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Air Fryer Tilapia

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Lightly seasoned tilapia fillets cooked in the air fryer in just 10 minutes, resulting in a crisped exterior and tender, flaky interior with minimal mess and oil.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 tilapia fillets (4–6 oz each), fresh or thawed
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil or melted butter
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika (smoked or sweet)
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • Lemon wedges, for serving
  • Fresh parsley, optional
  • For Crispy Breaded Tilapia (Optional):
  • ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
  • 1 egg, beaten

Instructions

  1. Pat tilapia fillets completely dry on both sides with paper towels. Brush or rub a thin layer of olive oil over both sides, then season evenly with garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, salt, and pepper. For breaded tilapia: dip each oiled fillet in the beaten egg, then press into the panko-Parmesan mixture to coat and spray lightly with cooking spray.
  2. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (204°C) for 3 minutes. Arrange fillets in a single layer in the basket without overlapping — cook in batches if needed.
  3. Cook fresh seasoned fillets for 8–10 minutes, flipping halfway if desired. For breaded fillets, cook 10–12 minutes, flipping at 6 minutes. Frozen unbreaded fillets cook at 375°F for 14–16 minutes, flipping at 8 minutes. Tilapia is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F and flakes easily with a fork.
  4. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and fresh parsley. The crispy exterior softens quickly as steam escapes, so plate and serve right out of the air fryer.

Notes

Pat fillets thoroughly dry before seasoning — surface moisture is the primary obstacle to a crispy exterior.

Do not overlap fillets in the basket; overlapping causes steaming rather than crisping. Cook in two rounds for larger batches.

Use an instant-read thermometer to confirm doneness at 145°F — some air fryers run up to 67°F below their set temperature.

Frozen unbreaded fillets cook at 375°F for 14–16 minutes; fresh or thawed fillets produce noticeably crispier results.

Best served immediately — the crust softens within a few minutes of resting.

Find it online: https://airfrycentral.com/air-fryer-tilapia/