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You’ve never had tilapia like this! Make air fryer tilapia with the perfect spices, then top with a creamy lemon dijon sauce.

This air fryer tilapia recipe creates perfectly seasoned, flaky white fish with a crisp outside and tender texture inside. The lemon dijon sauce is the perfect balance of creamy and tangy to complement the seasoned tilapia. It’s a quick and easy mid-week meal in under 30 minutes.

a plate of tilapia with green beans and lemon dijon sauce

Make air fryer tilapia with a creamy lemon dijon sauce.

Easy recipes are great, but if a dinner can be easy and economical, even better! Tilapia fish fillets are a great choice when you’re planning out your grocery budget. And they can be delicious, too!

If you’ve ever made our chili lime tilapia with mango salsa, you know how good it can be. That’s a recipe with spicier flavors and is great for fish tacos. This air fryer tilapia recipe is still flavorful, but also more calm. You’ll love how the flaky fish pairs well with the creamy dressing.

Serve this air fryer tilapia with a salad, a side of vegetables like green beans or steamed broccoli and rice on busy weeknights.

Love air fryer recipes? Try: apple fries, potato wedges, spicy air fryer chicken and baked potatoes.

And try our baked garlic butter cod, too!

Enjoy! -Julie

Ingredients

I typically buy frozen tilapia rather than fresh tilapia. For this recipe, let it fully thaw so that the seasoning sticks well. This also works with other types of fish like catfish.

See the recipe card for full ingredients and amounts.

Air Fryer Tilapia with Creamy Lemon Dijon Sauce

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You've never had tilapia like this! Make air fryer tilapia with the perfect seasoning blend, then top with a creamy lemon dijon sauce.

Servings 5

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

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Ingredients

4 tilapia fillets about 3-5 ounces each
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
Lemon wedges for serving
Fresh parsley chopped for serving

Creamy Lemon Dijon Sauce:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat your air fryer for a few minutes at 400°F. Dry off the tilapia fillets with some paper towels to remove any excess moisture. 4 tilapia fillets
Blend the garlic powder, Old Bay, onion powder, salt, pepper and lemon zest together. Generously brush olive oil on each side of all the fillets. Follow this up by sprinkling and gently rubbing in the seasoning mixture into the fillets on both sides. 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 ½ teaspoons Old Bay seasoning, ½ teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon lemon zest
Place the tilapia into a single layer in the basket and air fry for 6-8 minutes. Be sure not to overcook the fish for a tender texture. Internal temperature should be If you have a small air fryer, cook the fish in batches. If you have thicker or larger fillets, you may need to add a few more minutes to the cook time. Check at about the 7 minute mark and adjust accordingly.
While the fish is cooking, prepare the sauce. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the garlic and stir for about a minute. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 cloves garlic
Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, chicken broth and Dijon mustard and bring to a low simmer for 2-3 minutes. ½ teaspoon lemon zest, 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, ½ cup chicken broth, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Whisk together the heavy cream and cornstarch. Remove the sauce from heat and pour in the cream mixture. Whisk vigorously for about 30 seconds until the sauce is an even consistency and has thickened slightly. ¼ cup heavy cream, ½ teaspoon cornstarch
Plate the tilapia fillets and serve with a generous portion of the sauce spooned over. Garnish with salt & pepper, chopped parsley and serve with a lemon wedge. Lemon wedges, Fresh parsley, Salt and black pepper

Notes

Drying the fillets off will help form a nice crust on the outside while tender on the inside, so as best you can just pat off any water. Preheating the air fryer also helps get the exterior crisp.

Go wild with the seasoning mix if you like more strongly flavored fish. I like a nice even coating but you can add more depending on how much you like.

Place leftovers into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or back in the air fryer, just at a lower temperature for a few minutes until heated through.

Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.

The calories shown are based on the recipe serving 4, with 1 serving being 1 fillet of fish and ¼ of the sauce. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. **

Nutrition

Author Julie Clark

Course Dinner, lunch, Main Course

Cuisine American, Mediterranean, Seafood

Calories 247

Keyword Air Fryer, creamy, healthy, quick

How to Make Air Fryer Tilapia: Step by Step

Season the tilapia filets. Blend the garlic powder, Old Bay, onion powder, salt, pepper and lemon zest together. Generously brush olive oil on each side of all the fillets. Follow this up by sprinkling and gently rubbing in the seasoning mixture into the sides of the fish fillets.

Cook tilapia in an air fryer. Place the tilapia into a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook for 6-8 minutes. The internal temperature should be 145ºF.

Prepare the sauce. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the garlic and stir for about a minute. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, chicken broth and Dijon mustard and bring to a low simmer for 2-3 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together the heavy cream and cornstarch. Pour this into the sauce. Whisk vigorously for about 30 seconds until the sauce is an even consistency and has thickened slightly.