How to Fry a Tilapia Fish Fillet

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: October 8, 2020 References

The Luo People of Kenya refer to tilapia as brain food and give it credit for their high intelligence. It is mildly flavored and cooks quickly, perfect for a Southern-Style fish fry. Add collard greens, potato or macaroni salad, cornbread and sweet iced tea and your fish fry meal is complete. Who knew you could enjoy a southern fish fry and increase brain activity at the same time?

Ingredients

Pan-Fried

16 oz tilapia
2 tbsps (30 g) extra virgin olive oil
1/8 cup (20 g) white flour
1 tsp (5 g) garlic powder
1 tsp (5 g) black pepper
1 tsp (5 g) salt

Deep-Fried

4 16 oz tilapia fillets
1 quart cooking oil (or Crisco)
1 1/2 cups (145 g) seasoned flour

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Pan-Fried

1
Pat dry the tilapia with a paper towel. This, of course, is after you've rinsed it under cold water.^{[1]
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2
Place flour, salt, pepper and garlic powder in a bag. Mix it up thoroughly to distribute the flavors. If you have more than one fillet, adjust the recipe as necessary.

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3
Add fish and shake to coat. Once it's adequately covered, shake off any excess.^{[2]
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4
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat until hot. You may use other oils, but olive oil is tasty and one of the healthier oils.
5
Add floured fillets to the skillet. Pan fry for two minutes on each side or until cooked through.^{[3]
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6
Remove and place on a paper towel to absorb oil. It'll be ready by the time you grab plates and silverware.
7
Serve hot with side dishes and tartar or hot pepper sauce.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Deep-Fried

1
Heat the oil in a 3 or 4-quart pan to at least 375° F (190°C). Just a couple of drops of water flipped off your hand will really crackle when the oil has reached this heat level.^{[4]
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2
Roll the dry and thawed fish in the flour. Shake off the excess flour and let the fillets sit on a rack or on wax paper for 5-10 minutes.
- Roll the fillets in the flour a second time. As before, shake off the excess flour. Now they're ready for the pan!
3
Deep fry those bad boys. No more than 2 at a time, however. Frying more than 2 fillets at once drives down the oil temperature which will make the fish and coating soggy. Turn once in the pan after a minute or so and remove when golden brown.^{[5]
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- They should be done in under 4 minutes; white and flaky inside at the thickest section of the fillet. Do not overcook!
4
Drain each fillet on paper towels for a few seconds and serve immediately. Garnish with sauces and sides for taste and presentation.
5
Finished.

Community Q&A

Question

How should I use lemon on tilapia?

Virago Phoenix

Community Answer

The best way to use lemon on tilapia is to squeeze it on after you've finished frying it. However, if you prefer a bit of caramelization on your fish, you can put it on after you've fried one side.
Question

How long do I fry fish if it is frozen?

C Grace

Community Answer

It's not feasible to try to coat frozen fish, so to follow these recipes you need to thaw it first. However, you can put a little water in the pan, make sure you have a tight lid, and steam the plain frozen fish. When the flesh flakes apart easily with a fork, it's done.
Question

Why does the coating fall off fish when frying?

Community Answer

Be sure to flour fish prior to dipping in the egg wash; this helps hold the coating on.