Home » Recipes » Recipes by Course » Dinner Recipes » Crispy Fish Tacos

Crispy Fish Tacos

This post may contain affiliate links (meaning I earn a small comission if you purchase an item through a link I provide) I only provide shoppable links to items I love and are helpful. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

These Crispy Fish Tacos are a semi-homemade match made in heaven! They’re made with Gorton’s Panko Crusted frozen fish sticks, which makes these a super-convenient weeknight wonder. And the fresh, crisp, and flavorful slaw that you’ll throw on top of each taco finishes it off with the most delicious crunch!

An early look at the amazing finished product - half a dozen of these fish tacos are laid out in a staggered formation, symetrically, just begging to be eaten!

This post is totally sponsored by Gorton’s. The recipe, photos, opinions, and fish stick eating are all me. Sound good?

Holy smoooooookies! These tacos have been giving me life lately. Over the past several weeks, I’ve teased these Crispy Fish Tacos over on the ‘gram, and I’m happy to say – Here they finally are, folks! I know you’re gonna love’m!

Let’s talk about fish for a minute, alright? I know I know, I don’t have a lot of fish recipes. In fact, I think I’ve created approximately one aside from this… and I’m not even sure it counts, because it’s a Tuna Pasta Salad. I actually do like a good piece of fish! But look closely… hiii that’s tiny little me waving, all the way down here in Illinois, a land locked state (besides Lake Michigan). Fresh and inexpensive fish isn’t available like it is for you lucky friends near the coasts. If we want to buy and cook up some good fish- and I mean really good, fresh fish- it’s not cheap at all, and the good stuff can be hard to find. So taking all this into account, we’ve been looking for a way to create a fish-based recipe that’s delicious (of course), quick and easy to prepare, and also budget-friendly, no matter how near or far you’re located from the ocean. That sounds like a pretty tough task, but y’all, we are lovin’ on these wild-caught Alaskan Pollock Panko Breaded Fish Sticks. They’re solid pieces of fish cut from the whole fillet, not processed and compressed like some drive-thru nuggets.

Real honesty here, Before we tried these, I never bought fish sticks, because of the whole “minced fish pieces” idea… These sticks are the opposite of that. They’re flash-frozen at the absolute peak of freshness, so they don’t taste fishy at all. I repeat, they taste amazing! Gorton’s means business, it’s printed right on the bag- “Not Minced,” and it’s underlined. These are my people- they get me. Not only do I love these lil fishy sticks, but Pepper and Eric are obsessed too, which makes them a life saver in this kitchen! I guarantee from now on, I’ll be keeping a bag or two in our freezer at all times.

Since this year began, we’ve thrown these Crispy Fish Tacos together once a week. We also love just tossin’ some fish sticks & tots on a sheet pan for lunches. So easy, so good! For my WW readers, they are only one point per fish stick and so filling! I love that we’re incorporating fish into our diets because its full of protein, low in fat, and full of those omega-3 fatty acids. Heeeyoo! Healthy.

Y’all, I never imagined that fish sticks on a taco would become somethin’ that I really love and look forward to… But well, here we are again. You guys know me, and ya know I wouldn’t make things like this up. So go on out and grab yerself’a bag’o these Gorton’s Panko Crusted Fish Sticks. And while you’re at it, be sure to grab up all the ingredients to make these Crispy Fish Tacos… because I’m thinkin’ you’ll be just as in love as I am.

These Crispy Fish Tacos are a breeze to make! So get ready…

Let’s get into that kitchen!

Freshly chopped red cabbage.

First off, we’re gonna grab some cabbage. Try to slice it into very thin strips. You’ll need about two cups total, which is about 1/4 of a large head.

Strips of the red cabbage piled lightly together in a strainer, kosher salt grains dusted over the top.

These next couple steps are optional especially if you wanna make up the slaw and store it in the fridge for a few hours or the night before taco night to make things even easier on ya.

Throw yer thinly sliced cabbage into a colander, and sprinkle with a teaspoon or two of kosher salt. The salt will help to draw out the excess water that’s in the cabbage. If you plan on makin’ up the slaw and then eating it right afterwards, it’s not super necessary. But cabbage is known to release water over time, so it’ll just add a bit of moisture to the finished product. As always, try it out and see what you prefer!

Strips of fresh chopped red cabbage laid out on a paper towel.

If letting it sit in the colander after about 10-15 minutes, you can take the cabbage out of the colander and just lay it on a paper towel to soak up any extra moisture. (I lay another paper towel across the top and press firmly, just to get it done.)

A cutting board adorned with more finely chopped red cabbage, green onions, and in the center an opened jar of pickled jalapenos... the mouth waters at the spicy enticement of these flavors!

Chop up the white and green parts of a few green onions and about 1/4 cup of cilantro, and grab 1/4 cup of pickled jalapeños (about 2 tbsp minced).

NOTE: You can also just add the pickled jalapeños to taste. For us, the pickling process removes a lot of the spiciness. This varies by brand, and every person has their own personal definitions of “Not spicy enough,” “Way too hot,” and the Goldilocks zone – “Juuust Right!” So the first couple times, you may wanna add/taste until you find the right balance for you and your family – totally fine!

You can find pickled jalapeños in any grocery store near the pickles.

A bowl on the wooden countertop contains Red Cabbage on the bottom left, and bright orange grated carrot on the top right.

Throw the cabbage in a bowl, and add about 2 cups of shredded carrots. You can find bags of already shredded carrots in the produce section.

Tip: This is a good time to start preheating your oven to 450.

A small copper bowl contains Greek Yogurt, lime juice, and a bit of pickled jalapeno brine.

Now grab a small bowl, and add two tablespoons of nonfat Greek yogurt, the juice of one lime, and 2 teaspoons of pickled jalapeño juice. Whisk it all together!

Tip: If your lime seems tough place it in the microwave for about 12 seconds, then firmly roll it on the counter under your hand. This method will give you the most juice outta your lime!

Our large bowl from before now contains all the ingredients of the slaw, mixed together and looking particularly crisp and enticing.

Toss in the chopped pickled jalapeño, cilantro, green onions, and Greek yogurt mix. Stir together well, and salt and pepper to taste. It’s a very light “sauce”, but it gives good flavor to the crunchy cabbage and carrots. I love it!

I never realized how much I love a good slaw until I made this for the first time!

Bag of Gorton's Fish Sticks, picture and brand name displayed. Fish sticks being laid out on a sheet pan, lined with tin foil.

Grab yer Gorton’s fish sticks, friends! Spray a sheet pan with a little cooking spray and line’m right up. You’ll need 16 fish sticks.

A small wooden mixing bowl containing the colorful mix of spices.

Now for our quick spice mix! You’ll need 1/2 teaspoon each of smoked paprika, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, and kosher salt. Also add in 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, for just a tiny kiss of heat. Stir it all up real good.

Wooden bowl with the spice topping now mixed together; Fish sticks on sheet pan are in the background.

Sprinkle it over the top of the fish sticks, spray the tops with a bit of cooking spray. Then flip’m over, sprinkle the other sides with the rest of the spice mix, and once again spray’m with a bit of cooking spray. The cooking spray part just helps the spices kind of adhere to the sticks while they are cookin’ up.

Throw’m into a 450 degree preheated oven, and cook for a total of 18 minutes. Be sure to flip’m half way through the cooking time.

Tortilla held with tongs, being warmed and toasted directly over the burner of a gas stove.

Now grab some extra thin corn tortillas. I use the Mission brand, They are one of my best food friends. Heat’m however you normally heat up tortillas.

Here’s a few ideas:

  • Over the burner. This is my favorite way, but obviously you’ll need to have a gas burner. You do need to kinda babysit these while doing it because they can burn quick, but ya can’t beat those lil char marks!
  • In the microwave. You can wrap a few at a time in a lightly damp paper towel, and heat them for about 30 seconds. Check them and if they don’t seem done, wrap’m back up and do another 20 seconds.
  • In a pan. Spray a little cooking spray into a non stick frying pan and heat a couple at a time.
  • In the oven. You can wrap’m up in foil and throw’m in the oven with the fish sticks while they are cooking. I would put them in halfway through, after flipping the fish sticks. They don’t need the whole 18 minutes at 450 degrees.
Delicious-looking fish sticks fresh out of the oven on sheet pan, lightly coated with the seasoning.

Fish sticks are done! Yuuuuuuuuummmmmm.

An extremely fresh, steaming fish stick that has been cut into revealing the delicious looking inside.

Now let’s build these crispy fish tacos! You’ll need two fish sticks for each one. I chop up two at a time, and then pile’m on the taco.

One or two Fish Sticks cut or broken up into small pieces, and laid on a warm tortilla.

Like this.

On top of the incomplete taco in the previous picture, we've now added a generous portion of the crispy and yummy slaw.

and theennn, pile on the slaw! You’ll most likely have a little slaw left over after. It’s actually zero points on WW, so I pile on a ton, and then eat it on the side too. Soo good!

An irresistible picture of ready-to-eat Gorton's Fish Stick Tacos, topped with crunchy slaw.

And just like that we’re done! Oh my gosh y’all, like I said before, I never thought I would be saying that I’m obsessed with fish sticks on a taco, but I am.

One final irresistible picture of ready-to-eat Gorton's Fish Stick Tacos, topped with crunchy slaw.

Boy oh boy, I sure am. Bye now, I have to go make these again!

I hope you all love’m as much as we do!! Please let me know how it goes.

With love from my kitchen to yours,

Star

Print
4.97 from 33 votes

Crispy Fish Tacos

These Crispy Fish Tacos with a fresh, crunchy slaw are the perfect fast & healthy weeknight dinner! With the help of Gorton’s Fish Sticks from the freezer section, it’s perfect for a quick, fresh, and delicious meal! 
Prep Time12 minutes
Active Time18 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Keyword: fish, tacos
Yield: 4
Author: Star @ the skinny-ish dish

Materials

Fish Stick Tacos:

  • 16 Gorton’s Panko Breaded Fish Sticks with Wild Caught Alaska Pollock
  • 8 Mission extra thin corn tortillas
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper more/less to taste
  • cooking spray

Fresh Taco Slaw:

  • 3 cups green, purple, or a mix of the two cabbage sliced thin
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
  • 3 green onions, white and green parts chopped
  • 1/4 cup pickled jalapeños from a jar (about two tbsp total once minced)
  • 2 tbsp non fat greek yogurt
  • 2 tsp pickled jalapeño juice from the pickled jalapeño jar
  • juice from one lime about 2 tbsp
  • sea salt & pepper, to taste I use about 1/4 tsp of each

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 

Fresh Taco Slaw:

  • Add sliced cabbage, shredded carrots, chopped pickled jalapeños, chopped cilantro, and chopped green onions to a medium bowl. 
  • In a small bowl add greek yogurt, pickled jalapeño juice, and the juice of one lime. Whisk together thoroughly with a fork. Salt & Pepper to taste.
  • Add the greek yogurt mix in with the vegetables and stir together to coat everything. Salt and Pepper to taste. Set aside. 

Fish Sticks Tacos:

  • In a small bowl add garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cumin, kosher salt, and cayenne pepper into a small bowl. Stir together well.
  • Spray a sheet pan lightly with cooking spray. Place 16 fish sticks onto the sheet, sprinkle with seasoning mix, spray tops with a little cooking spray, flip, and repeat. Place in 450 degree preheated oven for 18 minutes. Flipping half way through. 
  • While the fish sticks are baking, heat up 8 corn tortillas with your preferred method.
  • When the fish sticks are done, build each taco by placing two chopped up fish sticks on top of each tortilla and then pile the taco slaw on top. I use a heaping 1/4 cup on each taco, but you can add more or less. You will more than likely have a little leftover to enjoy on the side with each taco. 
  • Enjoy!

Notes

Serving size: 2 tacos
calories: 294, fat: 9g, saturated fat: 2.5g, carbohydrates: 40g, fiber: 7g, sugar: 9g, protein: 10
WeightWatchers Points: 6 Points
 
Optional Tip: IF you’d like to make the taco slaw ahead of time. Place sliced cabbage into a colander and sprinkle with salt. Let it sit for about 10-15 minutes in the sink. Then, lay it on some paper towels and dab the cabbage to dry it completely. This helps draw out the extra moisture that cabbage holds and will help it keep longer and not water down the slaw. 

 

Similar Posts

44 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Favorite family household dinner! Super easy to make! The coleslaw is delicious and full of flavor over the tacos! I make copy cat chipotle rice with this recipe!

  2. 5 stars
    Wasn’t sure about the fish sticks….but I am converted. I followed your recipe as written, except I left the jalapeños out of the cole slaw, but served them on the side for people who wanted that extra kick. Delicious, another hit from you!

    1. I’m so happy you trusted me to use fish sticks haha!! These are so randomly good and such an easy staple recipe for me! Love them. So happy you enjoyed them too!

  3. 5 stars
    An easy, breezy recipe. Always a plus when the husband likes them too! Not too spicy (my husband added extra jalapeños to his) with a great mix of flavors. Will be made again. Thanks for another good one.

  4. 5 stars
    So, so good! I’m a party of one so I only made two servings worth but ended up earing them all – oops! The slaw is to die for and I love doctoring up the fish sticks to give them more flavor.

    Can’t wait to make them again!

  5. I am going to try these. They look delicious. I do not like hot peppers. I was going to substitute pickles and pickle juice for pickled jalapeños and not add the cumin and red peppers. I hope I don’t ruin the taste.

  6. 5 stars
    These were so delicious and easy to make! I will definitely be making them again and again!

  7. 5 stars
    I never wrote reviews, but these are that good!!!! I do recommend cooking the tortillas on the flame of your stove top to add that char and crunch. I also subbed light mayo for personal preference. Other than that, these are perfect as written. Thank you for an amazing recipe that I will make again and again and again!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.