Fish Tacos Recipe you’ll crave again and again! Start with charred tortillas, top with flaky, seasoned fish, add fresh pico, and drizzle with a creamy cilantro-lime sauce.
author’s note
Fish Tacos Straight From The Chef’s Kitchen!
Fish tacos have been a favorite of mine for a long time, and this recipe goes way back to when I worked at a restaurant that was known for three things: crème brûlée, short ribs, and their fish tacos. The fish tacos were always my weakness. At the end of a shift, I’d usually ask one of the chefs to make me a couple, and eventually I learned how to make them myself.
After making them so many times at work, I started recreating them at home and tweaking things to fit real life cooking. Pan seared instead of fried, simple ingredients, and flavors that still hit just as hard. Over the years, these tacos have turned into a family favorite. I’ve made them more times than I can count, and they never get old.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Swap or Tip |
|---|---|
| White Fish | Cod, mahi mahi, tilapia, or even orange roughy all work well in this fish tacos recipe |
| Cilantro Lime Sauce | Add more jalapeño for heat or leave it out to keep it mild |
| Green Cabbage | Red cabbage works great too |
| Corn Tortillas | Warm well so they don’t crack when folded |
| Pico de Gallo | Store bought is fine if you want to save time |
| Avocado | Slice right before serving or use guac |
How To Make Fish Tacos Recipe
- Sauce: Blend lime, cilantro, garlic, jalapeño, mayo, sour cream, and spices until smooth. Taste and adjust.
- Slaw: Mix cabbage with half the sauce and chill while you prep everything else.
- Marinate Fish: Coat fish with oil, lime, soy sauce, sugar, and spices. Keep it short.
- Cook: Pan sear in a hot skillet until flaky and cooked through. Let it rest, then slice.
- Toppings: Mix up a quick pico and slice the avocado.
- Assemble: Char tortillas, layer slaw, fish, pico, avocado, and drizzle with extra sauce.
Quick Tip
To check if fish is cooked in these fish tacos, pierce it with a fork at the thickest part and gently twist. It’s done when it easily flakes and loses its translucent look. The inside should be 140–145°F.
Storage
Store this fish tacos recipe components separately in the fridge in airtight containers for up to 3 days. You can make the sauce ahead of time.
More Favorite Taco Recipes:
Dinner
Chicken Tinga Tacos
Salads
Taco Pasta Salad
Dinner
Rotisserie Chicken Tacos
Dinner
Taco Pasta Recipe
Fish Tacos
These fully loaded Fish Tacos are a flavor bomb! Charred tortillas, flaky seasoned fish, fresh pico, and a creamy cilantro-lime sauce—pure taco perfection.
Video
Equipment
- Small blender or mini food processor
- Large pot for optional rice
- Large skillet nonstick
Ingredients
Sauce
- 1 large lime
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/2 of a large bunch cilantro plus additional cilantro for serving if desired
- 1 tablespoon minced jalapeño see note 1
- 1/2 cup mayo fat-free or lite works great
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Fish
- 12 ounces mahi-mahi or cod or tilapia
- 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 lime plus additional lime wedges for serving if desired
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons light brown sugar not packed
- 1-1/2 teaspoons paprika
- 1-1/2 teaspoons ground chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Taco Toppings
- 3 cups shredded green cabbage for a slaw
- 1 large avocado thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup basmati rice plus 1 large lime, optional
- 1 cup diced cherry tomatoes plus 2 tablespoons minced cilantro and any leftover jalapeño from the sauce if desired
- 10 to 12 small extra thin corn tortillas I like Mission brand
- Cotija cheese
Instructions
- Sauce: Zest and juice the lime to get 1/2 teaspoon zest and 3 tablespoons juice. Add to a small blender or mini food processor along with the minced garlic, cilantro, jalapeño, mayo, sour cream, salt, pepper, paprika, chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder (see note 1). Pulse or blend until smooth. Give it a taste test and adjust as desired (extra jalapeño, extra salt/pepper, etc.)
- Slaw: Add the thinly sliced cabbage to a bowl. Toss with half the sauce and refrigerate to soften. Place the remaining sauce in the fridge to chill while preparing the rest of this dish.
- Optional Rice: Bring a large pot of water to boil. Once boiling, salt the water (I add 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt). Add the basmati rice and boil for 6 minutes (only basmati rice works well for this cooking method). Drain and transfer to a bowl. Add in the juice and zest of a lime and set aside.
- While the rice cooks, add all the marinade ingredients (3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons lime juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, and seasonings) to a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add fish (completely thawed if frozen) to a shallow dish in a single layer. Spoon marinade evenly over all the fish. Marinate at room temperature for no more than 15–20 minutes.
- Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, gently add fish, spooning any leftover marinade over the fish, and cook for about 3–4 minutes per side (6–8 minutes total) or until cooked to desired doneness (cook time will vary based on thickness of fish). The fish is done when it flakes easily. Remove fish to a cutting board and let cool slightly before slicing for the tacos.
- Pico: Dice the cherry tomatoes and add to a bowl. Add the minced cilantro and any leftover jalapeño from the sauce (if desired). Add a pinch of salt and pepper and a squeeze of lime. Toss and set aside.
- Char the corn tortillas (see note 2). Add the slaw and a spoonful of rice. Add the fish and then pico. Top with thinly sliced avocado, extra cilantro if desired, and a sprinkle of queso cotija if desired. If not adding the cheese, you may want an extra sprinkle of salt. Drizzle more sauce on top of the tacos and enjoy immediately.
Final step! Please let us know how it was by leaving a review.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Add more jalapeño for a spicier sauce. If you’re concerned about heat, add it slowly (or omit entirely) and use McCormick® seasonings (I find them very mild). I’d rate the sauce as mild with a tiny kick. You could also add 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper to increase the heat.
Note 2: Spray both sides of the tortillas with cooking spray and char the tortillas directly over the gas flames for a few seconds. Use tongs to flip until tortillas are lightly charred and soft. Immediately fold the tortilla in half (so it will fold into a taco nicely later) and set aside.
Storage:
- Sauce and Slaw: Refrigerate in airtight containers for up to 3 days. You can make the sauce ahead of time.
- Cooked Fish: Store separately in the fridge; eat within 2 days.
- Pico de Gallo: Best fresh but can be refrigerated for a day.
- Assembled Tacos: Fish Tacos are best enjoyed immediately; not recommended for storage.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 780kcal | Carbohydrates: 78g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 1159mg | Potassium: 1043mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1915IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 155mg | Iron: 6mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hot day in Los Angeles and I made this recipe for my family. The fish is perfectly seasoned, sauce is scrumptious, and the slaw come together beautifully. Definitely a keeper and making it again! Thanks Chelsea!
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks! 🙂
These are by far the best fish tacos I’ve ever had! Thank you!
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Lindsay! 🙂
I love fish tacos and this is the best recipe I have tried! The flavors mix together really well and I like that the fish and the slaw have the same flavors. I don’t have a gas stove so I just used authentic thin corn shells and it was perfect. I used orange roughy since that fish doesn’t have much flavor. Definitely a keeper! Thanks Chelsea
I am so beyond happy to hear this! Thanks so much Lori! 🙂
I made these today and they are as wonderful to eat as they look. These will be a staple recipe at our house now. Thank you!
I am thrilled to hear this! Thanks Jay! 🙂
This is a great fish taco recipe! It has more of a Mexican flavor than other fish tacos I’ve had. There is a lot to go into the taco and all the flavors mix nicely. Two tacos really filled me up. The fish alone is fantastic! I’ll cook the fish in its marinade again as a main dish with sides and not in tacos just for something different to have the fish more often. Whether you have this dish as tacos or cook the fish in its marinade again, it’s a fantastic recipe!
Thank you so much Louise! 🙂
This is a great fish taco recipe! It has more of a Mexican flavor than other fish tacos I’ve had. There is a lot to go into the taco and all the flavors mix nicely. Two tacos really filled me up. The fish alone is fantastic! I’ll cook the fish in its marinade again as a main dish with sides and not in tacos just for something different to have the fish more often. Whether you have this dish as tacos or cook the fish in its marinade again, it’s a fantastic recipe! I’d cook both ways for family or company.
Would this recipe blend well with shrimp instead of fish?
Absolutely! I also have a really awesome shrimp taco recipe as well you might want look at! https://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/shrimp-tacos/
This looks amazing! It will definitely be tried out in the next day or so!
Thanks so much Angela! 🙂 You’ll have to let me know what you think 🙂