Fish Stick Tacos
Make easy fish stick tacos in 15 minutes or less. Crispy fish, vinegar slaw, and toppings you can customize to fit your taste.
Warning! This isn’t your typical tilapia taco recipe. It’s totally different, and so much easier. Plus, it’s kid-friendly!
Let me introduce you to my fish stick tacos with slaw. The concept isn’t new. In fact, I’ve been eating these for years and absolutely love them.
They’re fairly simple, and I purposely leave a lot of the control in your hands. Choose your favorite brand of fish sticks, and cook them however you like. My favorite way is in the air fryer which takes about 10 minutes to get them crispy and browned.
While the fish sticks cook, make a quick coleslaw. I use a bagged coleslaw mix, and add my own dressing. All-in-all it takes about 5–7 minutes. If you have time to make it in advance, do that. The slaw tastes so much better after it sits in the fridge for a bit.
Sometimes I’ll even make my chipotle sauce to go with the tacos, but that’s optional. It depends on time and what ingredients are in the pantry. I’ll list some of my other favorite fish taco sauce options below.
This recipe is all about using what you have on hand and making a tasty meal in a short amount of time!
If you decide to try this recipe, and I hope you do, it may very well change the way you think about fish sticks.
Tips for the Best Fish Stick Tacos
- Use a baking sheet lined with parchment paper if you’re cooking the fish sticks in the oven. It makes cleanup easier.
- Don’t skip warming the tortillas. Toss them in a skillet for a few seconds on each side or microwave them between damp paper towels.
- If you’re using an air fryer, cook the fish sticks in a single layer so they crisp evenly.
- Let the slaw sit while the fish cooks. It gives it time to soak up the dressing. If time permits, make it a couple of hours in advance.
Favorite Ways to Customize Fish Stick Tacos
The best thing about these tacos is how easy they are to adjust. I’m always switching things up depending on what ingredients are available. Here are some ideas:
Coleslaw: Don’t like coleslaw? Swap it out for shredded lettuce or cabbage. Not a fan of vinegar-based slaw? Make my creamy fish taco slaw instead.
Sauce: I love some kind of sauce on these tacos. Some options are my chipotle sauce, fish taco sauce, cilantro lime crema, a drizzle of sour cream, or homemade taco sauce for a more traditional Tex-Mex flavor.
Toppings and Tortillas: The options are endless! Try diced jalapeños, onions, cilantro, guacamole, roasted corn kernels, or avocado. Either corn or flour tortillas work. I like fajita size flour tortillas or street taco size. They’re small, portable, and easy to manage.
Cooking Method: Like I mentioned above, my favorite way to cook fish sticks is in the air fryer. You can also use a conventional oven or a toaster oven. It’s whatever you have available.
More Taco Inspired Recipes
Ingredients
- 16 frozen fish sticks
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 to 2 tablespoons lime juice, adjust depending on how much lime flavor you like
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- 14 ounces coleslaw mix, 1 bag (discard any dressing that comes with the mix)
- 8 small flour tortillas, or corn tortillas
💌 Don't forget to save this recipe!
Instructions
- Cook the fish sticks according to the package directions until crispy and golden brown.16 frozen fish sticks
- While they cook, make the slaw: In a large bowl, whisk together the white wine vinegar, lime juice, sugar, olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add the slaw mix and toss to coat. Let it sit for 10–15 minutes to soak up the flavor.2 tablespoons white wine vinegar1 to 2 tablespoons lime juice1 tablespoon granulated sugar1 tablespoon olive oil½ teaspoon garlic powderSaltblack pepper14 ounces coleslaw mix
- Warm the tortillas in a skillet or microwave until soft and flexible.8 small flour tortillas
- Assemble the tacos: Place two fish sticks on each tortilla. Top with a generous scoop of slaw and any optional toppings you like.
- Serve right away while the fish is still hot and crunchy.
Notes
- The calories listed are an approximation based on the ingredients in the recipe card and a serving size of 2 fish stick tacos. Actual calories will vary.
- I cook the fish sticks in an air fryer which keeps the total time for this recipe right around 15 minutes. If you make them in the oven or toaster oven, the recipe will take longer.
- I’ve included several topping variations in the post above, along with links to recipes for some of them. A few options I mention are creamy coleslaw, cilantro lime crema, chipotle sauce, and a simple fish taco sauce.
- This recipe doesn’t include a sauce, but I recommend trying one of the options listed above depending on the flavor you’re after. They’re all recipes from the site. If you’d rather skip the sauce, the tacos are still fantastic on their own.
- Storage: The tacos are best enjoyed fresh, but will keep for 2–3 days in the fridge. Make sure you store the fish sticks, tortillas, and slaw in separate containers.