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Air-fried tilapia fillets on a plate with knife and fork.
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Air Fryer Tilapia Without Breading

This air fryer tilapia without breading is a keto-friendly recipe that makes for a healthy and tasty dinner. Ready in 22 minutes, the fish turns out perfectly flaky with a crispy, slightly charred outer edge. Cook from fresh or frozen fillets!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword air fryer fish recipes, air fryer tilapia
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 22 minutes
Servings 2 people
Calories 202kcal
Author Saima Zaidi

Equipment

  • Air Fryer Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6-quart

Ingredients

  • 2 tilapia fillets rinsed and patted dry
  • ½ tbsp light olive oil or avocado oil
  • ½ tsp garlic finely chopped or minced
  • ¼ tsp parsley dried
  • ¼ tsp black pepper freshly ground
  • ½ tsp sea salt adjust to taste
  • ¼ tsp chili flakes optional
  • 2 lemon wedges for serving
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Wash the fish fillets in cold running water and pat them dry with paper towels.
  • In a small bowl, add olive or avocado oil, garlic, parsley, ground black pepper, sea salt and chilli flakes (if using) to make the seasoning. Whisk lightly.
  • Preheat your air fryer to 400 F and set the timer to 12 minutes. If using frozen fillets, set the timer to 15 minutes.
  • Brush the seasoning evenly on one side of the fish fillets, getting the edges too.
  • Place the fillets in a single layer in the preheated air fryer basket and allow them to cook. Once the timer beeps, remove the fish and serve hot with lemon wedges.

Notes

  1. If you want a less charred look, reduce the air frying time to 10 minutes for fresh fillets and 12 minutes for frozen ones. 
  2. Substitute the fresh garlic with 1/2 tsp garlic powder if you don't like the garlic getting charred during air frying. 
  3. There is no need to flip the fish halfway through the cooking. Tilapia is a very delicate fish and may break as you’re flipping it.
  4. Keep leftovers in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat when needed in the air fryer set to 400 F for 3 minutes. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1fillet | Calories: 202kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 674mg | Potassium: 550mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 81IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg