Easy Fish Tacos with Slaw

5 from 2 votes

These easy fish tacos with a creamy cilantro lime slaw take advantage of frozen fish sticks for a shortcut dinner that’s ready in just 20 minutes!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American, Mexican, Tex-Mex

Keyword crispy fish tacos, easy fish tacos, fish taco slaw, fish tacos with slaw

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 11

Total Time 21

Servings people

Calories 320kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

16 frozen fish sticks (about 1 lb.)
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 cups shredded cabbage (red or green cabbage is fine, or use a prepared coleslaw mix for a shortcut)
2 green onions thinly sliced
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced (optional)
8 small flour or corn tortillas, warmed
Optional, for serving: salsa, guacamole or sliced avocado, lime wedges, sour cream, shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, corn, black beans, sliced radishes, hot sauce

Bake the fish sticks according to the package instructions.
While the fish is in the oven, prepare the slaw. In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lime juice, sugar, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. Add the cabbage, green onions, cilantro (or parsley), and jalapeño pepper (if using). Toss to coat the vegetables in the dressing. Taste and season with extra salt and pepper, if necessary. Let the slaw sit until ready to serve.
Place two fish sticks on each tortilla; top with some of the slaw. Add extra toppings if desired; serve any remaining slaw on the side.

Season the fish sticks with spices like cumin, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder for even more taco flavor.
Instead of using frozen fish sticks, you can grill salmon, use blackened salmon, skillet shrimp, or other grilled or pan-fried white fish fillets such as cod, tilapia, or halibut.
Skip the homemade slaw and use a store-bought coleslaw instead. You can even add some lime juice and/or lime zest to a prepared slaw for that bright, citrus touch.
In lieu of the jalapeno pepper, make the slaw spicy with cayenne pepper, sriracha, or another hot sauce.
Warm the corn tortillas of flour tortillas before serving. You can do this by wrapping them in foil and putting them in the oven for a few minutes, by wrapping them in damp paper towels and microwaving them, or by charring them over a gas burner on the stovetop.
Flip the fish sticks halfway through the baking time so that they get crispy on both sides.
Scale the recipe up or down to accommodate the number of folks at your table. For instance, double all of the ingredients to feed 8 people, or cut everything in half to serve 2. The frozen fish sticks make these adjustments particularly easy!