Air-Fryer Tilapia

Crispy air-fryer tilapia that busy families absolutely love because it’s ready in just 25 minutes! This flaky, tender fish gets perfectly seasoned with bright lemon and herbs. Your whole family will be asking for seconds!

Recipe Details

Timing & Servings: Active Time: 10 minutes, Total Time: 25 minutes, Serves: 4 people.

Nutrition Profile: Diabetes-Friendly, Nut-Free, Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Heart-Healthy, High-Protein, Egg-Free, Gluten-Free.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 144 Calories, 3g Fat, 1g Carbs, 29g Protein.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Cooking spray: You’ll need this to keep your fish from sticking to the air fryer basket. Any neutral cooking spray works great!

Tilapia fillets: 1¼ pounds of fresh or thawed tilapia fillets. Look for fillets that are similar in thickness so they cook evenly.

Lemon zest: 1 teaspoon of freshly grated lemon zest adds such bright, fresh flavor. Use a microplane grater if you have one!

Garlic powder: ¼ teaspoon gives you that savory garlic taste without any prep work. So convenient!

Onion powder: ¼ teaspoon adds a mild onion flavor that pairs perfectly with the fish.

Salt: ¼ teaspoon total, but you’ll divide this up – using some in the seasoning mix and saving some for the finish.

Hot paprika: Just ⅛ teaspoon gives a tiny kick of heat and beautiful color. Regular paprika works too if you want it mild!

Ground white pepper: ⅛ teaspoon adds gentle spice without the black specks. Black pepper works fine as a substitute.

Fresh lemon juice: 1 tablespoon of fresh squeezed lemon juice brightens up the finished fish beautifully.

How to Make Air-Fryer Tilapia

Step 1: Preheat your air fryer to 400°F for 5 minutes. Lightly coat the fryer basket with cooking spray so nothing sticks.

Step 2: Pat your tilapia fillets completely dry with paper towels. This helps them get crispy! Coat the fillets all over with cooking spray.

Step 3: Mix together lemon zest, garlic powder, onion powder, ⅛ teaspoon salt, paprika and white pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle this seasoning mixture evenly over both sides of the fish.

Step 4: Place the seasoned fish in a single layer in your air fryer basket. Don’t overcrowd – work in batches if needed! Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, flipping once halfway through.

Step 5: Check that your fish reaches 145°F with an instant-read thermometer and flakes easily with a fork. Drizzle with fresh lemon juice and sprinkle with the remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt.

Step 6: Finish by sprinkling the chopped chives and parsley over the top before serving. So fresh and delicious!

Easy and Quick Air-Fryer Tilapia Version

Want to make this even faster? You can skip the fresh herbs and just use ½ teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning instead! Mix it right into your spice blend in step 3. You’ll still get tons of flavor but save yourself the chopping time. The fish will be just as tasty and ready in the same amount of time!

Serving Ideas

This air-fryer tilapia makes a complete, satisfying meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights. Serve it alongside fluffy rice pilaf and steamed broccoli for a balanced dinner. Roasted sweet potato wedges or a crisp garden salad also pair beautifully with the bright lemon flavors!

Storage

Store leftover tilapia in the refrigerator for up to 2 days in an airtight container. To reheat, pop it back in the air fryer at 350°F for 2-3 minutes until warmed through. You can also reheat it gently in a 300°F oven for about 5 minutes!

Substitutions

No tilapia? You can use any white fish fillets like cod, mahi-mahi, or flounder! Don’t have white pepper? Regular black pepper works just fine. Missing fresh herbs? Dried herbs work too – just use about half the amount. You’ve got lots of options to make this recipe work with what you have!

Pro Tips

Pat fish completely dry: This is the secret to getting crispy edges instead of soggy fish!
Don’t skip the cooking spray: Spray both the basket and the fish for the best results.
Check thickness: Thicker fillets might need an extra 1-2 minutes of cooking time.
Fresh is best: Fresh lemon juice and herbs make a huge difference in flavor!
Single layer only: Overcrowding leads to uneven cooking, so work in batches if needed.

FAQs

Can I use frozen tilapia fillets?

Sure! Just make sure to thaw them completely first and pat them extra dry. Frozen fish tends to release more moisture, so taking time to dry them well is super important for getting that perfect texture.

What if I don’t have an instant-read thermometer?

No worries! The fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork and looks opaque all the way through. It should not look translucent or raw in the center at all.

Can I make this recipe in a regular oven?

You bet! Preheat your oven to 425°F and bake the seasoned fillets on a lined baking sheet for 12-15 minutes, depending on thickness. You won’t need to flip them in the oven.

How do I know if my air fryer runs hot or cold?

Great question! Start checking your fish at the 6-minute mark. If it’s browning really quickly, your air fryer runs hot – reduce the temperature to 375°F. If it’s taking longer than 8 minutes, bump it up to 425°F.

Final Thoughts

I hope you love this simple air-fryer tilapia as much as my family does! It’s become our go-to weeknight dinner when we want something healthy and delicious without a lot of fuss. Let me know how yours turns out – I’d love to hear about any tweaks you make to make it your own!