Air Fryer Tilapia

By Erin · November 20, 2021 · Updated March 31, 2023 · 9 Comments

This Air Fryer Tilapia recipe has "quick and easy dinner" written all over it! Coated in savory lemon and parmesan breadcrumbs and finished with a drizzle of homemade lemon butter, every bite is deliciously tangy, flaky, crunchy, and moist. Plus, it's ready to eat in just 15 minutes!

It's easy to overlook fish when trying to come up with easy dinner ideas. I’m not sure why because they’re usually so quick, delicious, and filling! My Mediterranean cod, whole 30 garlic salmon, and spicy cod sandwich recipes always come in handy when I’m craving something flavorful without having to spend hours in the kitchen.

I think this Air Fryer Tilapia will convert the fish-skeptics because it's ready to eat in less than 15 minutes, is super simple, and always turns out moist and flaky. Coated in a savory breadcrumb parmesan coating and quickly fried in the air fryer, every bite is flavorful and crunchy! The best part is drizzling the vibrant and luscious homemade lemon butter on top.

You can make this air fryer fish recipe with frozen or fresh tilapia, gluten free or regular breadcrumbs, and add as many herbs or garnishes as you wish. I don't think weeknight dinners get more delicious or easy than this!

Step 1: Prepare your air fryer. Line the air fryer basket with a sheet of tin foil and preheat to 400ºF.

Step 2: Set up your breading station. In one shallow bowl, crack and whisk your egg. In a second shallow bowl, combine your breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, lemon zest, garlic, salt, and pepper.

Step 3: Bread the tilapia. Dip each tilapia fillet first into the egg mixture and then into the breadcrumb mixture.

Step 4: Fry the fish. Place your breaded fish fillets into your preheated air fryer and cook at 400°F for about 10 minutes. No need to flip them! Just fry away.

Step 5: Make the lemon butter. Whisk the melted butter, lemon juice, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl while you wait for the fish.

Step 6: Garnish and serve. Drizzle each piece of air fried tilapia with some lemon butter and fresh parsley. Serve with all of your favorite sides and enjoy!

This light and tangy air fryer tilapia pairs well with comforting, family-friendly side dishes, like mashed red potatoes, honey sriracha brussels sprouts, salad, broccoli and other vegetables, or cilantro lime rice. Alternatively, slice the fried fish fillets and pile them into tortillas to make fish tacos! They’d be delicious with a chipotle lime yogurt crema or pineapple salsa on top.

To ensure that your tilapia is thoroughly cooked, you’ll want to fry it until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the fillets reads 145°F.

Yes! Any type of white and flaky fish is perfect for breading and cooking in the air fryer. Alaskan cod, catfish, and halibut are a few of my favorites.

Enjoy the leftovers for lunch the next day! Leftover tilapia will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days when wrapped well in foil and stored in an airtight container. You can reheat fish for a few minutes in the oven, air fryer, or microwave.

If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!