Description
The crispiest, fastest, most foolproof weeknight fish — golden, flaky air fryer tilapia with bold seasoning and restaurant-quality texture in just 15 minutes with zero mess.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2–4 tilapia fillets (6–8 oz each)
- 1 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp dried thyme or Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp cajun seasoning or cayenne (optional)
- Fresh lemon juice (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400°F for 3 minutes.
- Pat tilapia completely dry with paper towels.
- Brush or spray both sides with oil.
- Mix seasoning ingredients and sprinkle evenly on both sides.
- Place fillets in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- Air fry for 8–10 minutes without flipping.
- Cook until golden and fish flakes easily with a fork.
- Remove and immediately squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top.
- Serve hot.
Notes
Dry fish thoroughly for best crisp. Do not overcrowd the basket. Adjust cook time for thinner or thicker fillets.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: Seafood
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 fillet
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 1g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 34g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
Keywords: air fryer tilapia, crispy tilapia, quick fish dinner, healthy seafood, air fryer recipe