Air Fryer Tilapia

Air Fryer Tilapia is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, made with fresh tilapia, gluten free breadcrumbs, parmesan, and spices, ready in 25 minutes!

For more air fryer ideas, check out this Crispy Air Fryer Salmon, and these Air Fryer Chicken Tenders! 

Air Fryer Tilapia is one of our favorite recipes because it’s a fast and easy weeknight dinner. It’s also lower calorie than fried fish, because we’re only lightly spraying with olive oil instead of pan-frying in melted butter and olive oil. But you still end up with a juicy, flaky fish that’s crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. This will definitely become one of your favorite weekly recipes!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Fresh Tilapia Fillets. I like to cook with this fish fillet because it’s low cost (compared to other types of fish). You can also usually buy a large bag of frozen fillets to keep on hand for busy nights. Your tilapia fillets can vary in size, but usually they’re around 4-6 ounces.

If you’d like to try making pan-fried tilapia, check out my Parmesan Crusted Tilapia recipe. 

Gluten Free Breadcrumbs. I like to control the flavor of the dish, so I use plain breadcrumbs and add the spices separately. If you only have seasoned breadcrumbs, that would also work. 

Parmesan. Parmesan adds a really nice flavor to the fish, and helps with the crispy texture. If you don’t have parmesan, you can use extra breadcrumbs instead.  

This also works with Romano, or a Parmesan Romano blend.

Eggs. Eggs are a binding agent, and helps hold the breadcrumbs onto the fish. 

Gluten Free Flour. I use regular gluten free 1:1 all-purpose flour for this recipe. This would work with any gluten free flour that you have. The flour helps seal in moisture, and gives the egg something to hold onto. It also adds another crispy layer under the breadcrumbs. 

I like to add the seasoning right to the flour, because a flour mixture will distribute it more evenly.

Spices. We’re using a simple seasoning mixture here, just garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, and black pepper. If you want a more mild flavor, leave out the spices and only use salt and pepper. 

If you want to try another version, instead of the spices in the recipe, use 2-3 teaspoons of my Homemade Ranch Seasoning, or this Blackened Seasoning (spicy). Or just try regular Italian seasoning or lemon pepper seasoning. 

Olive Oil Spray. We’re using this to lightly coat the breadcrumbs, so make sure you have a way to spray the oil on. Regular nonstick cooking spray that is canola oil or avocado oil based will work. 

Toppings. You can serve your tilapia fillets with garnishes like lemon wedges, fresh parsley or dill, or tartar sauce. 

How to Make Air Fryer Tilapia

1. Place each piece of tilapia on a plate and pat the fish dry with a paper towel. Set out three shallow bowls. In the first bowl, whisk together the flour and spices. In the second bowl, whisk the eggs together. In the third bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese. Take one of the tilapia filets and dip it into the flour bowl, coating it completely and shaking gently to let and excess flour fall off. 
2. Then add the filet to the egg, coating completely on both sides and shaking gently to let the excess drip off. 
3. Finally, add the filet to the breadcrumb mixture. It’s a good idea to switch hands here, so you get less food stuck to your hands from the wet to the dry ingredients. Once the filet is coated completely in breadcrumbs, shake gently to remove excess, then place the piece on a plate and repeat with the other three filets. 
4. Lightly spray the air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray, and turn the air fryer on to let it preheat. Lightly spray each side of the filets with cooking spray, until the breadcrumbs look wet. Then place the filets in the air fryer basket, leaving some space between each one. Air fry the tilapia at 400°F for 12-14 minutes, or until the outside looks golden brown and the tilapia is cooked through. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Storage

Refrigerate leftover air fryer tilapia for 2-3 days in an airtight container. Reheat in the air fryer for 2-3 minutes, or until warmed through and crispy. 

Freeze leftover tilapia for up to 2-3 months, wrapped tightly in an airtight container to prevent freezer burn.

More Air Fryer Recipes

• Air Fryer Broccoli
• Crispy Air Fryer Tofu
• Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks
• Air Fryer Red Potatoes

Recipe Variations

• You can also make this air fryer tilapia recipe with other white fish, like grouper or trout. Or try another source of protein like shrimp or chicken. 
• You can make this same recipe without breading it at all. Just mix the spices with some olive oil and spread it evenly on the fish. Then air fry at the same temperature, and check it in 10-12 minutes. 
• If you want to make this spicy, add some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes. 
• You can make this with fresh fish fillets, or frozen fish fillets that are completely defrosted. The fresh fish will always taste the best, but frozen will also make a tender fish fillet! Just keep in mind that completely frozen fish won’t work with the breading, so your option is to pour some olive oil and spices over the top and air fry that way.
• Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice right before turning on the air fryer for a nice bright flavor. 

Cooking Tips

• For shallow bowls, try using pie plates. They’re large enough to dip the fish into, and shallow so the breadcrumbs and flour will stay spread out. 
• Keep some gluten free flour and bread crumbs on hand, just in case you need to add a little more. Discard anything that the raw fish touched at the end. 
• Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may have to work in batches. 
• Turn the air fryer on while you’re finishing breading the fish. If you skip this step and don’t have a preheated air fryer, you may need to add another minute to the cooking time. 
• The time can vary depending on the size and thickness of fish. If you live in a coastal area, you may have access to bigger pieces that need additional cook time. 
• Tilapia is considered a mild fish compared to other fish filets, so it shouldn’t smell or taste really “fishy”. That is a sign that your filet is turning. 
• Serve with lemon wedges and tartar sauce! I also like to pair this with Roasted Potatoes & Broccoli. 
• Make sure to leave some space between each filet, so the air can fry around the sides as well. 
• If you have trouble with things sticking to the bottom of your air fryer basket, you can cut a piece of parchment paper to line the bottom with. 

If you loved this recipe, be sure to leave a 5 Star review below, and tag me with a photo of your finished recipe on Instagram @Jacqui_DishingDelish!

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