skinny fish tacos

Last month my husband’s work sent him to a conference in San Diego, and Lizzy and I decided to tag along with him. It was pretty much just the perfect relaxing vacation! We walked by the bay every morning, visited some local museums, and (best of all!) tried out a ton of awesome restaurants! I’m pretty crazy about fish tacos, and I made it my goal to try as many varieties of fish tacos as I could while we were there. The verdict? I loved all of them!

When we got home, I was excited to try a homemade version, but not so thrilled about deep frying the fish. Number one, it’s super messy and I’m afraid of burning the house down; and number two, I wanted something lighter and healthier. I decided to try breading the fish the same way I do my chicken, and it worked like a charm! These aren’t exactly the same as the fried fish tacos, but they are significantly healthier, and completely delicious. The tangy sauce just completes the whole package!

Skinny Fish Tacos

for the fish:
1 pound tilapia filets, sliced in half lengthwise
3/4 cup flour
2 eggs
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
3/4 cup regular bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon garlic
salt and pepper to taste

for the sauce (adapted from Eclectic Recipes):
1 cup mayonnaise (I used light mayo with olive oil)
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon tomato paste
3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 clove garlic, minced
the juice of 1 lime
a pinch of cayenne pepper

for assembling:
corn tortillas (as many as you have pieces of fish)
shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix
fresh limes
avocado

Preheat the oven to 375. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Set up a dredging station: have one plate or shallow dish with flour in it, another shallow dish with the beaten eggs in it, and a third plate or shallow dish with the bread crumbs, garlic, and salt and pepper. Take each piece of fish and dip it into the flour, making sure to coat it completely, and shaking off the excess. Using your other (non-floured) hand, dip the fish into the egg mixture, again making sure to coat completely and letting the excess drip off. Using the floured hand again. roll the fish in the breadcrumbs, attempting to get an even coating, and shaking off the excess. Place fish on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining fish pieces. Spray the tops of the fish with cooking spray, and bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

To make the sauce, whisk together all the ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

To assemble the tacos, heat the corn tortillas in the microwave or on the stovetop until they are warmed through and flexible. Top each tortilla with a piece of fish, then sprinkle with shredded cabbage. Drizzle with sauce, then top with fresh lime juice and avocados. Delicious!