This Air Fryer Breaded Tilapia is ready in under 16 minutes with just 5 ingredients. It's crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside, thanks to a simplified breading technique - Quick and healthy weeknight dinner that the whole family will love!
Looking more tilapia recipes? Try my baked tilapia fish tacos or crispy baked fish next!
If you are looking for a Lent dinner ideas or as a Mother's day dinner recipe, then this panko breaded air fryer tilapia recipe is worth trying.
Perfectly crispy, light, flaky and flavorful, this seafood dish is ready in less than 16 minutes, to make an ideal 20 minute dinner idea for busy weeknights.
Once you try this crispy air fryer breaded tilapia, it’s sure to become a staple in your dinner rotation, just like BBQ salmon. The fish comes out perfectly flaky every time and pairs wonderfully with your favorite sauces.
You can also use it to make instead of the fish sticks in the frozen fish stick tacos, a hearty fish sandwich, or freeze it for a quick meal on a busy day
The secret: Instead of adopting a regular breading method of flour-egg mixture-bread crumb, I’ve come up with a much easier one which involves tossing tilapia in a batter and then coating them with breadcrumbs. The crumbs stay intact and forms a lovely crust on the outside.
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Reasons to love
- Crisp and golden yet tender and flaky on the inside
- Only 5 ingredients
- Quick and easy - Ready in 16 minutes
- No marination needed
- Healthy - Almost no oil!
- Effortless meatless dinner idea
Ingredients you'll need
Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.
- Tilapia Fillets - Both fresh or frozen tilapia fillets can be used. If using frozen tilapia, be sure to thaw completely before air frying. If you don’t have tilapia, use another kind of white fish you love. Also, try to choose even sized fillets so they cook evenly.
- Seasoning - I used a simple mix of salt, pepper and cayenne pepper powder to add some kick. But feel free to use your favorite seasoning blend.
- Egg: The main binding when combined with all purpose flour and helps the panko breadcrumb stick.
- Panko Breadcrumbs – These Japanese style breadcrumbs are amazing because they stay nice and crispy without being heavy.
- All purpose flour - Just 3 tablespoons to form the batter.
Substitutions & Variations
- Spices - Regular paprika, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cajun seasoning, taco seasoning or lemon pepper are all great options to use for the panko breaded air fryer tilapia recipe.
- Lemon - A fresh squeeze of lemon juice brightens up any seafood dish.
- Make it spicy - Add a squirt of Sriracha into the egg batter.
- Use a different fish - This recipe works well for any white fish like cod, mahi mahi or perch.
- Breadcrumbs - Out of panko? Use regular or seasoned breadcrumbs instead.
- Make it gluten free - Use gluten free panko and gluten free flour.
How to make crispy breaded tilapia in air fryer?
You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.
- Add 2 eggs, all purpose flour, salt, pepper and a dash of cayenne into a shallow bowl.
- Whisk together to form a smooth, thick batter.
- Using tongs or hands, place a tilapia fillet into the batter.
- Flip over 2 or 3 times making sure that the batter is coated uniformly.
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5. Add panko bread crumbs into another shallow bowl. Remove fillets from the batter making sure that excess batter drips off and place on the bread crumb mixture.
6. Dredge breadcrumbs evenly on both sides of the fish, pressing gently to make sure that it sticks to the batter.
7. Preheat you appliance to 400 degrees. When hot, gently transfer the fish into the basket and place in a single layer without overlapping.
8. Spray a coating of non-stick cooking spray and air fry for 10 to 12 minutes, spraying again half way through cooking.
Pro tip: How do you know when tilapia is done cooking? The flesh turns from opaque to white in color. Insert the tip of a knife on the thickest part of the fillet and it is done cooking if you feel some resistance.
Tips for juicy tilapia in the air fryer
- Use a breading: A breadcrumb coating helps lock in moisture, creating a crispy exterior while keeping the fish juicy in the air fryer.
- Air fry at a higher temperature: It allows the crumb coating to cook faster and better seal in the juices, compared to cooking at a lower temperature for a longer time.
- Don’t overcook: Check the fish after 8–10 minutes of cooking and remove it promptly. Overcooking will cause it to dry out.
- Preheat the air fryer: Preheating ensures even cooking and helps keep the fish moist.
- Don't overcrowd: Give the tilapia fillets enough space in the basket to allow proper air circulation for even cooking.
Serving suggestions
You can keep it simple and serve air fryer breaded tilapia with a squeeze of lemon juice or with tartar sauce. I like to serve with mashed sweet potatoes or any vegetable side dishes for dinner.
Got leftover air fryer breaded tilapia? Simply break the crispy fillets into chunks and layer them over charred corn tortillas. Top with shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, and a drizzle of avocado crema for a quick and delicious homemade fish taco dinner or air fryer dinner recipe.
How to store?
Leftover air fryer breaded tilapia can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer. For the best results, I recommend freezing it, as this helps retain its crispiness when reheated.
- To reheat from refrigerator - air fry at 400 degrees for about 3 to 4 minutes or until heated through.
- To reheat from freezer - Place the frozen breaded tilapia (do not thaw) in a pre heated 400 degree air fryer and cook for about 3 minutes, flip over and cook for additional 2 to 4 minutes or until heated through.
Recipe tips
- Pat dry with paper towels on both sides - Any moisture on the tilapia fillets might not allow the batter to adhere well.
- Don't over lap - I used Instant Vortex 6-quart AF and was able to cook 2 large tilapia fillets at the same time without over lapping. If using a smaller air fryer, then make sure to cook in batches so that the breadcrumbs have a chance to crisp up to golden perfection.
- Adjust cooking time based on the thickness of the fish for the breaded air fryer tilapia recipe.
- Play with seasonings- Get creative and stir in your favorite seasoning blend into the egg batter.
- Frozen tilapia - If using frozen tilapia, be sure to let it thaw in the fridge overnight before use. If you cook your tilapia straight from the freezer, it may cook unevenly.
Tip: It’s important to cook in a single layer and not to overcrowd, so the air is able to circulate cooking it all the way through.
Recipe FAQs
If you have time, transfer the tilapia fillets to the refrigerator and let them thaw overnight. If you're short on time, place the frozen fish (still in its packaging or plastic bag) in a large bowl of room temperature or slightly cooler water until thawed. Avoid using warm or hot water, as it can affect the texture of the fish(more detailed article here).
It depends on the cooking temperature, thickness of the fish, air fryer brand and the number of fillets being cooked. I used Instant Vortex 6 quart air fryer and it took about 11 minutes for 2 large fish fillets. If you are using a different variety of fish, then it might take longer.
I recommend cooking the tilapia on just one side. This method gives you a well-browned, crispier top crust while minimizing the risk of breaking the delicate fillet when flipping.
Breading can struggle to adhere to frozen fillets and may become soggy when cooked directly from frozen. To avoid this, it’s best to thaw the tilapia first. Place the fillets in the refrigerator the night before to ensure they have ample time to thaw properly.
The best way to tell if your fish is done is by inserting the tip of knife into the thickest part and it is done if you hit some resistance. The fish will also turn white in color and flake easily when it's done. If you are using a meat thermometer, then a good rule of thumb is to cook the fish to an internal temperature of 140-145 degrees.
More meatless dinner ideas to try:
Air Fryer Breaded Tilapia
Equipment
Ingredients
Wet batter
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper powder
Additional ingredients
- 1 ½ cups panko bread crumbs
- 2 large tilapia fillets patted dry
Instructions
- Add all wet batter ingredients into a shallow bowl, whisk until smooth and well combined.
- Place panko breadcrumbs in another shallow bowl.
- Place tilapia in the wet batter, turning over couple of times to make sure that it is coated thoroughly. Lift tilapia with hands or tongs, allowing excess batter to drip off and then place over the bread crumbs.
- Pack bread crumbs on both sides of the fish (pressing with fingers to adhere). Transfer to a plate and repeat process with remaining fish.
Cook
- Pre heat air fryer to 400°F for 12 minutes. When ready, place tilapia, spacing evenly and spray the top with non-stick cooking spray. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until cooked through.Tip: I like to spray a second coating of cooking spray halfway through cooking to achieve a golden and crispier crust.
- Serve with homemade tartar sauce or make into fish tacos or sandwich.(Refer notes for quick tartar sauce recipe)
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
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Sharon
Hi, just got an air fryer so we are trying all sorts of recipes, and this came out really good! The one thing I changed was to add 1-2 T of olive oil to the crumbs instead of spraying the fish in the fryer (I'm trying not to spray in there, to keep it cleaner). This has always worked for me in the oven, and it worked perfectly in the air fryer too.
Maria Doss
Hi Sharon, I love the idea of mixing in oil into the bread crumbs, glad you liked it - Maria
Kate
Turned out great, thanks for the recipe! I thought the batter was a little thick so I added milk.
Maria Doss
Sounds good, have a great weekend - Maria
Rich E
I sprayed the panko coasted fish on a plate and then transferred to the fryer to keep clean up to a minimum.
Leslie
I followed Sharon's idea and added 3 TBL of Queen Creek Olive Mill 3 Chili Olive Oil in Panko crumbs and also some garlic powder with the cayenne and battered yellow and zucchini squash and OH MAN! Crunchy but not greasy, great recipe - Thanks!
Maria Doss
Sounds great hun, Maria
Alan
Made this last night. Super crispy coating and moist fish. I did flip the filets after about 7 minutes and let the bottom crisp up. Love Leslie's idea of coating some zucchini in this as well. The possibilities seem endless. Pickles?? Jalepeno poppers?
Maria Doss
So glad you love this tilapia hun, have a wonderful day - Maria ❤️
Rich E
Easy and delicious. I chose 10 minutes to air fry, then a check, looked cooked but then decided to continue cooking for about another 50 seconds. 30 seconds instead of 50 was probably the better route to avoid over cooking.
Maria Doss
Happy to hear and thanks for the detailed feedback. Have a wonderful day - Maria
Judie
The fish was very crispy and really enjoyed it.
M
Would this batter method work for pan frying the fish as well? I want to try and make an air fryer version for myself and still fry a couple for my family members. I love the batter idea this is so much less hassle than seperate flour and egg!
Maria Doss
Absolutely - Maria ♡
Rachel B
Super crispy, I love it! Used whole wheat panko because that's what I had.
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear! So glad you love it – Maria ♡
Karen
We followed the recipe. It was SO good and so easy. We just got the air fryer, so it is fun to use and create a tasty meal.
Maria Doss
Hi Karen, So thrilled to hear you loved it! Congratulations on your new air fryer—it's such a useful addition to any kitchen - Maria