These beer battered fish tacos are the best crispy fish tacos around! The easy-to-make batter creates a crunchy coating around tasty, tender white fish which is served on warm corn tortillas with a simple slaw and a smoky chipotle sauce. They're irresistible!
Ingredients
The Chipotle Sauce
¼cupEACH: mayo and plain yogurt
2tablespoonsminced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, see note #1
1tablespoonlime juice
1clovegarlic, finely minced
A pinch of salt and pepper
The Slaw
2cupsshredded cabbage
½cupchopped cilantro
¼cupthinly sliced red onion
2tablespoonsEACH: oil and lime juice
½teaspoonEACH: salt and pepper
The Beer Battered Fish Tacos
Oil, for frying (see note #2)
1 ½cupsall-purpose flour, divided
2teaspoonsEACH: garlic powder and onion powder
1teaspoonEACH: baking soda, salt, and pepper
1 ½lb.white fish
1 ½cupslight beer, ice-cold (see note #3)
18corn tortillas
Instructions
Mix the chipotle sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.
¼ cup EACH: mayo and plain yogurt, 2 tablespoons minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 clove garlic, A pinch of salt and pepper
Mix the slaw ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl.
2 cups shredded cabbage, ½ cup chopped cilantro, ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion, 2 tablespoons EACH: oil and lime juice, ½ teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper
Pour 2-inches of oil into a large, high-sided skillet or medium-sized pot and begin heating it over medium heat. If you have an oil thermometer, attach it to the pot.
Oil
Mix ½ cup of the flour, garlic powder, and onion powder in a shallow bowl.
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons EACH: garlic powder and onion powder
In a large bowl, mix the remaining 1 cup of flour, baking soda, salt, and pepper.
1 teaspoon EACH: baking soda, salt, and pepper
Cut the fish into small pieces no more than 1" wide. Dry them well with paper towels then add them to the shallow bowl and toss them with the flour.
1 ½ lb. white fish
When the oil reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit (see note #4) it's time to fry the fish. Pour the beer into the large bowl of flour and briefly mix it for 4-5 seconds. Dip a piece of fish into the batter and let the excess drip back into the bowl. Carefully put it into the hot oil. Repeat with 5-6 more pieces, making sure not to crowd the pan. Let the fish cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the batter is golden all around and the fish is cooked through.
1 ½ cups light beer
Using tongs, remove the fish from the oil and place it on a cooling rack set up over a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining fish until all the pieces are cooked.
Warm the tortillas (see note #5) then serve them piled with slaw, chipotle sauce, and crispy fish.
18 corn tortillas
Notes
Cans of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce can be found in the Latin section of most grocery stores. Check out our other chipotle recipes to use the rest of the jar.
You'll need at least 3-4 cups of oil to properly shallow fry the fish. Opt for canola, avocado, or sunflower oil. After cooking, let the oil cool completely then strain it into a jar to use the next time you fry something.
Light beer, such as a lager or pale ale, works best in this recipe. Avoid IPAs, stouts, porters, or wheat beers.
If you don't have an oil thermometer, you can drop a tiny bit of the batter into the oil to test the temperature. If it sizzles and turns golden in 3-4 seconds, it's ready. And if you notice the oil smoking, carefully remove the pot from the heat as it is too hot.
The easiest way to warm tortillas is to wrap them in a paper towel and microwave them for 10-20 seconds. You can also warm them in a pan, although they can dry out easily that way.