20 Minute Baked Fish Tacos with Slaw

You can have these hearty baked fish tacos with slaw on the table in less than 20 minutes with just a few simple ingredients! Skip the heavy, greasy, fried fish tacos for the fresh flavors of this baked fish taco recipe.

You Will Love These

• They’re quick and easy. 5 minutes of prep + 15 minutes of baking means you can have a healthy, satisfying dinner on the table in less than 20 minutes!
• The ingredient list is short and sweet. And you might have most of the ingredients in your kitchen already!
• The flavors are out of this world. The classic spices and tender, flaky white fish are perfectly balanced with the cool, creamy chipotle lime sauce. Add some 5 Minute Cilantro Lime Slaw for crunch and a sprinkle of fresh chopped cilantro to bring it all together!
• There’s no frying required. I love a good fried fish taco as much as the next girl, but I hate the way it makes my kitchen smell! In this recipe, you can let your oven do all the work! Which means you’ll replace that fried vegetable oil smell with fragrant spices.
• If you liked these fish tacos with slaw, be sure to check out my Blackened Salmon Tacos, Lemon Butter Fish Spaghetti, and Easy Salmon Burgers.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Cod – Cod is the perfect mild white fish for these fish tacos. But feel free to use your favorite flaky white fish. Shrimp would also be delicious in place of the fish!
• Spices – Cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and coriander are my favorites for fish tacos. Feel free to add cayenne or paprika if you’d like. You could also use a packet of taco seasoning in place of the spices.
• Tortillas – Corn or flour tortillas will work well for this recipe. Use whatever your family likes best. You can also skip the tortillas and make burrito bowls by adding rice instead!
• Chipotle Lime Cream Sauce – This simple sauce is made with sour cream (or Greek yogurt), mayo, chipotles in adobo, and lime juice for a simple drizzle that ties everything together!
• 5 Minute Cilantro Lime Slaw – This fish taco slaw comes together in just 5 minutes with a handful of simple ingredients which means you can make it while the fish is baking. It’s my favorite crunchy accompaniment and it pairs perfectly with the tender, flaky fish. You can slice fresh cabbage/carrots for the slaw or save even more time with a pre-made coleslaw mix.

Instructions

Pat fish dry with paper towel. Add the fish to your baking dish, skillet, or baking sheet. I love cast iron for these fish tacos but if you’re using a baking sheet, feel free to line it with parchment paper for easy clean up. Drizzle the fish fillets with olive oil.

Season fish with spices.

Gently rub the the seasoning into the fish.

Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

While the fish is baking, whisk sour cream, mayo, chiles, lime juice, and water in a small bowl until smooth and creamy. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Then throw together the fish taco slaw!

Serve With

• corn/flour tortillas
• Cilantro Lime Slaw
• Creamy Avocado Sauce
• fresh cilantro
• chipotle lime cream sauce (recipe below)
• sliced avocado
• diced red onion
• crema
• sliced radishes
• lime wedges

Best Kind of Fish

Any mild white fish will work great for fish tacos with slaw. But I like to use:

• cod
• haddock
• tilapia
• snapper
• grouper
• mahi mahi
• halibut

Tips

• Season. Season. Season. Don’t be afraid of salt. While we do have a lot of other spices going on in these baked fish tacos, salt is going to the key ingredient that brings out all the delicious flavors of every element. So use it moderately – and especially use it in the creamy chipotle lime sauce!
• Don’t go overboard with the taco toppings. Honestly, my 5 Minute Cilantro Lime Slaw Recipe is all you need! I love a variety of colors, flavors and textures in my but it’s important to keep it relatively simple or the delicious, tender fish is going to get lost. Try to keep it to fresh veggies and creamy sauce.

FAQ

More Easy Seafood Recipes

This post was originally published in June of 2018. It was updated in September of 2020 to include process shots, detailed instructions, and tips for making the best fish tacos every single time!