We eat blackened fish tacos at least once a month. They never get old. I like them better than traditional beef or chicken tacos at this point. I hate to brag about my own recipes (obviously I’m biased), but I think this may be my favorite recipe on this blog.

Fish tacos are AWESOME. In my opinion, the key is the chipotle mayonnaise topping. It adds a nice spicy, creamy kick. I like to spread it on my tortillas before adding the blackened fish and toppings.

For blackened fish tacos I usually use cod or haddock. It’s very easy to cook and light in flavor. It takes on the flavor of the spices or toppings. You could also substitute with mahi-mahi or any other fish you prefer. Swordfish? Salmon? Yep, tried them all with good results. 

How to Blacken Fish

Blackening is a Cajun-style technique involving heavily seasoning meat with a blend of spicy, smokey spices and pan searing or grilling. It renders the fish much darker due to the rub of spices. Not to be confused with burning or charring. If your fish is actually black, you’ve gone too far.

There are a handful of pre-made blackening spices out there, Old Bay being one of my favorites. You can also make your own with a combo of paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, dried thyme, oregano, and cayenne pepper. Basically it’s a simple way to add a lot of spice and flavor to any kind of meat.

Rub the fish filets heavily with blackening mix and fresh lime juice…and I mean heavily—the more seasoning, the more flavor. Some blackening mix can be a little spicy so be sure to taste a little before using.

I usually sear the blackened fish in a cast iron skillet and serve in the skillet to keep warm. Cast iron gives you the grill-like seared finish. Assemble fish tacos with avocado, cilantro, cabbage, tomatoes, chipotle mayonnaise, and fresh lime. So simple, yet abstrusely incredible and fresh.

Try to find small white corn tortillas. They are better for you than your traditional white tortilla and in my opinion, taste so much better with fish.

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