These oven baked fish tacos are bursting with flavour! The fish has a nice crispy coating, there’s lots of fresh garnish and it’s all topped with a spicy and smoky chipotle sauce. Plus, these baked fish tacos are on the table in under 25 minutes!
Today I’m bringing you an easy fish taco recipe. These are unreal. The fish is so crispy and delicious, and the sauce has a lovely smoky and spicy flavour. I think I could honestly devour the entire batch of sauce as is. Seriously. But that would be way inappropriate, and then there would be none left for the tacos and that would be a shame (I kid, I kid)!
How To Make Them
- Cut fillets into pieces.
- Dredge in spice mixture.
- Dip into egg mixture.
- Dredge in cornflake mixture and press to adhere.
- Bake fish and assemble tacos.
That’s pretty much the basics of this tilapia taco recipe (full details are in the recipe card below).
Chipotle Sauce
Now for these tilapia fish tacos, you’re gonna want a delicious sauce, right? Well this chipotle sauce recipe is really really good!
Initially, I intended to make a chipotle mango sauce for this recipe, but when I started to peel the perfectly firm and ripe mango it was brown on the inside. Bummer. I guess that’s all you can do when you live on an island and much of the province’s food has to be shipped in from elsewhere.
Now, it’s not what you may be thinking; it’s not an island like in the Caribbean or something where there are loads of white sandy beaches and turquoise blue oceans all romantical and stuff.
Despite not living in the Caribbean, I really love where I live. We have lots of trees and obviously surrounded by water, but it can get cold. And I think we have like 2 weeks of warm summer weather, that’s if we’re lucky. What we don’t have in weather we make up for in beautiful scenery, a rich culture and unique food.
All this and, not to mention, if you aren’t from here and you visit you can get “screeched in” where there’s a whole process involving you kissing a cod. Yep, pucker up, baby! Don’t worry, it’s followed by a nice shot of rum. Ha!
Anyhow, onto this easy chipotle sauce for those delicious fish tacos.
So to make this fish taco sauce you simply place all the ingredients (mayonnaise, yogurt, chipotle peppers, lime and salt) in a food processor and process until smooth. Nothing to it!
If you don’t want to mess with making a sauce, you can certainly use salsa or your favourite hot sauce instead.
Tips and Variations
For these tacos, tilapia was used because I like the texture and firmness of it. Cod is another great option.
Make the sauce for tacos as spicy as you like. If you want more spice, add a little more chipotle or adobo sauce. If you like it less spicy, add less.
Don’t have cornflake crumbs? Use panko bread crumbs! These oven baked fish tacos will still be crispy, golden and delicious!
Garnish Ideas for Fish Tacos
- Chipotle Sauce (as above)
- Chopped cilantro
- Sliced red onion or pickled onion
- Diced or sliced avocado or guacamole
- A good squeeze of fresh lime
More Yummy Recipes
If you try these baked fish tacos, be sure to leave a comment below!
Oven Baked Fish Tacos
Ingredients
Chipotle Sauce
- ¼ cup light mayonnaise
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice, from about ½ of a lime
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Tacos
- 2 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets (boneless and skinless)
- 1.5 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1.5 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup cornflake crumbs
- 6 flour tortillas, warmed according to package instructions
- Cooking spray, to grease sheet pan and fish
Garnish and Serving Ideas (optional)
- Red onion, thinly sliced
- Red cabbage, thinly sliced
- Avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and sliced
- Jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced
- Cilantro, roughly chopped
- Lime wedges
Instructions
Chipotle Sauce
- Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process to combine. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Tacos
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahreneheit.
- Carefully cut each fish fillet into about 6 strips. Should have about 12 strips (pieces) in total, roughly.
- Get you dredging station ready: In a shallow dish, mix together cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, black pepper and chili power. Then, whisk egg in a bowl. Finally, place cornflake crumbs on a shallow plate.
- Start dredging your fish. Dredge each fish strip in spice mixture, shaking off excess. Then, dip into egg mixture, again shaking off excess. Finally, dredge in cornflakes, pressing to adhere.
- Spray a sheet pan with cooking spray. Spread fish strips out onto pan and spray them with cooking spray (optional).
- Bake for 10 minutes; turn fish and bake for 2 minutes more or until fish is cooked through, is opaque and flakes easily with a fork (insert the tines of a fork into the thickest part of the fish at an angle and twist gently; it should flake easily). Once done, remove from the oven.
- Meanwhile, while fish is cooking in the oven, you can warm the tortillas in a dry cast-iron pan over medium heat (optional) or per package instructions.
- To assemble tacos, place two strips of fish in each taco, garnish (as desired) and drizzle with chipotle sauce. Serve immediately with lime wedges (if using). Enjoy!
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
© Girl Heart Food Inc. Photographs and content are copyright protected.
Tried this recipe?
If you do make this recipe, thank you!! It would mean so much if you could leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed it, and it helps other readers too!
Miriam - londonkitchendiaries.com says
The chipotle sauce sounds delicious – what a lovely combination with the tacos and fish.
Girl Heart Food says
Thanks so much, Miriam! One of my new favourite recipes for sure 🙂
Mary says
I LOVE fish tacos and now I’m intrigued about that tasty sauce. These look great 🙂
Girl Heart Food says
Thanks so much, Mary! Appreciate the comments 🙂
Jolina - The Unlikely Baker says
Ok somebody has to rule that it has to be Taco Everyday 🙂 Fish tacos are our go-to dinner and I can literally eat it everyday for weeks and not get tired of it. This is certainly a must-try recipe. Pinned for later!
Girl Heart Food says
I know, right?! That would be awesome ’cause I’m sure I could eat tacos every single day! Thanks for stopping by, Jolina! Hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂
Liz @ Ready to Yumble says
Wait, screech, what?! Kissing fish? Too funny! That little story ALMOST distracted me from these tacos, but not quite, because these tacos and that SAUCE, oh my! They look amazing!
Girl Heart Food says
True story! It’s almost too funny to be true, but it’s not 🙂 Happy you like the recipe, Liz! Have a lovely weekend!!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
The only thing better than loving where you live is tacos. True fact. 😉 These totally look bomb dot com, Lady!! Loving that you made these healthier by baking the fish, yet still keeping it crunchy! Yummmm! And any kind of chipotle sauce makes my tummy do a happy dance, mango or not! I’ll take two tacos for each hand please! Cheers, girlie!
Girl Heart Food says
Haha! Thanks so much, Cheyanne 😉 Bonus – they’re healthier than fried fish so ya get to eat more, lol! Love me some chipotle sauce too; I could possibly use that stuff everyday. So happy you’re loving the recipe! Thanks so much for the lovely comments, as usual. Have a fantastic Easter weekend, friend!!
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
Oh these tacos look so good! My husband and I love fish tacos, though I’ve never made them myself before. Sounds delicious with that chipotle sauce too. So perfect for Taco Tuesday (or any other day)!
Girl Heart Food says
Thanks Gayle! Hopefully you and your husband will get a chance to try these then! Appreciate the comments and thanks so much for stopping by 🙂
Stephanie | The Foodie and The Fix says
These look and sound amazing! I love chipotle anything and always have chipotle in adobo on hand 🙂 These are exactly my favorite kind of tacos, some flavorful fish, a spicy sauce and lots of fresh toppers… gorgeous!
Girl Heart Food says
Thank-you so much, Stephanie! I love chipotle so much too. It’s one of those ingredients that’s so unique and can add an unreal amount of flavour. Appreciate the comments, girl 🙂
Amanda@craftycookingmama says
These fish tacos look killer! I haven’t eaten breakfast yet, but now I really want a fish taco lol! I love all things chipotle with it’s yummy smoky heat – I’d be chugging down that sauce right with you 🙂
Girl Heart Food says
Haha Amanda! Sounds good to me! I’ve often eaten breakfast for supper, so why not eat supper for breakfast?
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop says
I love fish tacos and making them in the oven is such a great idea! Yours look really yummy. Now about kissing those cod….
Girl Heart Food says
I agree, Kathy! Tons of flavour, but still good for you 🙂 Winner, right? Hahaha…I know, kissing the cod…so funny isn’t it?
Amanda | Yum In Your Tum says
I Love all the photos! Beautiful post! I also hate when you cut open a perfect looking fruit to only find that it is all brown on the inside. …but, your sauce looks like it turned out amazing. I just bought some fish today and never thought of making them into tacos, but I think I am going to give this a try!
Girl Heart Food says
Thanks so much, Amanda!! Appreciate it girl 🙂 Sounds like a great idea! Love to hear if you try the recipe and how you like!! Have a lovely weekend!
Marsha | Marsha's Baking Addiction says
These fish tacos look absolutely delicious! Love the sauce!
Girl Heart Food says
Thank-you, Marsha 🙂
karrie @ Tasty Ever After says
Hello taco Tuesday!!! These look fantastic and loving your chipotle sauce. My first week of Spring consisted of it snowing yesterday morning and it’s freezing today. Supposed to get up to high 50s this weekend so I think I’ll be okay. Making your fish tacos will cheer me up thou’. btw, don’t ever say “Beer is optional” again. You know better than that Dawn! lol!
Girl Heart Food says
Thanks Karrie! It’s super cold here too. It was in the low 20s here today (about -5c) and about 50 miles per hour winds! Ugh. The end of February was actually warmer than what it is now. Hahaha!! I know what you mean! What was I even thinking saying beer is optional?! Total brain fart, lol!! Enjoy the tacos, girl!!
Meghan | Fox and Briar says
Girl, these look amazing! I love that you used cornflakes on the fish. I used to make cornflake chicken and it makes the most amazing crispy coating. And that chipotle sauce!?! So good. Pinning!
Girl Heart Food says
Thank you, Meghan!! They do make an amazing coating, light and crispy! I’m still talking about the sauce, lol. Hope you get a chance to try the recipe!
Vivian | stayaliveandcooking says
I hate it when mangos are brown: same with avocados! Why can’t they stay perfect until you need them… But damn, the crust on the fish looks incredible… Great recipe!
Girl Heart Food says
I know…sucks when that happens! The mango looked/felt so fresh too. Oh well, it all worked out just the same. Thanks for the comments, Vivian…appreciate it 🙂
Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy says
Oh my gosh, I’ve literally been craving fish tacos like a mad woman lately! Your version looks AMAZING!! 🙂
Girl Heart Food says
Thanks so much, Jennifer!! They are so good, if I do say so myself. Hope you get a chance to try them!! Thanks for stopping by.
Girl Heart Food says
Thanks so much Jennifer for stopping by and the kind comments 🙂 I know what you mean…I was craving them too and couldn’t stop thinking about them until I made some. Now I want to make them again next weekend, lol. Have a great week!