PREPARE: Firstly, combine all the marinade ingredients in a small bowl and marinate raw shrimp for at least 15 minutes. You can marinate for up to 24 hours.

You can easily adjust the level of hotness in this dish by adding more or less cayenne pepper, to make sure you can enjoy all the scrumptious flavor while still feeling the heat.

INGREDIENTS

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for spicy garlic shrimp, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

You may have all of these easy shrimp ingredients in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store. See recipe card below for ingredient amounts.

• Low Sodium Soy Sauce
• Brown Sugar: Light brown or dark brown sugar work well in this recipe. They balance out the tanginess and acidity of the soy sauce.
• Olive Oil
• Whole Grain Mustard Powder
• Paprika
• Cayenne Pepper
• Dried Oregano
• Dried Thyme
• Onion Powder
• Salt and Pepper: Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.
• Garlic: You can mince it yourself or use minced garlic in the jar.
• Butter: Use unsalted butter.
• Shrimp: Fresh is best but you can use frozen raw deveined shrimp with stems. Just thaw completely and pat dry.
• Green Onions

INSTRUCTIONS

This section shows how to cook easy cajun shrimp in a skillet, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique. For full instructions, nutritional information, to print the recipe or to have the recipe scaled to double or triple, see the recipe card below.

PREPARE: Combine all the ingredients, except butter and shrimp, and whisk together. Add to a skillet together with the butter over medium-high heat. Stir for 2 minutes. 

🔴 TIP: Do not overcook your shrimp. Allow the shrimp to cook, undisturbed, until the side on the skillet is turning pink and curling. Shrimp are cooked through when they are pink all over and curled up. If you overcook shrimp they will be tough and not as good.

SERVE: Serve with crusty bread, over rice or noodles and with a side of vegetables.

HOW TO MAKE CAJUN SHRIMP IN THE AIR FRYER

• Prepare the sauce according to the main instructions. Add shrimp to sauce and marinate for 15-30 minutes. 
• Spray air fryer basket/tray with non-stick cooking spray.
• Place shrimp in a single layer on the air fryer basket.
• Cook for 8 minutes at 400°F. Do not turn over while cooking.

STORAGE TIPS

Refrigerate: Store leftover cajun shrimp in an airtight container or ziploc bag for up to 4 days.

Freeze: Freeze shrimp in a freezer safe container or freezer bag for 10-12 months. We do not recommend refreezing cooked shrimp that was previously frozen raw.

Defrosting: Thaw cooked shrimp in the refrigerator overnight.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH SHRIMP

Serve spicy shrimp over Instant Pot Jasmin Rice, Cilantro Lime Rice, egg noodles or with a side of crusty white bread. Cajun shrimp also pairs really well with roasted or steamed vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus or green beans.

We also love serving them with a crunchy and nutritious salad. Have you tried our Italian Salad, Raw Asparagus Salad or Andrea’s irresistible Greek Salad.

MORE SHRIMP RECIPES

If you love shrimp you’ll enjoy our yummy Shrimp Fettuccine or Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp. Have you tried Stef’s amazingly delicious Shrimp Skewers, Shrimp Ceviche or Shrimp Pad Thai?

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

For perfect results every time, here are answers to the most common questions about cooking spicy shrimp.

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WHAT IS AIR FRYER FRIED FISH?

Air fried fish is made from mild tasting white fish filets, such as tilapia or cod, that are cut into perfect portions. The fish is covered in a delicious crust of seasoned breadcrumbs, and cooked up to golden brown and crunchy perfection in the air fryer. Without using much oil, air fryer fried fish is low in calories but full of yummy flavor.

INGREDIENTS

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for frying fish in an air fryer, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

You may have all of these fried tilapia ingredients in your refrigerator or pantry already and not need to make a trip to the grocery store. See recipe card below for ingredient amounts.

• White Fish Filets: We recommend using tilapia or cod filets.
• Panko Bread Crumbs: Use regular panko bread crumbs or substitute Italian bread crumbs. When using Italian bread crumbs, omit the Italian seasoning.
• Parmesan Cheese: We recommend freshly shredded parmesan cheese for best flavors.
• Italian Seasoning: You can substitute plain oregano, or make your own Italian seasoning by mixing oregano, dried basil, and thyme.
• Garlic Powder
• Paprika
• Black Pepper
• Salt
• Oil: We like to use oil with a high smoke point such as vegetable oil or avocado oil.
• Tartar Sauce: You can serve your fried fish with your favorite store bought tartar sauce or make your own. Take a look at our easy but incredibly delicious homemade tartar sauce recipe.
• Lemon Wedges

INSTRUCTIONS

This section shows how to cook fried fish in the air fryer, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique. For full instructions, nutritional information, to print the recipe or to have the recipe scaled to double or triple, see the recipe card below.

MAKE BREADING: Combine bread crumbs, parmesan, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, paprika and black pepper in a shallow bowl.

🔴 TIP: Use Italian bread crumbs, instead of panko breadcrumbs. When using Italian bread crumbs, omit the Italian seasoning.

PREPARE FISH: First pat fish dry, then cut into 1 – 1 ½” wide pieces. Brush with 2 tablespoons of oil.

🔴 TIP: Use air fryer parchment paper, because it keeps the fish from sticking to the air fryer basket and therefore makes sure your breading stays in place.

AIR FRY: Cook at 400°F for 10-12 minutes. Cook time depends on the thickness and width of your fish pieces. Check on the fish intermittently. Internal temperature should be 145°F.

🔴 TIP: If you preheat your air fryer, make sure to adjust your cooking time. The fried fish might be done 1-2 minutes earlier.

SERVE: Remove from the air fryer. Serve with tartar sauce and lemon wedges.

STORAGE TIPS

Storing your food properly is important to prevent spoiling or food poisoning.

Refrigerate: Let any air fryer fried fish leftovers cool completely. Then store them in an airtight container or ziploc bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Reheating: Reheating air fried fish in the air fryer is super easy and beats reheating it in the microwave by miles. To bring your fried fish back to almost perfect crispiness, simply put your pre-cooked fish back into the air fryer and cook at 400ºF for 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Your fish fingers should once again be crunchy on the outside and soft and flaky on the inside.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH FRIED FISH

Air fryer fried fish tastes amazing with homemade tartar sauce and a potato side dish. We especially love crispy air fryer fries and air fryer tater tots.

MORE FISH RECIPES

If you love fried fish in the air fryer you’ll enjoy our air fryer salmon, baked salmon or other tilapia recipes like pan seared tilapia with lemon butter or air fryer tilapia. You also have to try these most delicious grilled shrimp skewers with a spicy marinade and smothered in garlic herb butter.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

For perfect results every time, here are answers to the most common questions about cooking air fryer fried fish.

Air fryer tilapia is very versatile and goes well with most side dishes. We love serving it with rice, tartar sauce, garlic bread, steamed or roasted vegetables and a salad. This dairy free, keto friendly and gluten free fish recipe can also be cooked in a pan, in case you don’t own an air fryer.

WHAT IS TILAPIA?

Tilapia is a mild tasting white fish that is low in calories but a great source of protein and nutrients. It is especially popular because of its mild fish flavor. Tilapia works well in combination with bold flavors such as lemon, garlic or fresh herbs. It pairs well with most side dishes and also tastes delicious in fish tacos.

INGREDIENTS

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for seasoned tilapia, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

You may have all of these air fryer tilapia ingredients in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store. See recipe card below for ingredient amounts.

• Tilapia: Tilapia is a flaky white fish that is very mild in taste. Since it has no overwhelming fishy taste it works great in combination with bold flavors like lemon, herbs or garlic.
• Oil: We like using avocado oil or olive oil for this recipe.
• Paprika: We used regular paprika, but if you are a big fan of smoky flavor you can also try smoked paprika.
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Dired Parsley
• Salt
• Black Pepper
• Fresh Parsley
• Lemon Wedges

INSTRUCTIONS

This section shows how to cook seasoned tilapia in the air fryer, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique. For full instructions, nutritional information, to print the recipe or to have the recipe scaled to double or triple, see the recipe card below.

SEASON: Drizzle oil on tilapia and rub it in. Mix the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsley, salt and black pepper together then rub into both sides of the tilapia filets.

🔴 TIP: Make it spicy, for spicier tilapia, add a pinch or two of chili pepper or cayenne pepper to the rub.

🔴 TIP: Great side dishes for tilapia are rice, broccoli, asparagus, salad, garlic bread and tartar sauce.

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE AHEAD

You can make the seasoning blend and rub it into the tilapia filets up to 24 hours ahead of time. Store the seasoned fish filets in an airtight container or ziploc bag in the fridge until you are ready to cook them.

HOW TO MAKE TILAPIA ON THE STOVE

This tasty tilapia recipe can also be cooked on the stove, similar to our Pan Seared Tilapia with Lemon Butter:

• SEASON: Drizzle oil on tilapia and rub it in. Mix the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsley, salt and black pepper together then rub into both sides of the tilapia filets.
• HEAT SKILLET: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with non-stick cooking spary.
• COOK FISH: Add the tilapia filets. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the edges turn white (opaque). Turn your filets over and finish cooking the other side for 2-3 minutes until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily. It should reach an internal temperature of 140ºF.
• SERVE: Remove from the pan and serve with lemon slices and fresh parsley.

STORAGE TIPS

Storing your food properly is important to prevent spoiling or food poisoning.

Refrigerate: Let the air fryer tilapia cool completely. Then store in an airtight container or ziploc bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freeze: Seasoned tilapia is best eaten fresh. However, you can freeze leftovers in an airtight and freezer safe container or ziploc freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Defrosting: A great way to defrost is in the refrigerator overnight.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH SEASONED TILAPIA

We love serving fried tilapia with cilantro lime rice, air fryer broccoli, air fryer green beans and tartar sauce. Another great side dish is our crispy and nutritious Italian salad. We also recommend serving some delicious bread with tilapia, like our garlic French bread, homemade dinner rolls or copycat Lion House rolls.

This quick and flavorful fish recipe also tastes great in fish tacos.

MORE AIR FRYER RECIPES

If you love love air fried tilapia you’ll also enjoy our other air fryer recipes:

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

For perfect results every time, here are answers to the most common questions about cooking air fryer tilapia.

Are you a lemon lover? Check out these 50 lemon recipes.

INGREDIENTS

You may have all of the ingredients for creamy lemon garlic shrimp fettuccine in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store. See recipe card below for ingredient amounts.

• Fettuccine: You can use fresh or dried fettuccine noodles. You can also substitute other long noodles if you don’t have fettuccine.
• Olive oil
• Butter: We’re using unsalted butter.
• Shrimp: We recommend using fresh shrimp for best results. If using frozen shrimp, thaw firsthand pat dry before cooking.
• Garlic: Fresh garlic is best but you can used minced garlic in the jar.
• Red pepper flakes: This adds just a bit of heat but you can omit it if you prefer.
• Lemon: You’ll need a fresh lemon for the juice and zest.
• Salt & pepper: Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.
• Flour
• Chicken broth
• Heavy cream
• Pesto: You can use store-bought pesto or make your own with Stef’s pesto recipe.
• Parmesan cheese: You can grate your own or purchase refrigerated, fresh-grated parmesan to save time.

INSTRUCTIONS

If you’d like to print this creamy shrimp fettuccine recipe, scroll down to the recipe card where you can print the recipe or have it scaled to double or triple. You’ll also find nutrition information.

🔴 TIP: Shrimp are perfectly cooked when they are pink and curl into a letter C shape. Shrimp become tough when overcooked.  

MAKE CREAM SAUCE: Melt 2 tablespoons butter in the same pan. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and saute 30 seconds. Add the flour to make a roux and whisk together for 1 minute, then reduce heat to low. Slowly whisk in chicken broth, heavy cream and pesto. Continue whisking until the sauce is smooth. Turn heat to medium high. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Heat approximately 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened. Reduce heat to low. Add in lemon juice and Parmesan cheese until melted.

COMBINE: Add the shrimp with juices and pasta to the sauce. Stir until well coated in sauce. Season with additional salt, pepper to taste. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan Cheese, fresh parsley and lemon juice.

STORAGE TIPS

Don’t throw out your leftovers! You can store them for later!

Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Freeze: Due to the nature of the cream sauce, this does not freeze well after it’s been cooked.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH CREAMY FETTUCCINE

Enjoy shrimp fettuccine with a simple salad, some roasted vegetables and some bread. Don’t forget the dessert!

MORE PASTA RECIPES

While we love creamy lemon garlic shrimp fettuccine, we also love some of these other recipes and think you will as well.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

LEMON GARLIC BUTTER SHRIMP INGREDIENTS

You may have all of the ingredients for lemon garlic butter shrimp in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store. See recipe card below for ingredient amounts.

• Butter: Use unsalted butter.
• Minced garlic: You can mince it yourself or use minced garlic in the jar.
• Shrimp: Fresh is best but you can use frozen raw deveined shrimp with stems. Just thaw completely and pat dry.
• Lemon: Fresh lemon juice and lemon zest are a must for this dish.
• Salt & pepper: Fresh-ground black pepper and kosher salt to taste. You can also add red pepper flakes if you like a little heat.
• Parsley: We use chopped fresh parsley, but dried parsley is ok in a pinch.
• Lemon zest
• Water

Here are 50 sweet lemon recipes to help you keep things zesty.

INSTRUCTIONS

If you’d like to print this recipe, scroll down to the recipe card where you can print the recipe or have it scaled to double or triple. You’ll also find nutrition information.

GARNISH & SERVE: Serve with fresh parsley and lemon wedges.

STORAGE TIPS

Refrigerate: Store shrimp in an air-tight container for 3-4 days.

Freeze: Freeze shrimp in airtight containers, heavy-duty freezer bags, or wrapped tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil for 10-12 months. We do not recommend refreezing cooked shrimp that was previously frozen raw.

Defrosting: Thaw cooked shrimp in the refrigerator overnight.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH SHRIMP

We recommend serving a couple vegetables and a starch with your shrimp. Consider a crusty Garlic Bread or Garlic Knots, Easy cheesy garlic rolls or noodles or Instant Pot Jasmine Rice.

MORE LEMON GARLIC RECIPES

Love garlic butter?? Try these other delicious recipes:

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT SHRIMP

Pan seared tilapia is very versatile and goes well with most side dishes. We love serving it with butter noodles, rice, baked potatoes, steamed or roasted vegetables and a salad.

PAN SEARED TILAPIA WITH LEMON BUTTER INGREDIENTS

You may have all of these lemon butter white fish ingredients in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store. See recipe card below for ingredient amounts.

Jump to Recipe

• Tilapia Filets: Tilapia is a flaky white fish that is very mild in taste. Since it has no overwhelming fishy taste it works great in combination with bold flavors like lemon, herbs or garlic.
• Garlic Powder
• Coarse Salt
• Black Pepper
• Paprika: We used regular paprika, but if you are a big fan of smoky flavor you can also try smoked paprika.
• Lemon Zest: For best results use fresh and bright yellow lemons. Make sure you only use the yellow part of the lemon peel and not the white one. The white part, also called pith, tastes bitter and might ruin the flavor of your lemon chicken.
• Olive oil: You can also use avocado oil.
• Salted Butter
• Lemon Juice: For best flavor use fresh lemon juice.
• Fresh Parsley

INSTRUCTIONS

If you’d like to print this recipe, scroll down to the recipe card where you can print the recipe or have it scaled to double or triple. You’ll also find nutrition information.

DRY FISH: Pat tilapia dry with a paper towel.

BLEND SPICES: Mix garlic powder, salt, pepper, paprika, and lemon zest in a bowl. For spicier tilapia, add a pinch or two of chili pepper to the rub.

🔴 TIP: If you don’t own a lemon zester you can also use the fine side of a box grater to rub off the lemon zest or a vegetable peeler. First, peel off very thin slices of lemon peel (avoid the white part) and then chop the lemon peel finely on a cutting board with a knife.

RUB WITH OIL: Rub tilapia filets with oil.

RUB IN SPICES: Rub seasoning mix onto all sides of tilapia.

HEAT SKILLET: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with non-stick cooking spary.

COOK FISH: Add the tilapia filets. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the edges turn white (opaque). Turn your filets over and finish cooking the other side for 2-3 minutes until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily. It should reach an internal temperature of 140ºF.

🔴 TIP: Cooking time may vary depending on the temperature of the pan, the thickness of the fish and the internal temperature of the fish when you started cooking it.

TOP WITH LEMON BUTTER: Turn off the heat. Add 1 tablespoon of parsley lemon butter to the top of each filet. Save the rest of the lemon butter for another meal. You can store the rest of the lemon parsley butter in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to a month.

SERVE: Remove from the pan and serve with lemon slices and fresh parsley.

AIR FRYER INSTRUCTIONS

• Prepare tilapia according to skillet instructions. 
• Cook at 400ºF for 4 minutes on each side in the air fryer. 
• Use an instant read thermometer to make sure the fish reached an internal temperature of 140ºF. 
• Remove from the air fryer. Add 1 tablespoon of lemon parsley butter to the top of each filet. Serve. 

STORAGE TIPS

Storing your food properly is important to prevent spoiling or food poisoning.

Refrigerate: Let the pan seared tilapia cool completely. Then store in an airtight container or ziploc bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freeze: Lemon butter tilapia is best eaten fresh. However, you can freeze leftovers in an airtight and freezer safe container or ziploc freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Defrosting: A great way to defrost is in the refrigerator overnight.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH TILAPIA

We enjoy this tilapia recipe with roasted vegetables, over rice or noodles or with some Homemade Dinner Rolls or Lion House Rolls Copycat.

MORE TILAPIA RECIPES

While we love tilapia with lemon butter we also love some of these other recipes and think you will as well.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

In case you have any leftovers, you can make a delicious salmon pasta salad the next day. We provided our favorite pasta salad recipes below in case you want to give this amazing lunch option a try.

AIR FRYER SALMON WITH GARLIC LEMON RUB INGREDIENTS

You may have all of these air fryer lemon salmon ingredients in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store. See recipe card below for ingredient amounts.

• Salmon fillets: You can use fresh salmon fillets or defrosted frozen ones. Make sure your fillets are not dried out or have any dark spots.
• Oil: We use olive or avocado oil.
• Garlic Powder
• Salt
• Pepper
• Lemon Juice: For best flavor use fresh lemon juice.
• Italian seasoning

INSTRUCTIONS

If you’d like to print this recipe, scroll down to the recipe card where you can print the recipe or have it scaled to double or triple. You’ll also find nutrition information.

COOK IN AIR FRYER: Spray the bottom of the air fryer basket with a non-stick cooking spray. Place salmon filets in the air fryer basket with the skin side down.

Cook at 400ºF for 10 minutes. Do not flip or rotate. Salmon is done when the internal temperature is 125ºF to 135ºF.

🔴 TIP: Air fryers need space between the food items to circulate the hot air and cook food properly. Do not overcrowd your air fryer. 

SERVE: Sprinkle salmon filets with chopped parsley and lemon slices and serve immediately.

WAYS TO USE LEMON GARLIC SALMON LEFTOVERS

If you were wondering what to do with lemon garlic salmon leftovers, we have a great suggestion: add it to your favorite pasta salad. Here are two of our most loved pasta salads that work perfect with salmon:

• SALMON PASTA SALAD – This fresh and healthy cold pasta salad uses a homemade lemon dill vinaigrette and tastes insanely good.

• PESTO PASTA SALAD – Packed with fresh summer flavors, this pasta salad makes the perfect light lunch. Just add cold, cut up salmon pieces and enjoy.

STORAGE TIPS

Storing your food properly is important to prevent spoiling or food poisoning.

Refrigerate: Let the air fryer salmon cool completely. Then store in an airtight container or ziploc bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freeze: Lemon garlic salmon is best eaten fresh. However, you can freeze leftovers in an airtight and freezer safe container or ziploc freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Defrosting: A great way to defrost is in the refrigerator overnight.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH SALMON

Enjoy this great recipe as a great addition to a full meal with these other recipes:

MORE SEAFOOD RECIPES

While we love garlic lemon rubbed salmon we also love some of these other recipes and think you will as well.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS