Baked Tilapia with Panko Bread Crumbs

Broadly speaking, tilapia as a popular white fish that is high in protein, low in fat and contains valuable nutrients like a vitamins D and B12. More specifically speaking, this panko crusted tilapia recipe is so delicious that this freshwater fish will be on the menu at your household on a regular rotation.

The use of both lime juice and zest makes this a tangy and unique way to enjoy this healthy fish fillet. The prep work only takes a few minutes and your oven does the rest of the cooking for you. So, whether you caught some fish yourself this morning or went to the grocery store this afternoon, let’s get cooking!

Baked Tilapia with Panko Bread Crumbs Ingredients

• Tilapia fillets: This recipe calls for 4 tilapia fillets, each weighing about 6 ounces.
• Mayonnaise: We recommend a reduced fat mayonnaise. But of course you can use regular mayo if that’s what you have on hand.
• Lime juice and zest: Fresh lime juice is best for this recipe. It calls for grated lime zest as well.
• Onion powder: The 1/4 teaspoon of onion powder as a savory element alongside the tang of the lime profile.
• Panko bread crumbs: Panko bread crumbs work best for this recipe because their larger size gives them a nice crunch and takes on a browning during the cooking process.
• Fresh cilantro or parsley: If you are of the “cilantro tastes like soap!” camp, definitely use parsley for this dish. And yes, you can mix the two.

Directions

Step 1: Coat the fish

Preheat the oven to 425°F and then place the fillets on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, lime juice, lime zest, salt, onion powder and pepper. Then, spread the mayonnaise mixture over the fish. Next, sprinkle over the bread crumbs and spritz the prepared fillets with cooking spray.

Step 2: Bake the fish

Bake until the fish just begins to flake easily with a fork, which will take 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle each fillet with fresh cilantro or parsley and serve them up.

Recipe Variations

• Use lemon instead: If you don’t have a fresh lime but do have a fresh lemon, use its juice and zest instead  and follow the rest of the same recipe steps.
• Spice it up: Adding some cayenne pepper to the mayo mixture is a great way to give this recipe a bit of a kick. You can also sprinkle on some red pepper flakes when you add the red crumbs.
• Try Ritz crackers instead: If you don’t have bread crumbs or want to add a buttery edge, crumble Ritz crackers (or club crackers) and make your own bread crumbs.

How to Store Baked Tilapia with Panko Bread Crumbs

Cooled leftover fillets can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Bake covered with foil (to avoid it drying out) in an oven at 350º until it has warmed through to reheat.

Baked Tilapia with Panko Bread Crumbs Tips

What is the safe internal temperature for tilapia?

The safe internal temperature for tilapia is 145° at the thickest part of the fillet. You should use a food thermometer to check the thickest fillet of the bunch to be sure it cooked through. You can safely assume they all did if so.

What should I serve with these panko crusted tilapia fillets?

This is a light entrée that pairs well with a starch like rice or couscous and a fresh green salad.

Is this a healthy recipe?

Very much so! One fillet has only around 200 calories and 33 grams of protein. Also, a mere 3 grams of fat!