If you have never made them before, prepare to be converted! Fish tacos make for a quick, simple, and totally delicious lunch. Coating the fish in crushed tortillas helps keep the coating super crunchy. Pairing the tacos with a light yet creamy fennel coleslaw is a great combination. Served with your usual taco sides, this is a colourful, healthy and tasty dish.
Freshest of fish – what a treat
During a holiday in Belize, we went out fishing early with a local guide. Whilst it wasn’t the most successful trip in terms of the number of fish caught, we had a lot of fun and didn’t return to shore empty-handed. More importantly, we ended up with the most tasty and freshest lunch of our trip. Fish filleted on the dock, coated in crushed tortillas, and eaten in fresh tacos with the best avocados. Lasting memories of a great trip.
Tortilla-crumbed fish tacos
Tortilla chips are a great coating for a number of things. I will often use crushed up tortilla chips instead of Panko breadcrumbs. There’s always some broken chips at the bottom of the bag! Be sure to seal the bag tightly, and when I’m ready to use them, I crush them further with a rolling pin and then use them as you would breadcrumbs. They make a great coating for a flattened-out chicken breast. I find that having an element of crispiness already adds extra crunch to the coating. Being gluten-free, they also ensure all your guests are catered for.
Fennel and fish: the perfect flavour combination
I love to pair fish with fennel – see the recipe list below. Not only does the flavour complement the fish in this fish taco recipe, but it adds a different layer to the sensory crunch when you bite into the tacos. Going light on the dressing and mixing it with half mayonnaise and half yoghurt, ensures you don’t overwhelm the delicate fish.
Other fish and fennel recipes on the blog
See below for a list of other fish as well as recipes on my blog:
- Mediterranean fish, seafood and fennel stew
- Caponata and cod ‘en papillote’
- Cod, chorizo and lentil stew
- Shaved fennel and rocket salad
Honestly? It’s really up to you. You could use any white fish or salmon. You just need a fleshy fish and one that will hold together as much as possible. Therefore, cod, haddock or pollock are good options in the UK.
You can definitely substitute the tortilla chips for panko breadcrumbs. Whatever you have to hand. Just be aware of any dietary requirements – ie. Tortillas are gluten-free.
They will hold their crunch for a while in a tightly sealed container; up to a month is fine.
Fish tacos with fennel coleslaw
Ingredients
Fish Tacos
- 600 g white fish such as haddock or pollock (frozen fish, fully defrosted, is fine)
- 1 egg beaten
- 4 tbsp flour seasoned
- 100 g tortilla crisps crushed finely
- 1 tsp smoked paprika or paprika
- 2 tbsp light olive oil
Fennel coleslaw
- 1/2 fennel bulb very finely sliced
- 1/4 white cabbage
- 1 carrot grated
- 4 spring onions finely sliced
- 2 limes 1 juiced and 1 wedged
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 4 tbsp Greek yoghurt
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
To Serve
- 12 corn or flour tortillas warmed
- 1 avocado diced to serve
Instructions
- Pat your fish dry with kitchen paper and cut into strips roughly 3cm/1" wide.
- Crush your tortillas in a bag with a rolling pin (or something similar) until they become a fine crumb.
- Take 3 medium plates, add your beaten egg to one, the seasoned flour to the second, and finally the crushed tortillas mixed with a teaspoon of paprika to the final plate.
- First, coat your fish fillets in the flour, then dip them in the beaten egg, and finally coat them in the tortilla crumb. I usually use only one hand when touching the egg mix, otherwise you get yourself into a sticky mess! Put the coated fish to one side on a plate, and repeat until all the fillet strips are done. Pop them in the fridge whilst you prepare the coleslaw.
- Slice the fennel as thinly as you can (use a mandolin carefully if you wish), and do the same with the white cabbage. Grate the carrot and add all the raw vegetables to a large bowl. Add the juice of one lime, the mayonnaise, yoghurt, mustard, along with some seasoning, and give everything a good mix. Place in the fridge until ready to serve.
- To cook your fish, add the olive oil to a large non-stick frying pan. Once hot, add in your fish fillets. Don't crowd the pan. Fry each side for around 3 minutes until cooked through and golden, then drain on kitchen paper.
- Once the fish is ready, serve it alongside warm corn tacos, your bowl of coleslaw, diced avocado, wedges of lime, and any other accompaniments you would like. Siracha sauce is often a favourite in our house, bringing a little chilli spice to the dish.
Notes
- You could use any white fish or salmon for this recipe. You just need a fleshy fish and one that will hold together as much as possible. Therefore, cod, haddock or pollock are good options in the UK.
- You can substitute the tortilla chips in this recipe for panko breadcrumbs. Just be aware of any dietary requirements – ie. tortillas are gluten-free.