Potato Crusted Tilapia

The search for a good, crunchy breading for baked fish continues this week with something I never in a million years would have thought to use as breading: ye humble potato flakes.  But I got into a discussion with some other gluten free folks on Twitter the other day and someone mentioned this.  I admit, I was SKEPTICAL, but I am nothing if not adventurous.  Imagine my complete and utter SHOCK when these came out CRISPIER than CORN FLAKE BREADED FISH!  WITHOUT OIL OR FRYING.  I’ll have to play with the seasonings (and definitely remember to season them BEFORE I start the breading process, which I didn’t until halfway through this batch), but I definitely think this is a keeper.  It’s a great healthy way to prepare fish.  I’ll have to try it on chicken sometime too.  Serves 2.

Ingredients:

  • 4 tilapia fillets (or whatever white fish you prefer)
  • 1/2 to 1 cup instant potato flakes
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour (for GF folks, just pick your fave gluten free flour mix)
  • 1/4 cup egg whites or Egg beaters (if you HAVE an egg, certainly use it…we were out)
  • seasoning of choice (I used Emeril’s essence, but you could also use Cajun seasoning, seasoning salt, garlic powder, Greek seasoning…whatever floats your boat)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  2. Prep your cookie sheet by laying a wire cooling rack inside and spraying with cooking spray.
  3. Set up your dredging station by putting the potato flakes in one dish, the flour in another, and the egg in another.
  4. Season both sides of the fish with your spices of choice.
  5. Dredge in the flour and shake off the excess.
  6. Dip in the egg mixture until coated on both sides.
  7. Dredge in the potato flakes, patting on extra until the whole fillet is coated, then lay on the wire racks.
  8. Bake for 10-14 minutes or until edges start to brown.

Printable version.

5 thoughts on “Potato Crusted Tilapia

  1. I tried the recipe with chicken tonight (I’m saving the Tilapia for a special dinner). While I was shopping for the potato flakes I saw the envelopes of fancy mashed potatoes. I bought the “loaded baked potato” style that has bacon, chives, sour cream, etc.

    Followed the directions using the loaded baked potato on two strips, the mixture was powdery.

    Mixed lemon pepper with the regular potato flakes and used those on the second two strips.

    Baked at 450° F (thermometer verified) for 25 minutes.

    The first two strips were crunchy and flavorful but without the flaky crispness.

    The second two strips were very crunchy and the spices mixed in with the potato flakes worked fine.

    I prefer the potato flakes myself.

    Side note: forgot to buy PAM so I used a light coating of vegetable oil on the wire cooling rack.

    Can’t wait to use this on Tilapia!

  2. Michael, Thanks for taking the time to review the loaded potatoes as an ingredient option. I have a meal planning service and was Googling recipe options for potato crusted fish. Ironically, the dried loaded potato mix was an immediate problem solver for me. So it is good to know that that mix isn’t “flakes” – and that it doesn’t produce the desired crispiness.

    1. Sadly no. It depends on how large your fish fillet is, how much of the “breading” sticks and that kind of thing, so I didn’t calculate it for this. But it’s low in either case 🙂

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