I'm tired of cooking dinner. I admit it. I'm a food blogger, and I have trouble mustering up enough enthusiasm to cook yet another meal, again, day-after-day-after-day. Yes, I know. There's takeout. Nonetheless, takeout is expensive and generally loaded with salt, fat, and whatever else makes it taste good but is bad for you. So, I've been having to come up with dinner ideas that aren't too onerous, are quick, and that taste good. One of my favorite quick dinners is tilapia cooked in the air fryer. I coat the tilapia with a little cornmeal, air fry it for about 10 minutes, then top the fish with salsa and cheese. It's quite good! Think of the flavors of fish tacos, but I generally serve the tilapia with rice rather than in tortillas (yeah! even faster if I have leftover rice in the refrigerator!). The Air Fryer Taco-Style Tilapia is a great option when you don't want to cook but need to eat (something reasonably nutritious) and can't/don't want to do takeout! Enjoy!
Air Fryer Taco-Style Tilapia -- Serves 2
2 tilapia fillets (about 3/4 lb)
Olive oil or olive oil spray
1/4 teaspoon of salt and pepper
2-3 tablespoons of cornmeal
1/2-2/3 cup of salsa (whatever kind you like/have)
1/4-1/2 cup of shredded Mexican-style or Monterey-Jack cheese
Tear off/cut a piece of aluminum foil large enough to fit in and extend up the sides of your air fryer basket an inch or two. Spritz the foil with non-stick cooking spray. Cut the tilapia fillets in half, using the dark line that runs up the center as a guide to slice the fillets. Pat the fish dry with a paper towel and spray the fillets with olive oil spray (or rub some oil over the fillets). Place the fillets on the foil in the air fryer basket, arranging the fillets so the thick pieces are on the edges and the thin pieces in the middle of the basket (the thin pieces can overlap a little so they cook at the same rate as the thick pieces). Sprinkle the fillets with the salt and pepper, then the cornmeal. Spritz the fillets again with olive oil spray (it helps the cornmeal adhere and prevents it from flying around when the air fryer fan blows). Put the air fryer basket in the air fryer, set the temperature at 360 degrees, and air fry the tilapia for about 10 minutes or until the fish is just barely done (flakes with a fork). Spoon some of the salsa on each piece of fish, then sprinkle each piece with some of the cheese. Return the basket to the air fryer and air fry the fish for another 2-3 minutes or until the fish is done, the salsa hot, and the cheese melted. Serve the fish with rice, tortillas, and/or a salad for an easy meal.
