Halibut Tacos with Lime Slaw and Chipotle Crema
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs fresh halibut fillets
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 cups green cabbage thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup red cabbage thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 tsp honey
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce minced
- 1 tsp adobo sauce
- Juice of half a lime
- Pinch of salt
- 8 small corn tortillas
- 1 avocado sliced
- Fresh cilantro roughly torn
- Lime wedges for serving
- Sliced jalapeño optional
Instructions
- Toss green and red cabbage together in a bowl. Whisk mayo, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, and honey in a small bowl then pour over cabbage. Toss well, season with salt, and refrigerate while you prepare everything else.
- Stir minced chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, lime juice, and a pinch of salt into the sour cream. Taste and adjust heat or creaminess as needed. Set aside.
- Pat halibut fillets completely dry with paper towels. Mix all dry spices together and rub evenly over both sides of the fish. Squeeze lime juice over the top.
- Heat skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Once shimmering, lay halibut in carefully. Cook without moving for 3 to 4 minutes until the fish releases from the pan naturally. Flip gently and cook another 3 minutes depending on thickness.
- Remove fish from heat just before it looks fully done. Let it rest 2 minutes then break into large rough chunks with a fork. Do not shred fine — keep the pieces generous.
- Warm corn tortillas directly over a gas burner flame for 20 seconds per side or in a dry skillet. Wrap in a clean kitchen towel to keep soft.
- Build tacos immediately before eating: tortilla, slaw, fish chunks, chipotle crema, avocado slices, fresh cilantro, and a final squeeze of lime.
Notes
Pull the halibut off the heat just before it looks fully done — it keeps cooking from residual heat and will dry out fast if you wait too long. Two minutes of rest before breaking it apart makes a real difference in texture.