Name: Baja-Style Fish Tacos
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 2 cups cabbage (fine shred); 2 tablespoons carrot (grated); 1 teaspoon cilantro (chopped); 2 tablespoon lime juice ((approx. juice from one lime)); 3 teaspoons honey; ½ teaspoon sea salt; ⅛ teaspoon black pepper; 1/3 cup rice vinegar; 1/3 cup rice wine; 1/3 cup Karo; 1 tablespoon Sambal Oelek (use more or less according to taste (you can substitute Sriracha or garlic chili sauce)); 1 teaspoon dried red chili flakes (use more or less according to taste); 1½ teaspoons garlic (finely minced); 1½ teaspoons ginger (finely minced); 1 teaspoon soy sauce; 2 teaspoons Argo Corn Starch (dissolved in 1 tablespoon water); red food coloring (optional); 16 ounces mahi-mahi ((Mahi cut into one-inch pieces and patted dry with paper towels)); ½ cup flour; 2 tablespoons Argo Corn Starch; 1 tablespoon Cajun (blackened) seasoning ((or seasoning of your choice)); 8 corn tortillas ((or flour tortillas))

5 from 28 votes

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When it’s time for taco night at our house my Baja-Style Fish Tacos are one of the tacos you’ll often find on my home menu. They’re great for entertaining, game day, or just for treating yourself to deliciousness.

four baja fish tacos on a white cutting board

It wasn’t so long ago that tacos meant the same old ground beef seasoned with cumin on a preformed crispy shell that you bought in boxes at the supermarket.

Now I’m not saying that I didn’t eat those delicious reminders of home and my childhood. But tacos have evolved into a culinary masterpiece, driven by the fusion styles that have turned Taco Night into an event.

A delicious example is my Baja Fish Tacos. With a marriage of Asian and Mexican cuisines, these tacos deliver deliciousness in a way we never expected.

Ingredients to Make Baja-Style Fish Tacos

Creating fish tacos isn’t difficult and can have as many or as few ingredients as you desire. It’s all about personalizing dishes you create with foods you enjoy eating.

For my Baja Fish Tacos, I made an Asian Style Slaw and Sweet Chili Sauce to go along with my crispy mahi-mahi bites and corn tortillas.

How to make an Asian Slaw

Making an Asian inspired slaw is a nice addition to your fish tacos. It adds crunch and tanginess to the taco.

asian slaw mixture and dressing in glass bowls

For my slaw, I used green cabbage, carrots and cilantro for the crunch but you can add other veggies to make your own variation.

red cabbage
bok choy
shredded broccoli
shredded brussels sprouts
red bell peppers

You can have fun interchanging ingredients or using what you have on hand. You can also buy premade slaw mixes at the grocery store.

If you want to vary the dressing you use some of these ingredients:

sesame oil
rice wine vinegar
brown rice syrup
soy sauce

Or use your favorite Asian style salad dressing.

How do I make Sweet Chili Sauce?

ingredients to make sweet chili sauce in glass bowls

Making your own sweet chili sauce is really easy. And the nice thing about making your own is you can control the heat and your sauce won’t contain anything you can’t pronounce!

The two ingredients that give sweet chili sauce its heat are Sambal Oelek and crushed red pepper flakes. If you’re not a fan of heat you can cut down the amount of these ingredients or simply eliminate the crushed red pepper flakes.

three images showing how to make sweet chili sauce

Place all of the ingredients except for the cornstarch mixture in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil, stirring regularly.
Once the sugar is dissolved stir in the cornstarch mixture, stirring continually until thickened, about 1 minute.
Let the sauce cool completely and refrigerate until needed. The sauce can be kept for up to one week in a sealed container.

It might take a bit of experimentation but once you find the right amount of heat, you’ll have your very own signature sweet chili sauce.

I’m not a fan of heat is there anything else I can add to my Sweet Chili Sauce?

Absolutely. Think of the recipe as a starting point and add or delete items to your tastes.

Some of the items you can add to your sweet chili sauce to calm the heat are:

pineapple
mango
peaches

Finely chop the fresh fruit so it blends into the sauce. Use any of the fruits or combinations, depending upon your preference.

Chef Dennis Tip:

**A quick cheat would be to add pineapple preserves to the sauce. Keep some on hand to add to the sauce if you make it too hot.

How do I cook the fish for Baja Style Fish Tacos?

ingredients to make crispy mahi-mahi for fish tacos

With the sweet chili sauce and slaw finished, it’s time to move on to the main ingredient, the crispy mahi-mahi.

Mix the flour, cornstarch, and blackening seasoning together in a bowl. Dredge the pieces of Mahi in the flour mixture and pan fry in a large skillet over high heat with about ½ inch of vegetable oil in the pan.

fried crispy fish pieces and heated corn tortillas

Remove the fried pieces of Mahi from the pan and drain the pieces of fish on a wire rack or paper towels. Heat your tortillas in a skillet or on the grill.

finished ingredients to assemble baja fish tacos

Serve the pan-fried Mahi with the slaw, sweet chili sauce, and warmed tortillas. You can even let your guests build their own tacos, making the night into a fun event!

Wouldn’t you love to sit down to a few of these delicious Baja Fish Tacos? I loved the crunch of the slaw with the tender flaky Mahi. Add in a drizzle of sweet chili sauce and you’ve got a flavor combination that you and your guests are going to love!

If you love seafood tacos, my Fish Tacos are sure to please.

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5 from 28 votes