Perfect Fish Tacos

2 fish tacos

* This page contains affiliate links. The Great Lakes Fisherman may earn a commission on items purchased through these links. For more on this, please click here.

Looking for an alternative to fried, baked or grilled fish?  If you are a fan of tex-mex, give this recipe a try.  Once you do, these fish tacos will become a permanent part of your fish cooking playbook.

Recipe

Serves: 4    Prep Time: 30 min.     Cook Time: 20 min.

Ingredients

The Fish

  • 2 lbs. boneless, skinless fish fillets (crappie and walleye are great choices)
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 12 – 8″ flour tortillas

The Seasoning

  • 2 tbsp chili powder
  • 2 tbsp paprika
  • 1 tbsp ground coriander
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tsp cayenne or red pepper flakes (optional)

The Sauce (Recipe from Natasha’s Kitchen)

  • 1/2 cup of sour cream
  • 1/3 cup of mayo
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1 tbsp siracha

The Toppings

  • 2 cups of shredded cabbage (white, red or a mixture)
  • 2 cup fresh pico de gallo (recipe below)

Pico de Gallo

  • 5 Roma tomatoes, diced
  • 1/4 cup diced red onion
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1/2 large jalapeno pepper, seeds removed
  • 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • salt to taste

Directions

Mix all of the sauce ingredients well.  Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to allow flavors to blend.

Mix all of the pico de gallo ingredients well.  Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to allow flavors to blend.

Mix all of the seasoning ingredients well.

Make sure the fillets have been rinsed and dried thoroughly and that all bones and skin have been removed.  Brush the fillets with the olive oil and then coat thoroughly in the seasoning. 

Heat a cast iron skillet (preferred) or non-stick pan until it is very hot.  Sear seasoned fillets for 2-3 minutes on each side, just until fillets are cooked through and the seasoning is dark (be carfeful not to burn).  You may need to cook a little longer with thicker fillets.

Move the fillets to a cutting board to let them rest for 5 minutes.  Once they have rested, chop the fillets into desired size for the tacos.  The more your chop, the more the seasoning flavors will blend with fish.

Warm the tortillas in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.

Build the tacos in the following order:

1. Warm tortilla

2. Layer of fish

3. Layer of shredded cabbage

4. Drizzle of sauce

5. Layer of pico de gallo

Enjoy!