Grilled Fish Tacos

Healthy, blackened grilled fish tacos with crunchy cabbage slaw, easy guacamole, and creamy chipotle sauce—easy enough for Taco Tuesday and weeknight dinners, delicious enough for guests! I include air fryer instructions as well.

Jump to: ℹ️ Overview | 🛒 Ingredients | 📷 How To Make | 📹 Watch The Video | 👩‍🍳 Recipe Tips | 🥗 Serving Suggestions | 📝 Full Recipe Card | 🍽 More Tex Mex Recipes

These grilled fish tacos are my go-to when I want something fresh, satisfying, and a little smoky. The fish is marinated in a Tex-Mex-style spice blend with lime juice that chars beautifully when cooked—hello, blackened fish tacos magic!

The other important players are the pickled cabbage slaw and creamy chipotle mayo sauce, which give you that crunchy, creamy, zesty combo every taco needs. And I know guac isn’t traditional in fish tacos, but I love including in, and my family loves it.

This fish taco recipe is healthy, with good fats from the avocado and fish, and it’s macro-friendly too: high protein, under 500 cals for 3 tacos, and even low-carb if you use low-carb tortillas. I’ve made these tacos a dozen times— they are super reliable and always a hit.

Tip: No time to marinate or grill the fish? Use this recipe idea for store-bought frozen battered fish fingers, which you can air fry or bake in the oven.

👩‍🍳 You might also like my healthy baked chicken tacos, BBQ ground chicken tacos, or chorizo breakfast tacos. For an appetizer, try my shrimp and avocado taco bites.

What You’ll Need

Here is what you’ll need for this grilled fish tacos recipe. Find the full measurements in the recipe card below.

For the Blackened Fish

• White fish fillets (like ling, mahi-mahi, cod or whiting): mild and flaky—perfect for tacos. You can use salmon or even prawns if you’re out of white fish.
• Lime juice + olive oil: tenderizes and adds zing.
• Tex Mex spices (cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne or chili powder, oregano, garlic & onion powder): for that smoky, earthy, spicy crust.
• Salt: always essential to bring it all together.

For other toppings

• Pickled Cabbage Slaw: Red cabbage and red onion: crunchy and colorful, but you could also use white cabbage. Plus lime juice, olive oil, coriander seed powder, sugar, and salt: adds that quick-pickle tang. Tip: Make this ahead—gets even better after sitting.
• Chipotle Sauce for Fish Tacos: Light mayo + sour cream or Greek yogurt: creamy base. Chipotle in Adobo sauce: smoky heat. Tomato sauce + water: balance, sweetness and texture. Make it spicier? Add more chipotle or a dash of hot sauce.
• Easy Guacamole: Ripe avocado, lime, fresh cilantro (coriander), salt, olive oil: creamy, citrusy base layer. Skip if you’re in a rush—but I never do.

How To Make Grilled Fish Tacos

Find the full recipe and nutritional information below. Here are some handy step-by-step photos for how to make blackened pan-fried or grilled fish tacos.

• Marinate the fish in lime juice, oil, and spices for 15-20 minutes (or longer).
• Grill or pan-fry the fish for 4–5 minutes per side until cooked and blackened. Then flake into smaller pieces.
• Heat the tortillas and set aside to keep warm.

• Mix the slaw ingredients and set aside. This can be done while fish is marinating.
• Mash avocado with lime, salt, coriander, and a splash of oil.
• Whisk the chipotle fish taco sauce in a small bowl. Set aside. This can also be done in advance.
• Assemble tacos: guac → slaw → fish → chipotle sauce → fresh coriander and lime juice.

Air Fryer Method

If you’re using an air fryer to make fish for fish tacos, preheat it to 400°F (200°C) and lightly spray the basket with oil to prevent sticking. Place the marinated fish fillets in a single layer—don’t overcrowd—and cook for 8–10 minutes, flipping halfway. The fish should be golden and slightly charred on the edges, and it should flake easily with a fork when done. Thinner fillets might only need 7–8 minutes, while thicker ones like mahi-mahi may take closer to 12. Once cooked, let the fish rest for a minute before flaking into chunks for your tacos.

Watch The Video

Recipe Tips

• Fish type: Use any firm white fish, but salmon works too for a richer flavor.
• Marinate ahead: Up to 24 hours in the fridge.
• Make ahead: You can prep the slaw, sauce, and guac 1 day ahead. Store separately in airtight containers. Guacamole is probably best fresh, though.
• Storage: Store cooked fish, slaw, and sauces separately. Eat within 2 days.
• Taco bar idea: Serve everything separately and let everyone build their own!

Serving Suggestions

These fish tacos are perfect as-is, but if you’re feeding a crowd or want a bigger spread, add some tortilla chips, extra guac, and maybe a margarita or two. A side of black beans, Mexican red rice, or grilled corn would also be delish! You can also try my Mexican salad with corn and black beans. For sauce, check out my cilantro lime sauce or my salsa tatemada for a different vibe. And if serving a crowd, try one of these Mexican appetizers.

💬 If you’ve tried this grilled fish tacos or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and or sign up to my Newsletter to see more of my delicious food.