish Santorini

Baja Fish Tacos with Chili Lime Crema

Pan-fried fish topped with cheese, avocado, grilled corn, cabbage slaw and cool chili cream

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Prep Time 30 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 50 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican, Tex Mex

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Tacos

• 2 lbs. tilapia fillets cut into cubes
• 12 corn tortillas
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup flour or cornstarch
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 12 oz. sharp cheddar cheese shredded
• 2 ripe avocados
• 4 ears of corn

Chili Crema

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• juice of 1 lime

Cabbage Slaw

• 1/2 head green cabbage 4-5 cups
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
• juice of 2 limes
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. onion powder
• 1/8 tsp. pepper

Instructions

 

• Preheat grill to 375 degrees. Grill corn until it starts to brown and char. Remove corn from grill. (Alternately, you can put corn into a pot of water, cover the pot, bring to a boil and then turn off the heat. Corn can remain in the pot of boiled water until ready to serve). Cut kernels off the ears of corn.
• Peel skin off avocados and remove pits. Place into a small bowl and smash with a fork. Season with salt and pepper.
• Make the crema: Whisk sour cream, mayo, chili pepper and lime juice together in a small bowl and set aside.
• Make the slaw: Shred the cabbage. In a bowl, whisk all of the ingredients together. Fold in the slaw until coated. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Combine flour, salt and pepper and whisk together. Toss cubed fish into the flour mixture. Remove fish from flour mixture with a slotted spoon to shake off any excess flour and place into the pan in an even layer.
• Allow fish to cook 4-5 minutes until browned, then flip. Continue to brown and flip until fish is well-browned on all sides and a crust begins to form. (Feel free to add more oil during cooking if needed.) Sprinkle cheese evenly over the fish and cover the pan. Remove from heat.
• Warm the tortillas in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. Keep covered with a dish towel until ready to serve.
• Lay warm tortillas on a flat surface. Smear a dollop of avocado down the center of each tortilla. Lay pan-fried fish on top of the avocado, down the center. Garnish with slaw, corn and a drizzle of chili crema.

Keyword dinner, pescatarian

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