Effortless Crispy Fish Tacos (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Breaded Fish Ingredients

01 - 2 pounds of firm white fish like haddock, cod, walleye, or mahi mahi
02 - 1 cup all-purpose flour, or gluten-free if needed
03 - 2 teaspoons ground cumin
04 - 2 teaspoons chili powder
05 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
06 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
07 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt, split into two portions
08 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, split
09 - 4 tablespoons cooking oil, such as avocado, peanut, safflower, or canola

→ Cilantro Lime Slaw Ingredients

10 - 3/4 cup sour cream
11 - 1/4 cup mayonnaise
12 - 2 garlic cloves
13 - Juice of 1–2 limes
14 - 1–2 jalapenos with seeds and inside membranes removed
15 - 1/2 teaspoon sugar, or swap with honey or agave
16 - 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
17 - 1/4 teaspoon salt—adjust to your liking
18 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper—adjust to taste
19 - 8 cups of shredded cabbage, or a bag of coleslaw mix

→ For the Tacos

20 - 1 package of corn tortillas (or soft flour tortillas if gluten doesn't matter)
21 - Optional: tomatoes, salsa, hot sauce, guacamole, diced avocado, or peppers

# Instructions:

01 - Take the fish fillets and cut them into pieces about an inch thick and 3-4 inches long (aim for tortilla-sized portions). Pat dry using a paper towel to keep them from turning soggy instead of crispy. If you're using fish that's freshly caught, be sure to take out any remaining bones.
02 - Grab a small bowl and combine the flour, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, half the salt, and half the pepper. Stir until everything looks even and well-blended.
03 - Place the fish onto a plate or shallow dish, then sprinkle the flour mixture all over. Turn each slice so they're fully coated. Shake off any extra flour and set them aside for cooking.
04 - Heat a skillet over medium-high and pour in 2 tablespoons of oil. Once the oil's hot enough to make the fish sizzle upon contact, drop in some fish slices. Cook them undisturbed for about 4-5 minutes on one side. Flip carefully and let them fry for another 4-5 minutes or until nicely golden.
05 - Move the cooked fish to a plate lined with some paper towels to soak up excess grease. Sprinkle the remaining kosher salt on top. Repeat the process for the second batch of fish, adding extra oil to the pan as needed.
06 - In a food processor or blender, throw in the sour cream, mayo, garlic, jalapenos, lime juice, sugar, cilantro, and some salt and pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy.
07 - In a big mixing bowl, toss the shredded cabbage with the blended cilantro lime dressing. Stir well so everything is coated. You can prep this a few hours ahead or even the day before and stash it in the fridge until you’re ready to eat.
08 - Warm up the tortillas. Stack the fish pieces inside, add the cabbage slaw, and pile on any of the toppings you like to use.

# Notes:

01 - Fish is properly cooked when its internal temperature hits 145°F. Use a food thermometer to double-check.
02 - Hot oil is key for crispy fish. If the oil is cold, the fish might soak up too much and become greasy.
03 - Removing the seeds and membranes from jalapeños keeps the spice level manageable. If it’s still too hot, sprinkle a bit more sugar to tone it down.
04 - Make the slaw early and refrigerate it for up to 48 hours to save time later.

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