Pan Fried Tilapia (Printable)
Crispy skillet-seared tilapia fillets with paprika and garlic, ready in just 20 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Fish
01 - 4 tilapia fillets, about 5 ounces each
→ Seasonings
02 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
04 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
05 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
→ Dredge and Cooking
06 - 1/4 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
07 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
08 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
→ Garnish
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
10 - 1 lemon, cut into wedges
# Directions:
01 - Pat the tilapia fillets thoroughly dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with salt, black pepper, paprika, and garlic powder.
02 - Lightly dredge each seasoned fillet in the gluten-free flour, gently shaking off any excess coating.
03 - Heat the olive oil and butter together in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until the butter is fully melted and begins to shimmer.
04 - Carefully place the dredged fillets into the hot skillet, working in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown and the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
05 - Transfer the cooked fillets to a plate lined with fresh paper towels to drain any residual oil.
06 - Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately alongside lemon wedges for squeezing.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The crust gets golden and crunchy while the inside stays tender and flaky, and you do not need a deep fryer or any fancy technique to make it happen.
- It is genuinely weeknight friendly, uses ingredients you probably already have, and cleans up in five minutes flat.
02 -
- If the fish is even slightly wet when you dredge it the flour turns gummy and you end up with a paste instead of a crust, so take the extra thirty seconds to pat it thoroughly dry.
- Overcrowding the pan drops the temperature and steams the fish instead of frying it, so cook in two batches if your skillet is not large enough to hold all four fillets with space between them.
03 -
- Use a spatula instead of tongs to flip the fillets because tongs tear the crust and once that happens you cannot get it back.
- Let the pan get fully hot before the fish goes in, because the difference between a golden crust and a pale one is entirely about patience in those first sixty seconds.