Our Baja Fish Taco Bowl has lots of crispy fried fish, zesty cilantro lime slaw, avocado, rice, and a deliciously smoky Chipotle cream all in one satisfying bowl!
This is our favorite taco bowl ever: balanced, tasty, and filling!
Baja Fish Taco Bowl
We first made this Baja Fish Taco Bowl with the leftover fried fish and slaw from our Deep Fried Fish Tacos but it was *so* delicious that we added it to our monthly rotation!
So, yes, it’s so worth it to make from scratch *just* for the bowls but if you ever make our Deep Fried Fish Tacos, don’t forget to make this the next day (if you even have leftovers hehe)!
This Baja Fish Taco Bowl is:
- Balanced: proteins, carbs, and veggies all in one bowl!
- Crispy, creamy, hearty.
- Packed with flavor.
- Customizable!
- Perfect as a summer dinner!
- Just like eating Baja fish tacos!
- Family-friendly.
Ingredients for Baja Fish Taco Bowls
Oil or lard to fry the fish. In Baja, they use lard but you can still fry these in any vegetable oil like sunflower, vegetable or canola!
Tilapia or Cod. We like Tilapia (fresh or frozen, thaw if using frozen) but you can also do Cod or other mild white fish like Pollock or Mahi-Mahi.
Flour, for the fish batter!
Beer or mineral water, for the fish batter. We like beer because it gives you that airy, golden crisp texture of Baja fried fish. Go for a very light beer like Modelo or Corona. If you don't want to use beer, try mineral water.
Salt.
Sour cream or mayo or a blend of both, for the Chipotle cream.
Chipotles in Adobo or Salsa de Chipotles in Adobo. We use "La Costeña" brand (not sponsored) and we like getting the canned salsa so it's already smooth but the canned whole chipotles also work, you just have to blend them. I know you need little product for this sauce and it comes in a big can but we like using the leftover sauce for our favorite Creamy Chipotle Chicken (it's a dream!!!).
Lime, for the sauce + cilantro lime slaw.
Cabbage, we like using a mix of green + purple cabbage but you can also do just one. In Baja, they mostly use just green cabbage.
Carrot, for the slaw. You can also do a bag of pre-shredded coleslaw mix!
Cilantro, fresh, for the slaw.
Rice, we use a long-grain rice!
Avocado!
How to make Baja Fish Taco Bowls
STEP ONE: Prepare the rice. In a medium saucepan, add the water, rice, and salt and cook until the water has absorbed and the rice is tender, then add a splash of oil and mix. Cover and keep warm. While the rice is cooking, follow the rest of the recipe below.
STEP TWO: Prepare the slaw. In a large bowl, add the cabbage, carrot, cilantro, lime juice, and salt, toss until combined, cover and chill until ready to assemble.
STEP THREE: Make the Chipotle cream. In a blender, add the sour cream and Chipotle sauce (or Chipotle in Adobo with some of the sauce), lime juice, and salt. Blend until smooth. Add a splash of water for a thinner consistency. Cover and chill until ready to assemble.
STEP FOUR: Preheat the oil. In a saucepan or skillet, add enough oil for the fish to be fully covered and allow to reach 350F-365F (175C-185C) over medium-low heat. This will take a few minutes so, meanwhile, go to step 5.
STEP FIVE: Prepare the coating and batter. In a large plate or shallow bowl, add flour and salt for the coating, mix, then toss with the fish. In a separate bowl, add the flour, salt and beer (or water) and mix until smooth: the batter will be a bit runny, it's okay, you're supposed to dip the coated fish and fry.
STEP SIX: Fry. Quickly dip each fish stick into the batter then add to the hot oil and fry for 3-4 minutes or until golden, flip then fry for another 3-4 minutes or until golden.
Transfer to a plate lined with a few paper towels to absorb any extra grease.
STEP SEVEN: Assemble. For each bowl, add some of the rice, fried fish, cilantro lime slaw, avocado, and top with the prepared Chipotle cream. Enjoy!
Storing and Reheating Instructions
Storing Instructions: Store the fried fish separately from the cilantro lime slaw to keep from turning soggy because of the lime juice and veggies. Store everything tightly covered or in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 1-2 days. The cilantro lime slaw will turn pink, if you used purple cabbage.
Reheating Instructions: Reheat the fried fish on a hot skillet (best if cast-iron) over high heat until the fish is hot and crisp again, add a light splash of oil, if desired! Reheat the rice separately until hot.
HAPPY COOKING!! I hope you'll love this Baja Fish Taco Bowl Recipe as much as we do!
PS: Please leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ if you make it! Your comments make my day!! You can also tag me on Instagram @itsdamnspicy 🌈💘
More recipes you’ll love:
Baja Fish Taco Bowl
Ingredients
For The Rice
- 1 cup (190 g) long-grain rice (washed)
- Water (enough to cover the rice by 1-inch or 2.5 cm)
- 1 teaspoon salt
For The Slaw
- 2 cups (140 g) shredded purple cabbage (or half of a 16-oz coleslaw mix)
- 2 cups (140 g) shredded green cabbage
- 1 cup (70 g) grated carrot
- 2 small limes (juiced)
- Salt
For The Chipotle Cream
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) sour cream or mayonnaise (or a blend of both)
- 3 teaspoon canned salsa de chipotles in adobo (or chipotles in adobo, we use La Costeña brand – not sponsored-, use any leftover sauce for our Creamy Chipotle Chicken next, it's so good!!!)
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For The Fried Fish
- Oil (sunflower, vegetable, canola, peanut or lard)
- 1/2 cup (60 g) all-purpose flour (for coating)
- 1 lb (450 g) tilapia (or cod, pollock or mahi-mahi, fresh or frozen, thaw if using frozen)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 and 1/2 cups (185 g) all-purpose flour (for the batter)
- 10 oz (300 ml) light beer (like Corona)
For The Bowl
- 2 avocados (cut in chunks)
Instructions
- Prepare the rice. In a medium saucepan, add the water, rice, and salt and cook until the water has absorbed and the rice is tender, then add a splash of oil and mix. Cover and keep warm. While the rice is cooking, follow the rest of the recipe below.
- Prepare the slaw. In a large bowl, add the cabbage, carrot, cilantro, lime juice, and salt, toss until combined, cover and chill until ready to assemble.
- Preheat the oil. In a saucepan or skillet, add enough oil for the fish to be fully covered and allow to reach 350F-365F (175C-185C) over medium-low heat. This will take a few minutes so, meanwhile, go to step 4.
- Prepare the coating and batter. In a large plate or shallow bowl, add flour and salt for the coating, mix, then toss with the fish. In a separate bowl, add the flour, salt and beer (or water) and mix until smooth: the batter will be a bit runny, it's okay, you're supposed to dip the coated fish and fry.
- Fry. Quickly dip each fish stick into the batter then add to the hot oil and fry for 3-4 minutes or until golden, flip then fry for another 3-4 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a plate lined with a few paper towels to absorb any extra grease.
- Assemble. For each bowl, add some of the rice, fried fish, cilantro lime slaw, avocado, and top with the prepared Chipotle cream. Enjoy!
Leave a Reply