Air Fryer Tilapia Rice Bowls

two hands holding a white bowl with brown tilapia, green avocado and pink onions.

These Air Fryer Tilapia Rice Bowls are an easy, delicious 30-minute weeknight dinner! Well-seasoned air-fried tilapia is served over cilantro lime rice with a fresh tomato-jalapeño salad and tangy pickled red onions. Flavorful, satisfying, and so good in every bite!

Course Dinner

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword air fryer tilapia, fish rice bowls, tilapia rice bowls

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 20

Total Time 45

Servings servings

Calories 622kcal

Author Maria Doss

Equipment

Air Fryer

Ingredients

For the cilantro lemon rice

1 ½ cups basmati or jasmine rice rinsed and drained
1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
2 ¼ cups chicken or vegetable stock
¾ teaspoon salt
juice of ½ lemon (if small, use one lemon)
1 cup finely chopped cilantro

For the Tilapia

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon each of garlic powder, paprika and chili powder
¼ teaspoon each of ground cumin, salt, and ground black pepper
1 pound tilapia fillets patted dry

For the tomato salad

2 cups chopped tomatoes preferable cherry tomatoes
¼ to ½ teaspoon salt to taste
½ teaspoon sugar
½ jalapeno (remove seeds) chopped finely
½ cup chopped cilantro
2 teaspoons lemon juice

For the yogurt sauce (optional)

½ cup plain yogurt or sour cream
¼ cup mayo
½ cup minced cilantro
1 garlic clove grated
¼ teaspoon salt adjust to taste
1 tablespoons lemon juice

For the rest

2 large avocados diced
pickled red onions

Instructions

Make cilantro lemon rice

Saute aromatics. Heat the oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic and sauté for about 2 minutes, until the onion starts to turn translucent.
Cook rice. Add the rice, stock, and salt, and give everything a good stir. Bring to a gentle boil, then cover with a tight-fitting lid and reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Cook for 15 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat and let the rice sit, covered, for another 10 minutes.
Finish rice. Remove the lid and add the lemon juice and cilantro. Gently toss and fluff the rice with a fork, then cover again and keep warm until ready to serve.

Cook Tilapia

Season Tilapia. Add all the ingredients listed under “For the Tilapia,” except the fish, to a small bowl and mix well. Brush the seasoning mixture evenly over both sides of each tilapia fillet, making sure they’re well coated.
Air Fry. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Once hot, place the tilapia fillets in a single layer and air fry for 8–10 minutes, or until cooked through and still moist and juicy. Be careful not to overcook, as tilapia can dry out quickly.

Make tomato salad

Make salad. Add all the ingredients listed under “For the Tomato Salad” to a bowl and toss to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Make yogurt sauce (optional)

Make sauce. Add all ingredients listed under "For the yogurt sauce" to a bowl and mix to combine.

Assemble bowls

Divide the rice between four bowls. Top with flaked tilapia, a generous spoonful of tomato salad, and plenty of drained pickled onions, then add diced avocado and drizzle with the yogurt sauce. Dig in!
👉 Skipping the yogurt sauce? Drizzle some of the flavorful juices from the tomato salad over the bowls instead.

Notes

No air fryer? Simply pan-fry the fillets in a lightly greased skillet.

Other white fish: Feel free to swap in another white fish, such as cod or haddock. Just keep in mind that cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the fillets.

Lemon or lime: Either works beautifully, so use whichever you have on hand.

Quick pickled onions:

Thinly slice one small red onion and place it in a glass bowl.
Add 1 cup white vinegar, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 ½ tablespoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt to a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Stir until the sugar and salt have completely dissolved. Once the mixture comes to a gentle boil, pour it over the onions.
Let the onions cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate. They’ll keep well in the fridge for up to 2 weeks and become even more flavorful as they sit.

Nutrition