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Oh hey!! Welcome to Taco Tuesday!!
I know I typically do something of the sweeter variety on Tuesday, but I’m throwing you guys a curve ball today. And hey, we are making tacos!! I mean, it’s Cinco de Mayo week, so I’m thinking extra tacos are surely in order!
These tacos though? They are particularly special. Two words: beer battered.
OMG. This is going to be SO good!
So you guys, I make a lot of tacos. Some of them you see and some of them you don’t. I feel like I’ve made Baja fish tacos a million times, but then the other day I realized that I’ve never shared one of my favorite recipes with you guys. Obviously that had to change, and ASAP.
For the longest time I had it in my head that all white fish was just boring. I blame my dad, he used to say he wasn’t really a huge fan of white fish and how he thought it was kind of boring. For a while I listened to him and cooked only salmon and occasionally some shrimp. Don’t you just hate how parents have the ability to make us think certain foods are no good? Life lesson: try everything once and then let yourself be the judge! Man, I should probably listen to my own advice more. I can give it, but actually following it? That’s another story. 🙁
Anyway, then came the day when I discovered fried fish. Suddenly my theory that white meat fish was boring was no longer rational.
Granted the fish is fried, that right there is a major factor in some of the deliciousness in this recipe. But my point here is, these days I regularly serve up white meat fish… fried, grilled, oven baked, whatever… I like it all!
I gotta say though, Mahi Mahi is my all time favorite when it comes to white fish. So that’s what I like to use in my Baja fish tacos. Really any white meat fish you choose would be fine though.
PS. these are probably dad’s favorite taco recipe. Ha, white fish fear be gone!!
Ok, so fish talk aside…how fun is the name Baja?!?! I kind of love saying it. It makes me feel like I’m in a tropical place…even though there’s snow outside.
Ugh.
I need all the Baja fish tacos please!!
Baja California is actually a Mexican state on the Baja Peninsula. It borders California and umm according to Wikipedia, the landscape spans mountains and beaches on the Pacific Ocean and Gulf of California. PLEASE… take me there!! 🙂
OKok, I am going to be serious now.
Tacos!
Aside from the annoyance of frying, these tacos are pretty simple and fast to throw together and it’s not a deep fry, so the frying part really isn’t even that bad. Here’s how it goes…
…season the fish lightly with some chili powder, salt and pepper.
…then dip it through a beer batter.
…fry the battered fish until golden perfection.
…sprinkle the fried fish with some flaky sea salt and a zest of lime.
…mix together a quick chipotle mango salsa.
…combine everything in a warmed corn or flour tortilla….add a little cheese (obviously).
…eat all the tacos and have a happy fiesta kind of Tuesday (or Thursday if you plan to make them for Cinco de Mayo).
Yum, right? And pretty simple too, right?
You guys got this, it’s Baja style taco time!
Oh, and don’t forget the chips and guac…only way to do up tacos right! 🙂
Baja Fish Tacos with Chipotle Mango Salsa.
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories Per Serving: 739 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds white fish cut into 1 inch chunks (I used mahi mahi)
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup light beer
- vegetable oil or canola oil for frying
- soft flour or corn tortillas warmed
- shredded cheddar or cotija cheese crumbled
- shredded lettuce fresh cilantro and yogurt, for serving
Chipotle Mango Salsa
- 1 ripe mango diced
- 1 ripe but firm avocado, diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo chopped
- juice from 1 lime
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- salt to taste
Creamy Tomatillo Sauce
- 6 tomatillos skins removed
- 2 jalapenos halved + seeded if desired
- 1 cup fresh cilantro
- 1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
- 1/2 ripe avocado
- juice from 1 lime
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat 1-2 inches of oil in a medium pot over medium heat until a deep fry thermometer reaches 375 degrees F.
- Toss the fish with the chili powder. Add the flour, baking powder and beer to a bowl, stir until just combined. Once the oil is hot, dip the fish in the beer batter, then fry in batches until golden and just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Season with salt and lime zest.
- Divide the fish among the warmed tacos shells and top with shredded lettuce, salsa (recipe below) and cheese. EAT!
Chipotle Mango Salsa
- In a bowl, combine all the ingredients. Taste and adjust spiciness and salt as needed. Serve with the tacos
Creamy Tomatillo Sauce
- Preheat the broiler to high. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Add the peeled tomatillos and place under the broiler for 3-5 minutes, turning once or twice or until the tomatillos are mostly charred all over. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Then add the charred tomatillos and the remaining ingredients to a blender or food processor. Pure until smooth and adjust salt as needed. Sauce with will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Only thing missing is that margarita…maybe on Thursday?!?!?
Fish tacos are the best and I love that mango salsa!
I love them!! Thanks Laura!!
That looks great for dinner tonight
Thanks Viola!
You should open a restaurant Tieghan. People would line up for miles for these tacos! Happy Taco Tuesday indeed!
(: That’s so nice! Maybe I will some day!! Thank you!
Baja fish tacos are everywhere around here in San Diego, so my main problem is not finding them but eating them too often! Beer-battered anything and I’m in heaven.
The traditional version includes only corn tortillas (two, that is, doubled up for thickness), fish, shredded cabbage, Mexican crema sauce, a simple salsa, and a squeeze of fresh lime. Very simple, and boy so delicious.
That being said, just one look at your more dressed-up version has me salivating! The mango and tomatillo flavors are terrific ideas for additions. The only thing I just can’t do is the lettuce– on other tacos, yes, but I just gotta have cabbage on my fish tacos!
Thanks for the great ideas– I’ll be using them! Beautiful photography too!
Those sound amazing!! I’m so happy you think mine look good! I totally get the lettuce! Once you have a taste for Cabbage on your tacos its a must!
Thanks Marcia!
That mango salsa looks amazing!
Thank you Kari!!
those blackened tortillas look divine! this looks great T
Thanks Christine!! (:
I love the add of the chipotle to the mango salsa!! These tacos look and sound amazing!!
Thanks Deborah! Hope you get to try them!
You’ve got so many great Mexican inspired recipes. Mango and fish are a great combination. I’m assuming you just mix everything in a food processor for the creamy tomatilla sauce?
Hi! Thank you!! Yes I throw it all in the food processor or a blender!
We’re having a taco tuesday today too and these would be so perfect! Omg, that salsa looks incredible, I so wanna try!!!
Sounds like fun Tori! Maybe next taco Tuesday! Thanks!!
I’ve always been a bit leery of Baja fish (because of the dubious fishing record…), but I could see this recipe being nice with another white fish like halibut or catfish? I love me some fried catfish. Great combo!
I think any of those fish would be delicious! Let me know how it goes!
Can every Tuesday be taco Tuesday? I’ve been looking for a new fish taco recipe and this is definitely it. Yum!
I agree!! I hope you love it!
I have some white fish waiting to be eaten in the fridge… Maybe on Thursday with that margarita? 😀
Sounds pretty perfect to me!!
I can’t do fish or seafood but I bet they would be good with chicken.
Same with my brothers! I think they would be great!
We made shrimp tacos with mango salsa not too long ago, but I just can’t wait to have it again! Although next time we’ll have to try this breaded white fish, yum!
I hope you guys do!! And hope you love them! Thanks!
oooh, i know what you mean about how parents influence your tastebuds- for the longest time, i thought orange zest was nasty because my mom hates it. anyways, these tacos sound amazing! especially the mango salsa (the last taco i had was from del taco, dressed in a salsa that was decidedly less delicious and less fresh than this salsa seems like it would be).
Haha! Right? It’s funny how much it influences us!
Thanks Heather I hope you get to try them!