coconut lime crusted fish tacos with apple cranberry chutney
Too pretty to eat? Never. I am a total boof when it comes to breading any type of food, so succeeding in these Baked Coconut Lime Crusted Fish Tacos blew me onto another tier of cooking. On my own miniscule scale, at least. They will you, too, because these fish filets are so easy but look fancy. The chutney offers a pop of glorious magenta hue and a juicy flavor to awaken the tastebuds. These are probably my favorite tacos thus far for Taco Wednesday.
Currently, we Floridians are undergoing a cold snap that I’ve been awaiting since, oh, last December. I’ve many a coworker who complains feverishly whenever the temperature drops below 70 and I cannot help but roll my eyes so hard I can view my brain synapses electrocuting one another. On the day of writing here – Monday, 11/30, approximately 4:28 – I witnessed the air clear of storm gray and yield the bluest heavens while wrapping in a blanket and carrying off all traces of humidity. I touched the metal gate to my building and my finger snapped with static. I love the crisp and the dry. I’ve probably said that over and over in posts prior, but I never sick of the winter.
Too, I never sick of tacos. I’m sure you sick of long unrelated narratives, so I’ll stop it here. These are perfect when you wish for something not wholly traditional and something that ushers in a wintry flare. I always make enough for two to enjoy, but these easily feed a bigger family or hungrier mouths if you’d like to expand it. Don’t be shy with the chutney. It’s so good you’ll lick the sticky remnants off the edges of your pan.
As always, come say hi on Instagram and leave a comment if you try out these tacos!
Ingredients
coconut lime fish tacos
- 2 4 oz filets white fish (I used branzino, but mahi, cod, and halibut are all great alternatives)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/4 cup panko style bread crumbs
- 1 lime, for zest (about 2 tsp)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 2 cups slaw
- 4 tortillas
apple cranberry chutney
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- 1 apple, cored and diced
- 1 1 inch slice ginger, peeled and minced or grated
- 1 jalapeno, deseeded and diced
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
for the coconut lime fish
- Preheat oven to 375. Place a wire rack atop a baking sheet and spray rack with oil. Pat your fish filets dry with a paper towel and slice each into four "fingers".
- In a bowl, combine coconut, panko, lime zest, and spices and mix with a fork to thoroughly incorporate. In a separate bowl, whisk egg. Dip each fish finger first in the egg, then toss into the coconut-panko mix until completely covered. You may need to pat some of the breading on to firmly to get it to stick. Place each breaded fish finger onto the wire rack-covered baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes, then turn broiler to HIGH and cook an additional 2-3 minutes until coconut breading turns a nice crispy brown. Remove from oven and set aside.
for the apple cranberry chutney
- The chutney is super low maintenance except for occasional stirring. You want to ensure the heat is regulated on your stovetop as it simmers to prevent anything from burning. The key is a low temperature setting!
- Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a slight boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for at least 20 minutes, but ideally 30-40, stirring often. The cranberries and apples will break down and the vinegar will mellow into a sweet reduction when it marries with the aromatics and brown sugar.
- Once the chutney is a uniform chunky salsa-like consistency, remove from heat and let cool.
- To assemble your tacos: Add a good handful of slaw to the bottom of each tortilla. Top with two fish fingers apiece, then spoon generously with chutney. Squeeze some lime juice and toss from cilantro leaves atop, if desired.
