Fish stick tacos started as a freezer cleanout situation and turned into the most-requested dinner in my house. I figured tacos were worth a shot, threw together a simple slaw and a smoky chipotle sauce, and somehow landed on the BEST tacos any of us had ever had.
My teens went from skeptical to asking when we're making them again. Ask me how I know frozen fish sticks have been seriously underestimated.
The magic is really in the chipotle sauce. Sour cream, mayo, lime juice, cumin, smoked paprika, and chipotle chili powder whisked together in one bowl and drizzled over two crispy fish sticks tucked into a charred corn tortilla.
Add a simple lime slaw and your favorite toppings and you've got a taco night that feels way more intentional than "I needed to clean out my freezer." If you love easy weeknight taco nights, you might also want to check out taco pie or baked chicken tacos.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Weeknight dinner ready in about 30 minutes
- No special ingredients, everything is easy to find
- The chipotle sauce is SO good you will want to put it on everything
- Kids love building their own tacos
- Gluten free when served on corn tortillas with gluten free fish sticks
What You'll Need
- Fish Sticks - Use your favorite brand of frozen fish sticks. Any brand works here. Bake them according to the package directions for the crispiest result.
- Corn Tortillas - Charring them over a gas flame or under the broiler makes such a difference. Warm, slightly charred tortillas are everything.
- Slaw Ingredients: Fresh cabbage and a julienned carrot make up the base. The dressing is just mayonnaise, fresh lime juice, and a little sugar to balance the acid. Simple and so good.
- Chipotle Sauce: Sour cream, mayonnaise, fresh lime juice, and a blend of chipotle chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and sea salt. It is creamy, smoky, and just the right amount of spicy for Minnesota standards.
See the recipe card for the exact measurements and complete instructions.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cook the fish sticks
Bake or air fry the frozen fish sticks according to the package directions. Get them golden and crispy - that crunch is what makes these tacos so good.
Step 2: Make the slaw
Cut the cabbage in half and remove the core. Shred the cabbage and add it to a large bowl. Peel the carrot and cut it into matchstick-sized pieces. Add the carrot to the cabbage.
Add the mayonnaise, fresh lime juice, and sugar. Stir to combine and set aside. The slaw gets better as it sits, so make this first.
Step 3: Make the chipotle sauce
To a medium bowl, add the sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, chipotle chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and sea salt. Whisk until smooth. Taste it. Adjust the salt or lime if needed.
If you love this sauce, my low FODMAP chipotle mayo has a similar smoky vibe and is great for dipping, spreading, or drizzling on just about anything.
Step 4: Build the fish stick tacos
Char the corn tortillas under the broiler or directly over a gas stovetop flame until they are warm and have a few dark spots. This step takes about one minute per side and is so worth it.
Add a spoonful of slaw to the center of each tortilla. Place two fish sticks on top. Drizzle with the chipotle sauce. Add your favorite toppings and serve immediately.
Tips and Tricks
Do not skip charring the tortillas. It takes one extra minute and makes the taco so much better. A soggy cold tortilla is a sad tortilla.
Adjust the heat level. Chipotle chili powder has a medium heat. If you are feeding kids who do not love spice (I know, I know), start with half the amount and taste before adding more.
Set up a taco bar. Put all the toppings in small bowls and let everyone build their own. My teens are way more likely to eat something when they built it themselves. The end.
Looking for more easy dinner recipes to add to the weeknight rotation? There are plenty of options that come together just as fast.
Air Fryer Fish Stick Tips
Use the air fryer and do two batches. Do not stack the fish sticks or they will steam instead of crisp. The first batch gets everyone their first taco, and by the time the second batch is done it's time for seconds. Works like a charm.
Do not forget to preheat the air fryer! It makes a difference in how quickly the fish sticks crisp up.
Skip adding any oil. The fish sticks already have enough coating on them to crisp up on their own.
Ingredient Swaps
- Cabbage - A packaged coleslaw mix is a great shortcut. It already has the cabbage and carrots shredded. Just add the dressing.
- Sour Cream - Use a lactose-free sour cream or a dairy-free alternative if needed.
- Mayonnaise - Any mayo works. A light mayo or an avocado oil mayo are both great options.
- Chipotle Chili Powder - If you cannot find it, smoked paprika plus a tiny pinch of cayenne gets you close.
Special Diet Variations
Dairy Free Fish Stick Tacos: Swap the sour cream in the chipotle sauce for a dairy-free sour cream alternative. Use a dairy-free mayo as well. Skip the cotija cheese or use a dairy-free crumble on top.
Low FODMAP Fish Stick Tacos: Check the fish stick label for any added garlic or onion powder. Use a certified low FODMAP mayo and sour cream. Corn tortillas are already a great low FODMAP option.
Gluten Free Fish Stick Tacos: Use gluten free fish sticks, the brand I got at Costco, Trident, crisped up great! Then use corn tortillas for a gluten free taco shell.
Toppings
Half the fun of fish stick tacos is piling on the toppings. Here are some favorites:
- Avocado slices or a scoop of lazy guacamole
- Fresh cilantro
- A squeeze of fresh lime juice
- Diced tomatoes
- Cotija cheese
- Pickled jalapeños
- Extra chipotle sauce, always
Faster Fish Stick Tacos
When the day requires dinner on the table NOW, here are my tricks for this recipe.
Make the chipotle sauce the night before. The sauce actually gets better as it sits. The flavors like to hang out and meld together.
Use shortcuts: It is 100% okay to buy a coleslaw mix with cabbage and carrots already shredded for you. Just open and add the dressing ingredients: mayo, sugar, and lime juice.
Skip the oven preheating and use an air fryer. It has been my family's solution to quicker dinners and skipping what feels like forever... the oven preheating.
Storing and Reheating
Store: Keep the components stored separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Fish sticks, slaw, and chipotle sauce each last up to 3 days.
Reheat: Reheat the fish sticks in the oven or air fryer at 375 degrees F for 5-8 minutes to bring back the crispiness. The microwave works in a pinch, but the texture will be softer.
Slaw: The slaw will continue to soften as it sits, but still tastes great on day two. Give it a stir before using.
Do not freeze assembled tacos. The tortillas and slaw do not hold up well in the freezer. Freeze the fish sticks separately and follow the package instructions.
FAQs
Yes! Use whatever brand you love or whatever is on sale. Just follow the package directions for baking so they come out crispy.
It can be. Use corn tortillas and choose a gluten free fish stick brand. Not all brands are gluten free, so check the label. Trident, available at Costco, is a gluten free option that crisps up great.
You can, but baking or air frying is easier and less messy. Both methods give you plenty of crunch without standing over a pan of hot oil.
Corn tortillas are the classic choice and keep the recipe gluten free. Flour tortillas also work if that is what you have on hand.
Yes! The chipotle sauce can be made up to three days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The flavors actually get better after sitting overnight.
You can make it a few hours ahead. Just know it will soften as it sits. If you want crunchier slaw, mix the dressing and cabbage right before serving.
Feta cheese has a similar salty, crumbly texture and works great as a swap. For a dairy-free option, just skip the cheese or use a dairy-free crumble.
What To Serve With Fish Stick Tacos
Fish stick tacos are a full meal on their own, but if you want to round things out, serve them with baked cilantro lime rice or chipotle fresh corn salsa with a bag of tortilla chips on the side. My low FODMAP Mexican rice is another great side that works really well with the chipotle flavors in the sauce.
More Loveable Taco Recipes
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Recipe
Fish Stick Tacos
Ingredients
- 24 frozen fish sticks (Note 1)
- 12-16 corn tortillas
Slaw:
- 4 cups shredded green cabbage (Note 2)
- 1 large carrot julienned (Note 3)
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 limes squeezed
- 2 teaspoons white granulated sugar
Chipotle Sauce:
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon ground chipotle chili powder (Note 4)
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Toppings:
- sliced avocado
- fresh cilantro
- lime juice
- chopped tomatoes
- cotija cheese
Instructions
Fish Sticks:
- Bake or air fry fish sticks according to the package directions.
Slaw Instructions:
- Cut the cabbage in half and remove the core. Shred the cabbage and set in a large bowl.
- Next, peel the carrot and cut it into matchstick sized pieces. Add to the cabbage in the bowl.
- To the cabbage mixture, add the mayonnaise, fresh lime juice, and sugar. Stir and set aside.
Sauce instructions:
- To a medium bowl, add the sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, chipotle chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika and sea salt. Whisk together.
- Build the Fish Stick Tacos:
- Under a broiler or on gas stovetop, char the corn tortillas until warm.
- Next, add a spoonful of slaw in the middle of the tortilla.
- Next, add two fish sticks.
- Drizzle on the sauce.
- Add your favorite toppings: avocado slices, cotija cheese, diced tomatoes, squeeze fresh lime juice, or chopped cilantro.
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