Easy Healthy Fish Tacos

Made with perfectly seasoned fish, fresh cabbage slaw, and a creamy chipotle sauce, these Healthy Fish Tacos are not only easy to make, but they are also the most flavorful recipe for fish tacos ever!

While I love my recipe for Baked Salmon, Lemon Butter Cod, and Blackened Mahi Mahi, these Fish Tacos are my all-time favorite recipe for fish!

The Best Fish Taco Recipe

There are good fish tacos and there are great fish tacos. This is a recipe for GREAT fish tacos. As in likely, one of the best fish tacos you have ever had.

These Healthy Fish Tacos are made with perfectly seasoned white fish that is baked until flaky, which keeps the fish extremely juicy and moist.

But what makes these fish tacos TRULY stand out, is the toppings. They are topped with a crunchy, bright slaw that adds texture and freshness to the tacos and a creamy, slightly spicy chipotle sauce.

These fish tacos are EVERYTHING. Creamy, crunchy, spicy, acidic, bright, and flavorful. And best of all, they are so easy to make!

Key Ingredients

While it appears there are a lot of ingredients in these tacos, most are pantry staples. The dry spices, onions, mayonnaise, and limes you probably already have on hand. The fish, cabbage, and tortillas are the only ingredients you

• White Fish: Any white-flesh flaky fish works for the taco meat. Tilapia, Cod, or Haddock are all great options that are easy to find. Frozen fish is fine, just be sure to defrost fully and pat dry before adding the rub to the fillets.
• Dry Rub: The rub is key to the flavor of these tacos. It is made with dry seasonings you probably have in your pantry and the zest of a lime. The lime zest adds such a bright note to the fish--you do not want to overlook that ingredient.
• Slaw: Shredded cabbage, red onions, cilantro, and lime juice are the perfect mixture to create a fresh touch to these tacos. You can use a bag of coleslaw mix to make the slaw or shred the cabbage yourself, which is a money saver!
• Chipotle Sauce: This creamy, spicy sauce is a delicious finishing touch to these tacos. Made with mayonnaise (or Greek yogurt), lime juice, and the liquid from canned chipotles, it is a simple sauce that takes minutes to make and adds incredible flavor to the tacos. Money-Saving Tip: If you do not have canned chipotle peppers, use Sriracha or your favorite hot sauce in their place. If you do have chipotles, be sure to freeze the leftover contents of the can to use for future recipes.
• Tortillas: Use your favorite tortilla to serve these fish tacos. Corn tortillas are traditional, but any variety works, even homemade flour tortillas.

How To Make Fish Tacos

The process for making these tacos is simple and takes about 30 minutes, making these tacos a perfect wholesome 30-minute family meal that can and should be enjoyed any night of the week.

Maximize your prep time by using the time the fish is baking to prepare the slaw and the chipotle sauce. Then it is as simple as assembling the fish tacos and digging into perfection!

• Prepare the dry rub by mixing together the zest of lime, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper together. Be sure to wash and dry your lime BEFORE zesting and only use the bright green zest from the lime. 

• Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper to keep the fish from sticking to the pan.
• Pat the fish fillets dry and then rub the spice rub evenly over both sides of the fillets.
• Place the seasoned fish on the sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil. This will help to keep the fish moist while baking. 

• Bake until the fish is flaky.
• While the fish is baking, combine the cabbage, onions, and cilantro with salt, lime juice, and olive oil. Cover and refrigerate while the fish is baking.

• For the chipotle topping, combine the mayo with chipotle sauce, lime juice, garlic powder, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
• Toast the tortillas by placing the tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat and cooking them each for about 30 seconds per side.
• Remove the fish from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. After resting, cut the baked fish into bite-size chunks.
• Assemble the tacos by placing the fish on top of the toasted tortillas. Top with slaw and a dollop of chipotle sauce and serve immediately.

Serving Suggestions

These Healthy Baked Fish Tacos are always a huge family hit, especially when served with Pineapple Rice or Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice. While the slaw and chipotle sauce are delicious accompaniments to the tacos, try topping them with Pineapple Mango Salsa or Corn Salsa, for a delicious spin on these fish tacos.

Storage and Reheating Instructions

Fish tacos are best served immediately after preparation, as fish can dry out after it has been refrigerated and reheated. However, if you happen to have leftovers, you can refrigerate the slaw and fish in separate airtight containers for up to 48 hours.

Reheat by placing the fish in a dry skillet and heat over medium heat until warm. Squeeze fresh lime juice over the heated fish and serve with slaw.

Lower Fat Fish Tacos

Because the fish is baked, not fried, these tacos are already healthier than most recipes for fish tacos. You can lighten them up more by using Greek yogurt in place of the mayonnaise in the chipotle cream topping or skipping it altogether.

More Favorite Taco Recipes

• Black Bean Tacos
• Classic Beef Tacos
• Shrimp Tacos
• Buffalo Chicken Tacos
• Cauliflower Tacos
• Instant Pot Chicken Tacos
• Lentil Tacos

These delicious fish tacos make an easy, light, and refreshing dinner! I hope you give them a try and be sure to leave a review below letting everyone know how you liked them!