15 Minutes Crispy Air Fryer Fish Tacos

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Looking for an easy weeknight dinner the whole family will love? This crispy air fryer fish tacos ready, made with pantry staples are on the table in about 15 minutes!

Suitable for low carb and gluten free diets (with modifications). Post includes Weight Watchers points.

Fish lovers and taco lovers, I got our back with these golden crispy air fryer fish tacos. I love whipping up golden flaky seasoned fish, and serving it up with crunchy slaw and all the toppings on a weekly rotation, in between laundry loads.

This quick and easy 15 minutes meal, is perfect for those busy weeknights, taco tuesdays, last minute lunches, casual gatherings or when I want something light and full of flavor. Even better toppings can be prepared in advance for easier mealtimes, when my is brain is just overloaded with school stuff.

Cooking fish in the air fryer is incredibly easy, in just minutes. Just like my Air Fryer Fish and Chips and easy Air Fryer Salmon, this fish taco recipe is has become a favorite family meal!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Simple: They are made with affordable and simple pantry spices.
• No deep frying: The are super crispy without the need to deep fry.
• Customizable: I find them easy to customize to taste with different toppings.
• Meal prep: Make extra and use for taco bowls, salads, pasta etc.

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Ingredient Notes And Variations

This recipe is fairly easy to pull together. But we have some notes and variation tips for you.

• Fish fillets: My preferred fish is tilapia, but go for what is available and affordable.
• Seasonings: I season these with either homemade Taco seasoning or store bought taco seasoning. For a homemade version, I combine salt, black pepper, garlic powder, cayenne, chili powder, onion powder, dried oregano and smoked paprika. I go easy on the chili, but you can add more or less of any spice to your taste.
• Tortillas: I actually prefer corn tortillas, but also use flour tortillas or crunchy shells. Prefer low-carb fish tacos? No probs, just serve the fish in lettuce wraps instead.
• Cooking Spray: Coating the fish in a small amount of cooking spray (or olive oil, avocado oil, rapeseed oil) really helps with that golden crispy texture. You only need about 2-3 teaspoons of oil, otherwise you may end up with greasy fish.
• Garnish: I love using a few sprigs of cilantro and lime wedges for garnish.

How to Make Air Fryer Fish Tacos

Don’t forget to check out my best air fryer tips to get better results with every recipe. Get complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card further below.

1. Preheat: Spray the air fryer with olive oil or cooking spray and preheat to 400 degrees F / 200 degrees C.
2. Dry and prep: Pat dry the fish filets with paper towels and use a sharp knife to cut each filet into 2 pieces and lightly oil the fillet. 
3. Season fish: In a bowl, combine all spices and sprinkle them on both sides of the fish. 
4. Air fry fillets: Place the fish in the air fryer basket. Air fry fish on one side for 4 minutes then flip and air fry for another 2 minutes or until done.
5. Warm tortillas: Heat tortillas in the air fryer for a few seconds or warm in a non-stick skillet or microwave.
6. Assemble: Assemble tacos with fish, preferred toppings, cilantro and lime.

Bintu’s Tips And Varitions

Although this is quick to make, I have a few tips and variations that make a big difference.

• Preheat the air fryer: I suggest letting the air fryer preheat for a few minutes before cooking the fillets, which really helps them crisp up and cook more evenly.
• Choose evenly sized fillets: Fillets with a different thickness, will cook at different rates. I try to pick fillets that are roughly the same size or slice thicker ones into similar sizes.
• Pat the fish dry: Pat dry with paper towels before seasoning to remove excess moisture, so seasoning sticks better and the tilapia tacos crisp up (rather than steam).
• Quick marinade: Whenever I have time, I let the fish marinate for about 15 minutes in a simple simple mix of lime juice, garlic, and spices for that little extra yum.
• Check early: I find that cooking times vary depending on the air fryer model and the thickness of the fillets. For the best results, I start checking 1-2 minutes before the suggested cook time and add more time if needed.
• Flip halfway ONLY if possible: If your fish fillet is thick and firm, then feel free to flip halfway through the cooking so both sides brown evenly.
• Check out how to clean an air fryer well after cooking to avoid transfer of food smells.
• Bake instead. If you don’t have an air fryer then bake the fish on a parchment lined tray for 15 minutes at 400°F / 200°C or until cooked.

Best Fish Tacos Toppings and Sides

I love serving these up with a whole bunch of toppings and let everyone have fun building up their own tacos. Works great for taco bars and movie nights. I always keep some toppings in the refrigerator. Tip here, don’t overfill your tacos, as they will be hard to handle and eat. Build tacos in layers. I get the best results when I assemble them in this order: tortilla, slaw, fish, sauce and extra toppings (sauce first can result in soggy tacos).

• On busy weeknights, I go for simple toppings like sliced avocado and radishes, diced tomatoes, Pickled Red Onions, shredded cheese, or hot sauce and shredded lettuce.
• With more time I whip up some Southern Coleslaw, or Mexican Rice or this mango pineapple salsa, and my fav homemade Guacamole.
• I serve these alongside Homemade Corn Tortillas, a side of homemade Air Fryer Tortilla Chips and this Mexican cheese dip. And, you can’t go wrong with this classic pairing of Black Beans and this Mexican Rice.
• My favorite fish taco sauce to serve with these, is a simple lime crema made from sour cream, lime juice, and garlic powder. Go ahead and use store bought sauce to save time.
• Make a fish taco bowl. Skip the tortillas and serve these over a bed of rice or quinoa. Top with your favorite taco toppings and drizzle with sauce. My kids love it!

Storage

• Store: Store any leftover cooked cooled fish in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep the coleslaw (without dressing), salsa, and other toppings in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for 3 days. Keep tortillas in plastic wrap.
• Reheat: To reheat the tilapia without losing its crispiness, it’s best to use the air fryer again. Reheat for 2-3 minutes in an air fryer preheated to 375 degrees F/190 degrees C.

FAQs 

Crispy fish is my jam and I have found these tips helps.
Do pat the fish dry before seasoning.
Preheat the air fryer for a few minutes before adding the fillets.
Spray or brush fish lightly with oil to help crisp them up
Cook in a single layer with space between fillets so air can circulate and crisp food, and cook evenly.

What Is The Best Fish for Fish Tacos?

I tend to go for mild white fish fillets, as they let the seasoning shine and are easy to cook and flake. My preferred budget friendly fish is tilapia, but I have also used cod, mahi mahi, haddock, or catfish. Go for what is easily available and affordable.

Can I Use Frozen Fish?

You absolutely can and that is the beauty of this recipe. Frozen fish is budget friendly, and I always grab a pack or two for my freezer when it is on offer. Frozen fish works best when partially thawed. I suggest you pat dry before seasoning and then cook fillets for 2 – 4 minutes longer.

How do I know when fish is done / What temperature should fish be cooked to?

The cooking time for fish in an air fryer depends on a few things, including the thickness of the fish filets, the specific air fryer model. Perfectly cooked air fried fish flakes easily when done. You can also use a meat thermometer to check for an internal temperature of 145 degrees F / 62 degrees C. Check for doneness and adjust accordingly but avoid overcooking the fish.

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Looking for more EASY, delicious, and flavorful air fryer fish recipes? I’ve got you covered. Check out my full collection of air fryer recipes, or start a few of my most popular recipes:

Weight Watchers Points

There are 6 Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of this.

Thank you for reading my air fryer tilapia fish tacos recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue to slice, dice and dream up affordable Air Fryer recipes, Instant Pot recipes, Southern Recipes, and more. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog.

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