Crispy Gluten-Free Fried Fish Tacos with Chipotle Sauce
These gluten-free fried fish tacos have a tangy sweet orange cabbage slaw and spicy chipotle cream sauce. A rice flour batter makes a crispy golden fried fish! Learn what kind of fish makes the best baja fish tacos, how to select sustainable seafood, and how to make chipotle cream sauce!
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 25 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 batch gluten-free fried fish
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup mayonnaise (*see note)
- 1½ tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon chipotle pepper in adobo (chopped)
- ½ teaspoon chopped garlic clove
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 cups shredded or thinly shaved green cabbage (about 1 small green cabbage)
- Zest from 1 orange
- 6 tablespoons fresh orange juice (from 1-2 oranges)
- 1½ tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 10-12 corn tortillas
- 5 small radishes (halved and thinly sliced (optionally quick pickled, below))
- Optional: cilantro (lime and orange wedges)
- ¼ cup boiling water
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
Instructions
- 1
Begin by making the chipotle baja cream. Mix all the ingredients for the chipotle baja cream to a food processor or blender until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and chill until ready to serve.
- 2
Prepare the orange slaw. Toss all the ingredients together in a medium bowl and chill until ready to serve. Note: The longer the slaw marinates, the softer it will become as the cabbage will release some liquid. If you like it on the crunchier side, make it only up to an hour in advance. In my opinion, the citrus flavors get even stronger as it sits, so it will still be delicious up to a day as leftovers.
- 3
If you're pickling the radishes, stir the salt and sugar into the boiling water in a jar until dissolved. Stir in the rice vinegar, then add your sliced radishes and let sit for at least 20 minutes while you fry the fish. Pickled radishes keep for a few days in the fridge. The longer the radishes sit, the more pickled they'll become.
- 4
Cut the fish into strips about 3-4 inches long by ¾-1½ inch(es) wide. Put ½ cup of rice flour on a plate and dredge the each piece of fish in the flour. Set aside while you prepare the batter.
- 5
Heat 1 to 1½ inches of oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F. Adjust the heat to keep the oil at 350°F (I clip a candy thermometer to the pot while I fry). Set a paper towel-lined wire rack near the stove.
- 6
Whisk together the remaining 2 cups white rice flour, salt, paprika, garlic powder, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl. In a small mixing bowl or measuring cup, whisk together egg yolk and seltzer water until smooth and fizzy. Pour the egg and water into the flour and mix gently with a fork until just combined. Don't over mix - It is okay if there are still some dry clumps, but just make sure to mix in the flour from the bottom of the bowl. If your batter seems too thick and clumpy, add 1-2 tablespoons more seltzer water as needed and gently mix. You want the batter to be thick enough that it sticks to the fish in a thin layer.
- 7
Working three at a time (more or less depending on the size of your pot), dip a piece of dredged fish into the batter, making sure to coat the fish in batter. Gently shake off any excess batter. Drop the fish in the oil (being careful not to burn yourself) and fry for 2-3 minutes, turning gently with a spoon until crispy and golden. Use a slotted spoon to transfer each piece of fish to the paper-towel lined wire rack. Repeat with remaining fish.
- 8
Lightly char the tortillas directly over a medium-low flame, flipping once, or warm each tortilla in a dry pan until just pliable, about one minute on each side.
- 9
Fill the tacos! Place a piece or two of fish in each tortilla. Top with a drizzle of chipotle baja cream, a small handful of orange cabbage slaw, and pickled (or raw) radishes. Garnish with cilantro, if you desire.