Fish Stick Tacos with Spicy Slaw

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Nut-free

Skill Level: Beginner

Yield: 4-6 servings

Prep Time: 10-20 minutes, depending on the number of toppings you opt for

Cook Time: 10-15 minutes

Equipment Needed:

• Cutting board 

• Chef's knife 

• Mixing bowls

• Baking sheet

The Recipe:

Ingredients:

For the Spicy Slaw:

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise

• 1-2 tablespoons Sriracha or hot chili sauce

• 2 green onions, white and green parts, minced

• 2-3 tablespoons cilantro, minced

• Kosher salt

• 1/2 of a 14-ounce bag of tri-color coleslaw

For the Fish Stick Tacos:

• 20-30 frozen fish sticks (I like to plan on about 2 tacos per person so 4 fish sticks per person, but you will know your crowd best!)

• 10-15 taco-sized corn or flour tortillas

• Optional toppings:

  • Thinly sliced radish

  • Sliced or diced avocado

  • Chipotle Crema or your favorite taco sauce

  • Chopped cilantro

  • Chopped or pickled red onions

  • Lime wedges

Procedure:

1. Bake your fish sticks following the manufacturer's directions for temperature and time.

2. While the fish sticks are baking, make the spicy slaw: In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, minced green onions, minced cilantro, Sriracha, and a hefty pinch of Kosher salt. Add the coleslaw, and use a tongs to thoroughly coat the coleslaw with the dressing. Taste, and adjust the seasoning and spice level to your liking.

3. Char the tortillas: whether you are using flour or corn, they taste infinitely better if you give them a little heat for color and flavor. If you have a gas stove, simply light the burner and use a tongs to put your tortilla directly on the grate. They will char quickly, so check after a few seconds, flip, and remove once they have a few charred spots. If you have an electric stove, you can put your tortillas on a large skillet over medium-high heat to give them a little color.
   

To Serve: Assemble your tacos: I like to put 2 fish sticks in each taco, followed by thinly sliced radish, sliced avocado, a scoop of Spicy Slaw and a drizzle of my Chipotle Crema, finished off with a squeeze of fresh lime.

Adjusting for your diet: If you follow a gluten-free diet, you can purchase gluten-free fish sticks to make this meal gluten-free.

Tips:

• I like to use 2 tablespoons of Sriracha in my Spicy Slaw, but this does make it quiet fiery! I would recommend starting out with 1 tablespoon, tasting, and adding more from there if you find you want a little more kick.

• If you don't care for cilantro, you can leave it out of the slaw. Also, if you think cilantro tastes like soap, did you know you are one of the almost 20% of the population with a hereditary variation in a group of olfactory-receptor genes that allow you to strongly perceive the soapy-flavored aldehydes in cilantro?

• You could certainly shred some red or green cabbage and carrots to use in place of the bagged coleslaw if you have the time.

• You could also batter and fry your own fish if you have time, or substitute grilled or baked fish for a healthier fish taco. Other types of fish such as salmon could also be used.

The Story:

I adore fish tacos, but they are one of those dishes that always seemed intimidating for me to make at home, especially before I really got the hang of deep frying foods on my stovetop. One day I was watching a morning talk show, and one of the hosts talked about using fish sticks as a shortcut for fish tacos. How genius is that?!

In my humble opinion, the success of a fish taco is very dependent on the toppings anyways, so what a great busy weeknight shortcut. I can focus solely on the toppings, which can be put together fairly quickly, and not have to do anything more than open the freezer and the oven for the fish!

With the right toppings, these super simple Fish Stick Tacos are flavorful, spicy, smoky, and delicious. A big bonus for me is that if my kids are not in a taco mood (weirdos), they can just have the fish sticks, which they love!

What are your favorite toppings for fish tacos? Let me know in the comments below :)

Happy tasting!