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Crispy Fish Tacos Recipe (Beer Battered Fish and Chips Style with Chip Crust)

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Ingredients

Fish and Chips (Beer Batter + Chip Crust)

  • Halibut cut into strips 450 g / 1 lb
  • All purpose flour 120 g / 1 cup
  • Potato starch 80 g / 2/3 cup or cornstarch
  • Baking powder 8 g / 2 tsp
  • Kosher salt 4 g / 3/4 tsp
  • Paprika 2 g / 1 tsp optional
  • Ice cold beer 480 ml / 2 cups approx
  • Potato chips crushed 120 g / about 4 cups loosely crushed
  • Neutral oil for frying 1.5 to 2 liters / 6 to 8 cups

Seasoned Flour

  • All purpose flour 60 g / 1/2 cup
  • Salt to taste
  • Black pepper to taste

Green Ranch Sauce

  • Sour cream 240 g / 1 cup
  • Fresh dill chopped 15 g / 4 tbsp
  • Jalapeño powder 2 tsp or 1 fresh jalapeño finely chopped
  • Garlic chive oil 1 tbsp or substitute garlic powder 1 tbsp plus onion powder 1 tbsp
  • Salt to taste

Tortillas

  • Masa harina
  • Water per package instructions
  • Optional blue masa harina for design

Garnish

  • Radishes thin sliced
  • Fresh jalapeños thin sliced
  • Fresh dill

Instructions

  • Mix masa harina with water until a soft dough forms that feels like play dough. Press into tortillas. If making a design, press blue masa into the surface before cooking. Cook tortillas on a hot comal until lightly charred, then transfer to a towel-lined container and cover to steam and stay soft.
  • Cut halibut into strips about 4 inches long. Lightly dredge each piece in seasoned flour to help the batter adhere.
  • In a bowl, whisk together flour, potato starch, baking powder, salt, and paprika. Slowly pour in ice cold beer while whisking until a loose batter forms with a light, crepe-like consistency.
  • Spread crushed potato chips onto a tray, keeping a mix of fine and chunky pieces for texture.
  • Dip each piece of floured fish into the beer batter, allowing excess to drip off. Press into the crushed potato chips until fully coated.
  • Heat neutral oil to 350°F. Fry fish until golden brown and crispy, about 3 to 5 minutes depending on thickness. Transfer to a wire rack and season immediately with salt.
  • In a bowl, mix sour cream, dill, jalapeño, and garlic chive oil until smooth. Season with salt to taste. The sauce should be bright, herby, and slightly spicy.
  • To assemble tacos, spread green ranch sauce onto each tortilla. Add crispy fish, then top with sliced radishes, jalapeños, and fresh dill. Serve immediately.

Notes

Use very cold beer when making the batter to keep it light and airy, which helps create a crisp, delicate coating when fried
Potato starch is key for achieving a light, shatteringly crisp texture, but cornstarch can be used as a substitute if needed
Crushing the potato chips with a mix of fine and larger pieces creates better texture and ensures full coverage on the fish
Always fry at 350°F to avoid greasy fish; if the oil is too cold, the crust will absorb oil instead of crisping
Transfer fried fish to a wire rack instead of paper towels to maintain maximum crispiness
Steaming the tortillas after cooking is essential for soft, pliable tacos that won’t crack
The green ranch sauce can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days to deepen flavor
This crispy fish also works great on its own or in sandwiches if you want to skip the tacos.