# Crispy Fish Tacos

Crisp, spiced fish in warm corn tortillas with lime slaw, smoky chipotle crema and quick pickled onions.

- Total time: 45 min (one cook, steps overlapped; 1 hr 15 min if done strictly in order)
- Hands-on time: 45 min
- Serves: 4 (12 tacos)
- Method: Pan-seared (also available: Air fryer)
- Difficulty: easy
- Source: https://dagwood.blrbdigital.com/r/fish-tacos

## Ingredients

### Crispy fish

- 1 1/2 lb cod fillets, skinless. Substitutes: mahi-mahi fillets (Firmer and meatier, holds together well); tilapia fillets (Thinner and milder, cooks a minute or two faster)
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp cornstarch. Substitutes: rice flour (Just as crisp, a little lighter)
- 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 3 tbsp neutral oil, such as avocado or canola

### Lime slaw

- 3 cups cabbage, green, red or a mix. Substitutes: coleslaw mix (Skips the shredding, slightly less crunchy)
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt

### Chipotle crema

- 1/2 cup sour cream. Substitutes: Mexican crema (Thinner and milder, easy to drizzle); plain Greek yogurt (Tangier and thicker)
- 1 chipotle pepper, canned in adobo, minced. Substitutes: chipotle powder (Smoky heat, less tang)
- 1 tsp adobo sauce, from the can
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- salt, to taste

### Tortillas

- 12 corn tortillas, 6 inch. Substitutes: flour tortillas (Softer and milder, and they won't crack)

### Toppings

- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar. Substitutes: lime juice (Softer and more citrusy)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 avocado
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems
- 1 lime

## Steps (in the fastest order for one cook)

1. [0:00] **Make brine** (Toppings): Stir 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp sugar and 1/2 tsp kosher salt in a small jar until dissolved. Add 1/2 red onion and press it under the liquid. _(4 min, hands-on, optional)_
2. [0:04] **Cut** (Crispy fish): Cut 1 1/2 lb cod fillets into 12 finger-size strips and pat them very dry. _(4 min, hands-on)_
   - Why: Dry fish takes a thin, even coating that fries up crisp.
3. [0:04] **Pickle** (Toppings): Let the onion pickle until bright pink and softened. _(20 min, hands-off, optional)_
4. [0:08] **Dredge** (Crispy fish): Mix 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tbsp cornstarch, 1 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp garlic powder and 1 tsp kosher salt in a shallow dish. Coat the strips and shake off the excess. _(4 min, hands-on)_
5. [0:12] **Toss** (Lime slaw): Thinly shred the cabbage, then toss it with 2 tbsp lime juice, 1 tbsp olive oil and 1/2 tsp kosher salt. _(5 min, hands-on)_
6. [0:17] **Sear** (Crispy fish): Heat 3 tbsp neutral oil in a large skillet until shimmering. Cook the fish in two batches until golden and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes per side. _(12 min, hands-on, medium-high)_
7. [0:17] **Rest** (Lime slaw): Let the slaw sit so the cabbage softens slightly and soaks up the lime. _(10 min, hands-off)_
8. [0:29] **Warm** (Tortillas): Heat 12 corn tortillas in a dry skillet, about 30 seconds per side, and stack them in a clean kitchen towel. _(6 min, hands-on, medium-high)_
   - Why: Heat makes corn tortillas pliable, and the towel keeps them soft.
9. [0:35] **Stir** (Chipotle crema): Stir 1/2 cup sour cream, 1 chipotle pepper, 1 tsp adobo sauce and 1 tbsp lime juice together. Season with salt and thin with a splash of water if needed. _(3 min, hands-on)_
10. [0:38] **Slice** (Toppings): Halve, pit and thinly slice 1 avocado. _(2 min, hands-on, optional)_
11. [0:40] **Chop** (Toppings): Roughly chop 1/4 cup fresh cilantro. _(1 min, hands-on, optional, critical path)_
12. [0:41] **Serve** (Crispy fish): Fill each tortilla with fish, slaw and a drizzle of crema, then add the toppings. Serve with 1 lime, cut into wedges. _(4 min, hands-on, critical path)_

## Graph

Each step lists the steps that must finish before it starts.

- cut (can start immediately)
- dredge after cut
- sear after dredge
- slaw (can start immediately)
- slaw-rest after slaw
- crema (can start immediately)
- warm-tortillas (can start immediately)
- brine (can start immediately)
- pickle after brine
- slice-avocado (can start immediately)
- chop-cilantro (can start immediately)
- serve after sear, slaw-rest, crema, warm-tortillas, pickle, slice-avocado, chop-cilantro

## Notes

- Use fillets at least 3/4 inch thick so the strips stay juicy while the coating crisps.
- A large air fryer may fit all the fish in one layer. If so, cook it in one batch for 9 to 10 minutes.
- Leftover pickled onions keep for 2 weeks in the fridge.

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Recipe graph by Dagwood (https://dagwood.blrbdigital.com). Licensed CC BY 4.0. JSON graph: https://dagwood.blrbdigital.com/r/fish-tacos.json