• Follow Us
Simmer and sage logo | Simmer & Sage
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Recipes
    • Starter Recipes
    • Bread Recipes
    • Salad Recipes
    • Main Dish Recipes
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Drink Recipes
    • Sauce Recipes
    • Side Dish Recipes
    • Chicken Recipes
    • Gluten Free Recipes
    • Low Fat Recipes
    • Vegetarian Recipes
Contact Me
Simmer and sage logo | Simmer & Sage
Contact Me
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Recipes
    • Starter Recipes
    • Bread Recipes
    • Salad Recipes
    • Main Dish Recipes
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Drink Recipes
    • Sauce Recipes
    • Side Dish Recipes
    • Chicken Recipes
    • Gluten Free Recipes
    • Low Fat Recipes
    • Vegetarian Recipes
Simmerandsage » Recipes » Baja Fish Tacos with Chili Lime Crema

Baja Fish Tacos with Chili Lime Crema

August 11, 2022

By simmerandsagePublished: August 11th, 2022Updated: August 10th, 2022
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Jump to Recipe↡

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.

Three baja fish tacos garnished with corn, cilantro and limes

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.

close up view of one fish taco with avocado, corn and cilantro

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.

Baja Fish Tacos with Chili Lime Crema

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.

A white plate with avocado slices, corn, lime wedges, cabbage, cilantro and chili lime crema

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.

Baja Fish Tacos topped with cilantro, corn and avocado

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 1 300x300

Baja Fish Tacos with Chili Lime Crema

Pan-fried fish topped with cheese, avocado, grilled corn, cabbage slaw and cool chili cream
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 50 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican, Tex Mex
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

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
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

How useful was this recipe?

Click on a star to rate it!

Average rating 5 / 5. Vote count: 2

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this recipe.

Share this recipe:

Filed Under: Main Dish Recipes, Recipes

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Avatar for SusieSusie says

    February 25, 2023 at 12:18 am

    5 stars
    I have made this recipe so many times. It is excellent. I will make cod, shrimp,.and chicken as the family members have their different favorites. The Baja Sauce and slaw are outstanding! Thank you for this fabulous recipe!

    Reply
    • Avatar for simmerandsagesimmerandsage says

      February 25, 2023 at 11:38 am

      Hi Susie,

      I’m so glad you love the fish tacos, they are a family favorite over here too! Thank you so much for your feedback. 🙂

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Hi! I’m Jackie.

Jackie

Welcome to my little food utopia! Here you'll find simple recipes that are usually healthy, occasionally indulgent and always delicious. I'm a self-taught cook, recipe creator and food photographer. Sometimes you might see me talking about my favorite subject - food - on QVC. Thanks for trusting me with your dinner plans!

Read More

Find a Recipe

Socialize With Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Subscribe

Trending Recipes

Cranberry Orange Whiskey Sour (Bourbon Cocktail)

Cranberry Margarita Recipe (Easy Tequila Cocktail)

Baked Brie Recipe with Fig Jam, Pecans and Rosemary

Crispy Italian Chicken Sandwich | Simmer & Sage

Best Chicken Cutlet Sandwich Recipe (Italian Style)

Gluten Free Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese

Easy Creamy Blush Sauce (Pink Pasta Sauce Recipe)

Footer logo | Simmer & Sage
  • About
  • Recipes
  • The Chickens
  • Contact
  • The Garden
  • Testimonials
  • Entrees Recipes
  • Privacy Policy

Follow Us

COPYRIGHT © 2022 · SIMMER AND SAGE. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Web Design by Pixelchefs.com

Join the Simmer & Sage Community

Free recipes delivered to your inbox every week!

Enter your email address

Thanks, I’m not interested