We eat a lot of tilapia in my house, and this is a favorite, easy recipe. The fish takes about five minutes to prepare and 10-15 minutes to cook in the air fryer. The tilapia comes out a bit crispy on top and with crunchy bacon bits studding the mild fish. Green onions, Parmesan cheese, and a little Dijon add additional flavor to the recipe. This is a light, flavor-packed main dish that's great when you're in a hurry but want to serve a nice, elegant dinner. Try the fish with rice or crusty french bread and a salad for an easy meal. Enjoy!
Air Fryer Crunchy Bacon Tilapia -- Serves 2
3/4 pound of tilapia fillets
2 tablespoons of yogurt or sour cream
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
1/2 teaspoon of dried parsley flakes
1 chopped green onion
1 - 2 tablespoons of bacon crumbles
1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup of seasoned Panko bread crumbs
Parsley to garnish (optional)
Cut a piece of aluminum foil large enough to line your air fryer basket and extend a couple of inches up the sides of the basket. Spritz the foil with non-stick cooking spray. Pat the fish dry with paper towels and cut each filet in half down the center line that runs up the center of the filet vertically. Place the thick pieces of the fish on the outside edges of the foil and the thin pieces (overlapping them may be necessary and is fine) in the middle. In a small bowl, mix together well the yogurt or sour cream, mustard, lemon juice, onion powder, pepper, parsley flakes, onion, and bacon crumbles. Spread the mixture evenly over the top of the fillets. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top of the yogurt mixture, then sprinkle on the Panko evenly. Spritz the Panko with a little non-stick cooking spray. Put the fish-filled basket into the air fryer, set the air fryer temperature to 350 degrees and air fry the fish for 10-15 minutes or until it is golden brown on top and the fish flakes easily with a fork. Sprinkle on a little parsley to garnish the fish before serving, if you'd like.
