Air Fryer Tilapia
I love how this Air Fryer Tilapia turns out crisp on the outside and flaky on the inside. Plus, it’s seasoned just right and finished with a quick lemon garlic butter sauce that takes it up a notch.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
For the Tilapia:
- 4 tilapia fillets, 4oz each
- 1 ½ tsp Old Bay seasoning
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ onion powder
For the Sauce:
- 3 TB salted butter
- 1 TB lemon juice
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- freshly chopped parsley, chives, or lemon slices (optional garnishes)
Instructions
- Use clean paper towels to thoroughly pat-dry tilapia to remove as much excess liquid as you can. Spray both sides of fillets generously with cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, combine Old Bay seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Spray both sides of tilapia fillets with cooking spray and firmly press seasoning mixture onto both sides of fillets.
- If needed, preheat air fryer to 400F and spray basket with cooking spray. Arrange fish in a single layer on basket; do not overcrowd. Cook for 6 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce by microwaving butter in a small dish until melted. Add lemon juice, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- When fish is done cooking, transfer to serving plates and pour lemon garlic sauce on top. Garnish as desired and serve.
Notes
- Use clean paper towels to thoroughly pat the tilapia dry before seasoning. Removing excess moisture helps the fish cook evenly and prevents it from steaming.
- If you don’t have Old Bay seasoning, you can substitute it with a simple blend of 1 teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- Instead of using cooking spray, you can brush olive oil directly onto both the fish and the air fryer basket to prevent sticking.
- Arrange the fillets in a single layer without overlapping. Overcrowding the basket can cause uneven cooking and prevent the fish from crisping.
- To safely remove the delicate fillets after cooking, use a large rubber spatula along with a pair of tongs to gently lift and support each piece.
- This recipe is part of our Air Fryer Recipes Collection.
- We love serving Air Fryer Tilapia with a scoop of Cilantro Lime Rice and some Air Fryer Broccoli on the side.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 244kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 157mg | Potassium: 534mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 282IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg