Cooking Lesson #1044: Air Fryer Fish Tacos With Cilantro Slaw and Lime Crema

…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen

How you doin’? I first met Ralph Rubio at one of his restaurants in the San Diego area. It was love at first bite--Fish Taco and me. It was everything I crave… lots of great flavor thrills and wonderful, crunchy textures.
 
I wanted to make these at home, but I don’t like to fry fish at home.  I thought about it and it’s possible the air fryer was invented just so I could fry fish at home. It turns breaded fish fillets into something wondrous—perfectly crispy on the outside, tender and flaky on the inside. You could just go ahead and eat them as fish sticks, but you’d be missing out because they are so very good in these tacos!
 
Here we’ve combined them with a crunchy, mildly spicy slaw and a lime crema. Despite the awesomeness of the fish, the crema nearly steals the show. It’s creamy smooth, full of cilantro, bursting with lime flavor—and so deeply satisfying as a condiment that everyone will be asking for the recipe (and here it is).
 
My tacos have Friday night on the patio written all over them. Put out some chips and guacamole, a small pitcher of grit margaritas and, BOOM!, you have a happy hour like no other.
 
Prep time:  30 minutes
Cook time:  15 minutes
Yield:  Serves: 4 (2 tacos each person)
 
Ingredients 
For the slaw
2 cups finely shredded cabbage
1 cup rough chopped cilantro
1/4 cup julienne-cut red onion
1 thin sliced Anaheim chili
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
 
For the lime crema
3/4 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons mayo
Zest of one lime
Juice of one lime
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Salt to taste
 
For the fish tacos
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt, plus more for seasoning breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon mild chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
3 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
2 cups panko breadcrumbs
1-1/2 pounds fresh cod fillets
 
Cooking oil spray
Corn tortillas
 
Directions
To make the slaw

1. In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients and set aside.

To make the lime crema

1. In another small bowl, mix together all of the ingredients and set aside.

To make the fish filets

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, 2 teaspoons of the salt, pepper, chili powder and cumin and transfer it to a plate.
2. In the same medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk.
3. In a separate medium bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and a pinch of salt.
4. Cut each of the fish fillets into 1 to 2-oz strips.
5. Dredge each piece of fish in the flour, then the egg mixture, then the breadcrumbs, making sure it is well coated with before moving to the next.
6. Next, spray cooking oil on each side of the fish strips and place them in the air fryer basket.
7. Cook for 15 minutes at 375⁰ F, turning halfway through and re-spraying the strips with oil.
8. While the fish cooks, warm the corn tortillas on a dry, hot cast-iron skillet and wrap them in a towel to keep them warm and pliant.
9. Remove the fish from the air fryer and allow it to cool for 3 minutes.
10. Build your tacos, layering fish, slaw and lime crema in the corn tortillas.
11. Serve immediately.

ChefSecret:  You can easily substitute the sour cream and mayonnaise with 1 cup of plain unsweetened yogurt for a tarter favor.

Quip of the Day:  Wanna know something real cool?  Taco Cat spelled backward is Taco Cat.
-------------------------------------------
Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/perspectives-on-food
-------------------------------------------
To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to  Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.

#Entrees #Lunch #Dinner #FishTacos #Rubios #Pollack #Halibut #Cod #MexicanCrema #OriginalFishTaco #Baja #Cerveza #Cheers #Recipes2025 #URM #T2T #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #SamaritansPurse #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  

                                                                                  ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2025

---