Crispy beer battered fish tossed in a tortilla with colorful slaw and smoky chipotle crema — these are the perfect fish tacos.
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PrintBeer Battered Fish Tacos with Chipotle Crema
Crispy beer battered fish tossed in a tortilla with colorful slaw and smoky chipotle crema — these are the perfect fish tacos.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 tacos 1x
Ingredients
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For the chipotle crema:
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2–3 tablespoons adobo sauce, from 1 can chipotles en adobo
- 1 tablespoon lime juice, from about ½ lime
- Kosher salt and black pepper
For the slaw:
- ½ small head red or green cabbage, shredded
- ½ bunch cilantro, chopped
- 4 green onions, sliced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lime juice, from about 1 lime
- ½ tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the fish:
- 8 ounces cod (or other whitefish), patted dry
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- Spices of choice, measured with your heart*
- 6–8 ounces dark Mexican beer (I used Modelo Negra)
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Neutral oil, for frying
For serving:
- Tortillas, warmed
- Sliced avocado
- More chopped cilantro
- More beer 😉
Instructions
- Make the chipotle crema: In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt or sour cream, mayonnaise, adobo sauce, lime juice, salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Make the slaw: In a medium bowl, combine the cabbage, cilantro, green onion, and jalapeno. Add the lime juice, vinegar, sugar, and salt. Use your hands to toss the mixture together, working the salt and sugar into the vegetables until it feels dissolved. The cabbage should change color slightly and start to look a little pickled. Set aside.
- Heat the oil: In a large, high-sided skillet or pot, heat about 2-3 inches of neutral oil while you prepare your fish.
- Make the flour dredge and beer batter: In a shallow bowl, whisk together the flour and your spices of choice. Transfer about half of the flour mixture into a separate shallow bowl and whisk in the beer. The batter should be about the consistency of thick cream.
- Prepare the fish: Cut the fish into appropriately sized pieces (use your best judgment) and season both sides with salt and pepper. Dredge the fish in the dry flour mixture, coating all sides evenly, then shake off the excess and coat in the beer batter.
- Test the oil and fry the fish: Test the oil by dropping a small amount of flour into the skillet. If it sizzles and pops, the oil is ready. Gently lower the battered fish into the hot oil and fry, flipping halfway if needed, for about 2 minutes on each side, or until the batter is crispy and golden-brown. Do not overcrowd the pan; work in batches if necessary. Transfer fish to a plate lined with paper towel to drain excess oil.
- Assemble the tacos: Into a warmed tortilla, pile the fish, slaw, crema, avocado slices, and a sprinkle of extra cilantro. Dig in, preferably with a cold Mexican beer alongside.
Notes
- You can use whatever spices you like in the flour mixture, but I used a combination of chipotle chile powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, garlic powder and onion powder.
More Mexican-inspired recipes:
Crispy Air Fryer Avocado Tacos
30-Minute Black Bean Soup
Mexican Street Corn Enchiladas
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