Pan-seared tilapia with a candy and spicy rub delivers flaky, tender, completely seasoned tilapia in lower than quarter-hour.
In search of extra easy seafood recipes? Baked Cod, Baked Salmon, and Blackened Mahi Mahi all ship taste quick, utilizing minimal elements, similar to this recipe for pan-fried tilapia!
Tilapia is an reasonably priced, easy-to-find, gentle white fish that may be ready in countless methods.
And whereas I really like my recipe for Tilapia Veracruz, the simplest method to put together this lean protein is to make pan-fried tilapia.
This recipe for tilapia makes use of an identical method to my recipe for Blackened Mahi Mahi. However as an alternative of utilizing cajun seasoning, this recipe makes use of a spice rub that’s each candy and barely spicy, to present this gentle fish daring taste, whereas nonetheless interesting to the extra delicate palates.
Completed with lime juice to brighten the flavors, pan-seared tilapia could also be made with humble elements, but it delivers spectacular flavors in underneath quarter-hour!
And whereas scrumptious served recent out of the skillet, when it’s topped with Contemporary Apple Salsa or Pineapple Mango Salsa and served with a aspect of Immediate Pot Cilantro Lime Rice, this humble pan-fried tilapia turns into a memorable meal.
Notes on Components
- Tilapia Fillets: I discover frozen tilapia greatest because the filets are frozen instantly and infrequently the freshest. This recipe is designed for 6-ounce tilapia fillets, but be happy to make use of 4-ounce filets if that’s what you discover. Merely lower the cooking time by 1 minute per aspect.
- Seasoning: I take advantage of a easy combination of chili powder, brown sugar, and garlic for a candy and spicy rub that’s so flavorful! If you need this dish to be much less spicy, I might counsel changing the chili powder with paprika.
- Limes: The zest and juice of recent lime actually assist to make the flavors pop on this straightforward tilapia recipe.
- Apple Salsa (Optionally available): A tart granny smith salsa made with apples, onions, cilantro, and lime juice is the proper end for tilapia. It’s brilliant, recent, and tart, and provides texture to the general dish. You’ll be able to simply omit the salsa or serve it with Mango Pineapple Salsa as an alternative, however the apple salsa is a scrumptious contact.
The right way to Pan Fry Tilapia
Pan-searing tilapia is the simplest, quickest method to cook dinner tilapia. To not point out that the crispy exterior that pan-searing achieves is a good contextual factor to the ultimate dish.
- In a small bowl, mix the chili powder, brown sugar, lime zest, and salt collectively.
- Pat the fish fillet dry with paper towels. This can assist the spice mix adhere to the fish and obtain a pleasant texture with pan-fried.
- Season either side of the tilapia with the seasoning mix.
- Warmth oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high warmth. You need comparatively excessive warmth in order that the fish sears within the oil as an alternative of absorbing the oil.
- Place seasoned fish in a skillet gently and depart it alone for 4 minutes. Bear in mind to NOT overcrowd the pan, in case your nonstick skillet is on the smaller aspect, cook dinner the tilapia in batches (as proven pictured under.)
- Gently flip the fish fillets and end cooking on the remaining aspect. It would take anyplace from 2-4 minutes relying on the thickness of the tilapia fillet.
Serving Solutions
Pan Fried Tilapia has sufficient taste from the straightforward spice rub, it doesn’t want any adornment.
That stated, I do love elevating the dish by topping it with recent fruit salsa. The flavors on this pan-seared tilapia pairs effectively with Pineapple Mango Salsa or a Granny Smith Salsa. To arrange the apple salsa, merely mix diced apples with minced pink onion, cilantro, lime juice, and salt.
To spherical out your straightforward fish dinner, serve the pan-fried tilapia with pineapple rice or Immediate Pot Cilantro Lime Rice. Or when you aren’t topping your tilapia with salsa, it pairs fantastically with a aspect of Tacky Grits.
FAQs about Pan-Seared Tilapia
Tilapia is such a skinny fish, that by the point sear is achieved on either side of your fish fillet, it needs to be cooked completely. You recognize it’s absolutely cooked when it flakes simply with a fork and the middle of the fish filet is translucent.
It’s by no means a good suggestion to attempt to pan-fry something frozen. One, you will not be capable of obtain a golden crust on the tilapia (or no matter you’re cooking) and the seasoning is not going to adhere effectively to frozen meat. Secondly, you may simply burn your self when you place a bit of frozen meat into the recent oil, as instantly frozen crystals will start to defrost and trigger the oil to splatter up at you.
place the frozen fillets in a freezer-safe bag and submerge the bag right into a bowl of chilly water and depart them out on the counter for about 20-25 minutes. Alternatively, you may defrost the frozen tilapia in a single day within the fridge.
Extra Simple Seafood Recipes
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Chili Lime Pan-Seared Tilapia
Tilapia is seasoned with a candy and spicy rub and completed and shortly pan-fried to create a easy, flavorful fish dinner.
Servings: 4
Energy: 223kcal
Components
For the Apple Salsa (Optionally available)
Prevents your display from going darkish whereas making ready the recipe.
Directions
Pan Seared Tilapia
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Defrost your fish filets in a bowl of chilly water for 20-Half-hour or in a single day within the fridge.
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In a small bowl, mix the chili powder, brown sugar, salt, and garlic powder. Zest the lime into this combination and stir to mix.
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Take away the tilapia fillets from the package deal and pat dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle the spice combination evenly over every fish filet on all sides, and rub it into the fish to coat.
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Warmth the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high warmth. As soon as the oil is glistening, add the seasoned tilapia in a good layer, being positive to not crowd the pan. Cook dinner for 4 minutes undisturbed after which rigorously flip the fish over.
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Squeeze the juice of the zested lime over the fish whereas within the pan, and end cooking the fish for 2-3 minutes or cooked by way of and opaque and flaky.
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Take away the tilapia from the skillet and let relaxation for five minutes. Serve with or with out the salsa.
Apple Salsa
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Combine collectively apple, cilantro, and pink onion with the zest and juice of a lime. Season with salt and blend effectively. Serve with the fish as desired.
Notes
Oil: Use olive oil to pan-fry tilapia, or one other high-smoking oil resembling coconut, peanut, or vegetable oil.
Apple Salsa: That is fully non-compulsory, but when utilizing it, utilizing a granny smith apple is essential to this tart and brilliant salsa. I might not use a sweeter apple. If you do not have granny smith apples, pineapple can be an amazing substitution.
Leftovers: Fish is greatest served recent, however leftovers will maintain for two days within the fridge.
Vitamin
Energy: 223kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 34g | Fats: 6g | Saturated Fats: 1g | Ldl cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 704mg | Potassium: 586mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 610IU | Vitamin C: 9.7mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1.5mg
