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Tilapia in a frying pan in batter

Pan-Fried Battered Tilapia

Delicious, dead simple, and special enough for any day! Battered tilapia fried in a skillet will dress up any table. It has almost no bones, so it's a real pleasure to eat — tasty even without a side dish!

Julia M.

Recipe author

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Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Tilapia

500

Egg

Milk

100

Flour

Vegetable oil

Salt

Dried spices

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 54 % 14 g

Fats 31 % 8 g

Carbohydrates 15 % 4 g

146 kcal

GI: 20 / 0 / 80

Cooking method

Cooking time: 30 min

Step 1:

How do you pan-fry battered tilapia? Start by gathering the ingredients. Take the fish fillets out of the freezer ahead of time and let them thaw at room temperature.
Step 2:

Pat the thawed fish with paper towels to remove excess moisture. If the fillet pieces are large, cut them into 2–3 pieces.
Step 3:

For the batter, take a deep bowl and crack in the egg. Add a little salt and some spices. I use a ready-made fish seasoning blend; you can add a little paprika, turmeric, or saffron.
Step 4:

Then pour the milk into the bowl and, adding the flour a little at a time, whisk together a batter.
Step 5:

The finished batter will be on the thick side. Adjust the flour to get the consistency you want — the thicker the batter, the thicker the coating on the fish.
Step 6:

Dip each piece of fish into the batter on both sides so it's evenly coated all over. To keep the batter from sliding off, you can dredge the fish in flour first.
Step 7:

Heat a skillet until hot and add a little vegetable oil. Lay in the battered fish and fry over low heat for 3–4 minutes per side.
Step 8:

Don't use high heat, or the fish will start to burn on the outside before it cooks through inside. The finished battered tilapia will turn an appetizing golden color.
Step 9:

Transfer it to a paper towel to blot off the excess oil.
Step 10:

Round out the fish with fresh vegetables and herbs, and serve! Enjoy!

Keep in mind that properly thawing your ingredients has a lot to do with the quality and flavor of the finished dish. For how to avoid mistakes and pick the best method, see the article on thawing.
Always wash the eggs before using them — even a shell that looks clean can carry harmful bacteria. A food-safe wash and a brush work best.
Any oil is only good up to a certain temperature — its smoke point, past which it starts to burn and forms harmful compounds, including carcinogens. For how to gauge frying temperature and choose the best oil for the job (and which ones to skip entirely), read more here.