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Air fryer tilapia with tortilla crust on a plate with rice and beans
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5 / 2 votes

Air Fryer Tilapia with Tortilla Crust

Here, tortilla chips are combined with cilantro and spices to make the crunchy coating. Serve the fish with rice and beans, and tartar sauce or salsa verde on the side.
Prep Time13 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Mains
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 362

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces (about 4 dozen) corn tortilla chips
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • Four (4-ounce) tilapia fillets
  • Tartar sauce or salsa, for serving

Instructions

  • In a food processor, combine the tortilla chips, cilantro, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and salt. Pulse until the chips are finely crushed, about 10 pulses.
  • Create a breading station with three shallow bowls. Add the flour to the first bowl. In the second bowl, whisk the egg and water until no streaks remain. Add the crushed tortilla chip mixture to the third bowl.
  • Dredge a tilapia fillet in the flour, then shake any excess flour back into the bowl. Next, dip the fillet in the egg mixture, holding it over the bowl for a few seconds to let any excess egg drip back into the bowl. Finally, place the fillet in the bowl of tortilla chip crumbs, flipping it to coat both sides evenly and pressing down a bit so that the crumbs adhere well. Transfer the fillet to the air frying basket. Repeat with the remaining fillets.
  • Place the black enamel cooking pan in the bottom oven rack position. Place the wire metal oven rack in the second highest position.
  • Preheat the oven on AIR FRY at 375°F (190°C) and set the cooking time for 12 minutes.
  • Air fry the fish in the preheated oven. When the “turn food” message comes on, use a thin flexible spatula to flip the fillets, then return them to the oven.

    ☞ TESTER TIP: If the fillets are larger than 4 ounces, you may have to add a few minutes to the cooking time, and they may not all fit in the air frying basket at one time. If this is the case, air fry them in two batches. Alternately, if your fish pieces are on the small side, begin checking them for doneness before the cooking time has finished.

  • When the cooking program ends, use an instant-read thermometer to make sure the thickest part of each fillet has reached 145°F (63°C). Transfer the fillets to serving plates. Serve with tartar sauce or salsa on the side.

Nutrition

Serving: 1fillet | Calories: 362kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 132mg | Sodium: 530mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g