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three fish tacos in corn tortillas on white platter

The Best Fish Tacos

Yield: 12 tacos
Prep Time: 50 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

Fish:

  • 2 pounds white fish, like tilapia, cod, rockfish or halibut
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup fresh lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon coarse, kosher salt, use a bit less if using table salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper, more or less to taste

Sauce:

  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 teaspoons sriracha sauce
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Tortillas + Toppings:

  • 12 (6-inch) corn or flour tortillas
  • finely shredded cabbage
  • fresh cilantro
  • diced avocados
  • pico de gallo (see note)
  • Cotija or queso fresco cheese
  • lime wedges

Instructions 

  • Place fish in shallow dish or ziploc bag.
  • Whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt and cayenne. Pour the marinade over the fish and toss to coat all sides of the fish. Cover and place in the refrigerator to marinate for 30-45 minutes.
  • For the sauce, whisk together all the ingredients until well-combined. Refrigerate until ready to use. The sauce can be made several days in advance.
  • While the fish marinates, prep/chop the toppings.
  • Cook the fish using a grill, air fryer, oven or stovetop. Timing will depend on the thickness of the fish and exact temperature. Keep a close eye on the fish and cook until it easily flakes with a fork and is no longer translucent/raw in the center. An instant-read thermometer should register 140 degrees F at the thickest part.
    Grill: preheat a grill to medium-high, lightly oil the grates (or use a grill basket), and cook the fish for 2-3 minutes per side.
    Air Fryer: preheat an air fryer to 370 degrees for 2-3 minutes. Lightly grease insert of air fryer. Add fish in a single layer and cook for 6-7 minutes.
    Oven: preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking dish with aluminum foil and lightly grease with cooking spray. Add fish in a single layer and bake for 3-5 minutes per side.
    Stovetop: heat 1-2 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the fish in a single layer (don't crowd the pan; may need to cook in batches), and cook for 3-4 minutes per side.
    After cooking, season to taste with additional salt and pepper!
  • Serve the fish on warmed corn or flour tortillas piled high with toppings and drizzled with sauce.

Notes

Pico de gallo: I usually just throw together chopped tomatoes, finely diced jalapeno, fresh cilantro, finely diced onions or shallots and toss with fresh lime juice and salt.