Air Fryer Tilapia (Perfectly Flaky in Just Minutes)

If you need a quick, healthy, and delicious dinner, this Air Fryer Tilapia recipe is one you’ll make again and again. The air fryer cooks tilapia beautifully, giving it a lightly crispy exterior while keeping the inside tender, juicy, and flaky. Best of all, it’s ready in under 15 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights.

Whether you’re serving it with roasted vegetables, rice, potatoes, or a fresh salad, this easy air fryer fish recipe is packed with flavour and requires very little effort.

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love This Air Fryer Tilapia

Ready in less than 15 minutes.
Light, healthy, and high in protein.
Crispy edges with tender, flaky fish.
Uses simple pantry seasonings.
Perfect for quick weeknight dinners.
Low-carb, keto, and gluten-free friendly.
No messy deep frying.

Ingredients

4 tilapia fillets
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning (optional)
Lemon wedges, for serving
Fresh parsley for garnish

How to Make Air Fryer Tilapia

Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for 3-5 minutes.
Pat the tilapia fillets completely dry using paper towels.
Brush both sides of each fillet with olive oil.
In a small bowl, combine paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, salt, black pepper, and lemon pepper seasoning.
Sprinkle the seasoning mixture evenly over both sides of the fish.
Lightly spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray.
Arrange the tilapia fillets in a single layer without overlapping.
Air fry for 8-10 minutes at 400°F.
Check that the fish flakes easily with a fork and reaches an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C).
Remove from the air fryer and serve immediately with fresh lemon wedges and chopped parsley.