Fish Or Shrimp Tacos Recipe

Prepare and season

Pat the fish fillets dry with paper towels and cut into 1-inch wide strips (or leave whole for flaking after cooking). If using shrimp, pat dry and leave tails off. Place protein in a bowl and toss with kosher salt, black pepper, cumin, smoked paprika, lime juice and 1 tablespoon oil until evenly coated. Let sit 10 minutes while you prepare other components.

Cook

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. For fish: add strips in a single layer and cook 2–3 minutes per side (depending on thickness) until opaque and lightly browned; do not overcrowd—cook in batches if needed. For shrimp: cook 1.5–2 minutes per side until pink and just cooked through. Transfer cooked protein to a plate and keep warm; squeeze a little extra lime juice over top.

Char the corn

Heat a medium skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat and add the butter. When foaming, add the corn kernels in an even layer and let them cook, undisturbed, for 3–4 minutes until they begin to brown and char in spots. Stir and cook another 2–3 minutes until nicely caramelized. If using grilled corn, char on a hot grill 2–3 minutes per side and then cut off the cob.

Remove the corn from heat and transfer to a bowl. While warm, stir in mayonnaise, crema (or sour cream), lime juice, chili powder, chopped cilantro, crumbled cotija, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning — add more lime or salt if desired. Keep warm or at room temperature until assembly.

Make the crema

In a small bowl whisk together crema (or sour cream), mayonnaise, ancho chile powder, smoked paprika, honey (if using), lime juice and salt until smooth and slightly fluid. Taste and adjust ancho chile or salt for desired spice and brightness. Chill briefly if you prefer a cooler sauce.

Warm tortillas

Warm a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil or butter. Working in small batches, warm each corn tortilla 30–45 seconds per side until pliable and slightly toasted. Keep tortillas wrapped in a clean towel to stay warm and soft.

Assemble tacos

Place a warm tortilla on a plate. Spoon 2–3 tablespoons of the elote salad down the center, top with 2–3 strips of cooked fish or 3–4 shrimp. Drizzle 1–2 teaspoons of ancho chile crema over the protein, sprinkle with extra cotija and chopped cilantro, and add pickled red onion if using. Serve with a lime wedge on the side. Repeat for remaining tortillas.

Serve immediately so tortillas remain warm and protein is at best texture. Leftovers: keep components separately (protein, crema, elote) in airtight containers in the refrigerator up to 2 days; reheat protein gently and warm tortillas before serving.