Mexican
Grilled Fish Tacos
Chili-rubbed cod is grilled until it flakes at 145°F and tucked into warm corn tortillas with cabbage and a chipotle crema. Lime is squeezed on at the table.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Total
- 32 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- A short spice rub seasons the fish without a marinade that makes it fall apart.
- Grilling over direct heat gives color before the center hits 145°F.
- Corn tortillas stay pliable if they are warmed in a dry pan.
- Cabbage adds crunch so the tacos are not only soft fish and sauce.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Heat a grill to medium-high, about 425°F. Oil the grates.
- 2
Pat the cod dry. Coat it with olive oil, chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- 3
Grill the fish 3 to 5 minutes per side until it flakes and the thickest part reaches 145°F.
- 4
Stir the sour cream with the chipotle and a pinch of salt.
- 5
Warm the corn tortillas on the grill for about 20 seconds per side until soft.
- 6
Break the fish into large pieces and divide it among the tortillas with cabbage, crema, and cilantro.
- 7
Serve with lime wedges.
Pro tips
- If the fillets are thin, use a grill basket so they do not fall through.
- Cod is done as soon as it hits 145°F; it dries out if left on the grill.
- Toss the cabbage with a squeeze of lime if you want it less raw.
Easy substitutions
- cod fillets
- mahi-mahi fillets, still cooked to 145°F
- sour cream
- plain Greek yogurt
- green cabbage
- red cabbage
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate the fish, slaw, and crema separately up to 2 days.
Reheating
Warm the fish in a 300°F oven until it reaches 145°F, then rebuild the tacos.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 440
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
Moderate · Grill · Gluten-Free, High Protein
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From the kitchen
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A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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