Description
These vibrant Fish Tacos feature tender, spiced tilapia fillets air-fried to flaky perfection, served on charred corn tortillas with a tangy cilantro lime crema and crisp coleslaw. Packed with fresh flavors from lime, avocado, cilantro, and a touch of smoky heat, this quick and easy recipe takes just 28 minutes and makes for a perfect, crowd-pleasing meal.
Ingredients
Fish and Seasoning
- 1–1½ pounds tilapia fillets (about 3–6 fillets, fresh or frozen, thawed)
- ½ tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Avocado oil spray
Coleslaw
- ½ - 1 10-ounce package coleslaw (or finely shredded cabbage mix, about 1½–2 cups)
- ¼ small red/purple cabbage, shredded (Optional; if not using, use a full 10-ounce package of coleslaw)
- ½ cup sour cream (regular or low-fat)
- ⅓ cup full-fat mayonnaise
- 2 limes (1 zested, both juiced)
- 1 cup fresh cilantro (roughly chopped)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 1½ teaspoons Cholula hot sauce (or to taste)
To Serve and Garnish
- 8 corn tortillas (corn, flour, or grain-free)
- 1 avocado (sliced thin)
- 1-2 Roma tomatoes (diced)
- 1 cup cotija cheese (about 4 ounces, grated)
- 1 lime cut into wedges (about one per taco)
- Fresh or pickled jalapenos
Instructions
- Make the sauce: In a high-speed blender or food processor, combine mayonnaise, lime zest, juice from both limes, cilantro, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and Cholula hot sauce. Blend until smooth, then add sour cream and pulse until just combined. Taste and adjust lime juice or hot sauce as needed. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve to let flavors meld.
- Make coleslaw: In a medium bowl, toss together the cabbage and shredded red/purple cabbage (if using) with about ½ cup of the prepared coleslaw sauce. Reserve the remaining sauce for serving. Chill the coleslaw in the fridge until ready to serve.
- Prepare the seasoning and fish: If frozen, thaw the tilapia according to package instructions. Pat dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, mix chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and kosher salt. Rub the spice blend evenly over both sides of each fillet.
- Air-fry the tilapia: Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 10 minutes. Lightly spray both sides of the fillets with avocado oil and press the spice mixture in to adhere. Place the fillets in a single layer in the air fryer basket (2-3 at a time) and spritz the basket with oil. Cook for 7–10 minutes until fish flakes easily or reaches 145°F internally. Remove and repeat with remaining fillets.
- Rest and break the fish: Transfer cooked tilapia to a plate and use a fork to break it into large chunks. Taste and add additional salt if needed.
- Char the tortillas: Over a gas stove flame on medium-high, char each tortilla turning every 20–30 seconds until lightly charred and pliable. Alternatively, toast each tortilla in a dry cast iron skillet over medium-high heat for 30–45 seconds per side. Keep wrapped in a clean towel to stay warm.
- Assemble and serve: Place a generous portion of coleslaw on each warmed tortilla, top with chunks of tilapia (2–3 pieces per taco), then add sliced avocado, diced tomatoes, cotija cheese, and optionally pickled jalapenos. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime. Drizzle with cilantro lime crema and serve immediately. Enjoy with plenty of napkins!
Notes
- If cooking fish from frozen, make sure to thaw completely for best results or adjust cooking time accordingly.
- Coleslaw sauce can be made ahead; flavors improve after resting in the fridge.
- You can char tortillas over a gas flame or use a dry skillet; warming tortillas keeps them pliable for folding.
- Adjust spice level by adding more or less chili powder and hot sauce to taste.
- For a lower fat version, use low-fat sour cream and mayonnaise or reduce amounts slightly.
- Substitute cotija cheese with feta or queso fresco if unavailable.
- Serving suggestion: add fresh or pickled jalapenos for extra heat and crunch.
