Air Fryer Tilapia Fish Tacos
Air Fryer Tilapia Fish Tacos make every day feel like taco Tuesday. The tilapia gets a parmesan lemon zest crust that turns irresistibly crunchy in the air fryer, then the tacos are finished with tangy jalapeño lime-cilantro slaw. These are bright, crispy, and one of my favorite ways to make fish tacos.
Servings: 12 servings
Equipment
Ingredients
Jalapeño lime slaw
- 2 cups red cabbage shredded
- 2 cups green cabbage shredded
- 2 cups carrots thinly sliced or shredded
- 2 cups red onions thinly sliced
- 4 jalapeño peppers large, seeded and thinly sliced
- ¾ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 limes juiced
- 2 tbsp honey
- kosher salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Fish tacos
- 4 tilapia fillets
- ½ cup flour
- 4 oz parmesan cheese grated
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp paprika
- 2 eggs
To assemble the tacos
- 12 small tortillas corn or flour
- 1 lime cut into wedges
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
Instructions
Prepare the jalapeño lime slaw
- Combine the cabbage, carrots, onion, and jalapeño peppers in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.
- Blend the sour cream, cilantro, lime juice, honey, salt, and pepper in a blender or food processor until they are well combined and the cilantro gives the dressing a beautiful green color.
- Pour all except for ¼ cup of the dressing over the slaw mixture and mix well to ensure that everything is coated. Save the other ¼ cup for later.
- Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in the fridge. You can make this a day in advance if you want.
Coat the tilapia fillets
- Set up 3 shallow dishes. Place the flour in one dish. Crack the eggs into another and whisk them well. In the third dish, combine the cheese, paprika, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.
- Pat the tilapia fillets dry, then dip each fillet into the flour and coat both sides. Dip them into the egg wash and transfer them to the cheese mixture to coat both sides of each fillet.
Cook the tilapia
- Place a small piece of parchment paper on the bottom of the air fryer basket, then place 1 to 2 fillets in the basket. See notes.
- Cook for 4 to 5 minutes at 400°F until the cheese melts and the crust is golden brown. See notes.
Assemble the tacos
- Flake the fish into large pieces.
- Load the tortilla shells with some slaw, then top with the fish and add a drizzle of the reserved slaw dressing.
- Add a squeeze of lime juice and a dollop of sour cream. Garnish with cilantro or avocado if desired.
Video
Notes
Make The Slaw Ahead
You can prepare the jalapeño lime slaw the day before and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight. The flavors will meld, and the cabbage and cilantro will make the slaw even more vibrant as it marinates.Do Not Crowd The Fish
Do not crowd the fish in the air fryer basket or the crust may steam and turn soggy. If you have a small air fryer, cook one fillet at a time.Use Parchment Paper
Use parchment paper in the air fryer basket. The cheese coating can stick to the basket even with non-stick spray, and parchment makes the fish easier to remove.Fish Thickness
Tilapia fillets cook quickly because they are thin, so you do not need to flip them. If using another fish, choose fillets that are ½ inch thick or thinner. Thicker fillets may need to be flipped and cooked for another 4 to 5 minutes.Using Frozen Fish
If using frozen fish fillets, thaw them completely before coating and cooking.Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 334kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 641mg | Potassium: 490mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 4306IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 238mg | Iron: 2mg