Crispy Pan Fried Tilapia (Printable)

Perfectly seasoned tilapia fillets pan-fried to a crisp golden crust in 20 minutes for a healthy weeknight meal.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Fish

01 - 4 tilapia fillets (about 5 oz each), patted dry

→ Seasonings

02 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
03 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
04 - ½ teaspoon paprika
05 - ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
06 - ¼ teaspoon onion powder

→ Coating

07 - ¼ cup cornmeal or gluten-free flour (optional)

→ For Cooking

08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil or unsalted butter
09 - 1 lemon, cut into wedges

# How To Make It:

01 - In a small bowl, combine the salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder until evenly blended.
02 - Sprinkle both sides of each tilapia fillet evenly with the seasoning mixture, pressing gently so the spices adhere to the surface.
03 - For extra crispiness, lightly dredge each seasoned fillet in cornmeal or gluten-free flour, shaking off any excess.
04 - Heat the olive oil or butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until the fat shimmers and just begins to smoke lightly.
05 - Carefully place the fillets in the hot skillet, working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side until golden brown and the fish releases easily from the pan. Flip gently and continue cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes until the flesh is opaque throughout and flakes easily with a fork.
06 - Transfer the fillets to warm plates and serve immediately alongside fresh lemon wedges for squeezing over the fish.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The golden crust forms in under five minutes, which means dinner arrives faster than delivery.
  • You probably own every ingredient already, and the spice blend works on almost any white fish.
02 -
  • Moving the fish before it is ready to release will tear the crust and leave half of it stuck to the pan.
  • Tilapia cooks so quickly that going from perfect to overcooked takes barely thirty seconds of distraction.
03 -
  • Let the seasoned fillets rest on a plate for five minutes before cooking so the spices adhere and the surface dries further.
  • Start with high heat to set the crust, then drop to medium if the butter is browning too aggressively.

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