Easy Air Fryer Parmesan-Crusted Tilapia
Made with frozen tilapia fillets! No need to thaw first.
Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 206kcal
Cost: 4
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 thin tilapia fillets (about 4 ounces) fresh or frozen (times given for both below)
- Olive oil pump spray not aerosol or 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper (optional)
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Place the frozen tilapia fillets on an aluminum or stainless steel baking pan while preheating air fryer and measuring ingredients.
- Crazy Good Tip: These few minutes on the baking pan will ever so slightly thaw the fillets just enough to allow the breadcrumbs to stick to the oil on them. Here's the article from The Kitchn spelling out the details of why placing frozen fish and meat on aluminum and stainless steel thaws significantly quicker than stone, wood or plastic surfaces.
- Preheat air fryer to 390-400 degrees for 3 minutes. Most air fryers preset “air fryer” button is 390F to 400F degrees.
- Spray or coat fish fillets with olive oil sprayer or mister or brush with olive oil. (Not Pam aerosol vegetable cooking spray)
- Sprinkle both sides of fillets with salt and if desired, pepper.
- Sprinkle the top side of fillets with Parmesan cheese.
- Place the dry breadcrumbs on a plate and gently press the fish into the breadcrumbs to coat them. If you have trouble getting the breadcrumbs to stick to the fish, wait just a few minutes or
- I like to spray the breaded fish again on top with a little bit of olive oil spray (again, not aerosol)
- Frozen fish: Air Fry at 390-400 degrees for 9 t0 11 minutes, without turning, depending on thickness of fish until fish flakes easily in the center.
- Fresh fish: Air Fry at 390-400 degrees for 7 minutes, without turning, depending on thickness of fish until fish flakes easily in the center.
- Carefully remove the fish with a silicone coated spatula to prevent scraping the nonstick surface.
Notes
The breadcrumbs stick to the fish best when you place the frozen fish directly on a metal cookie sheet or baking pan. This immediately starts to "thaw" the fish giving it a slightly sticky surface for the breadcrumbs to adhere to.
Nutrition
Calories: 206kcal