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Three baja fish tacos topped with slaw, cilantro, and creamy sauce are arranged on a tray with lime wedges. A bowl of slaw and a bowl of sauce are nearby.
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Baja Fish Tacos Recipe

Crackly beer-battered cod tucked into warm corn tortillas with smoky chipotle crema and cold lime slaw. This is the Baja fish taco worth clearing your schedule for.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 4 servings (2-3 tacos per person)
Calories: 681kcal
Author: Abi Gunasekaran

Equipment

Ingredients

Beer Batter

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup cold beer

Fish

  • 1½ lb white fish fillets cod, cut into 1-inch strips
  • Neutral oil for frying

Chipotle Crema

  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 chipotle pepper in adobo
  • 1 teaspoon adobo sauce
  • 2 small garlic cloves

Quick Coleslaw

  • 3 cups coleslaw mix
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

For Serving

  • 8-10 white corn tortillas
  • Lime wedges
  • Chopped cilantro

Instructions

Make the Crema

  • Blend mayonnaise, lime juice, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, and garlic until smooth. Refrigerate.
    A food processor bowl with mayonnaise, chipotle peppers, garlic, and sauce; nearby are cilantro, lime halves, tortillas, and a striped cloth.

Make the Coleslaw

  • Toss coleslaw mix with mayonnaise, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate.
    A bowl of coleslaw mix with a dollop of mayonnaise and a spoon, surrounded by lime halves, cilantro, tortillas, and a striped cloth.

Heat the Oil

  • Add neutral oil to a deep pot to 2–3 inches deep. Heat to 350°F.

Make the Batter

  • Whisk flour, baking powder, chili powder, salt, cumin, and pepper. Whisk in cold beer until smooth.
    A bowl of bubbling batter with a whisk rests on flour, surrounded by tortillas, lime halves, sliced waxy ingredient, and a striped cloth.

Fry the Fish

  • Pat fish completely dry. Dip each strip into the batter and let the excess drip off.
    A brown bowl filled with creamy batter and pieces of white fish, surrounded by tortillas, a halved lime, and a striped cloth.
  • Lower the fish carefully into the 350°F oil and fry in batches 2–4 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and crispy. Maintain 350°F between batches. Transfer to a wire rack.
    Golden battered fish pieces arranged on a cooling rack, with lime halves, cilantro, tortillas, and a striped cloth nearby.

Warm the Tortillas

  • Heat tortillas in a dry skillet 15–20 seconds per side. Wrap the cooked torillas in a towel to keep them warm.

Assemble

  • Build the tacos. Add coleslaw to your tortilla, top with fish, drizzle with chipotle crema. Serve with lime wedges and cilantro.
    Tray of fish tacos topped with slaw, chopped herbs, and creamy sauce, served with lime wedges and fresh cilantro on the side.
    • Double up the tortillas. Two corn tortillas per taco is the classic Baja move — it keeps everything from blowing out the bottom when the fish, slaw, and crema stack up. Warm them together in the skillet so they fuse slightly and act as one.

Notes

  • Dry fish completely before battering - moisture blows the crust off in the oil.
  • Fry in batches; oil below 325°F makes greasy fish.
  • Add more adobo for heat, use half a chipotle pepper for mild crema.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 681kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 17g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 1443mg | Potassium: 894mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 236IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 145mg | Iron: 4mg