Baked Tilapia with Panko Breadcrumbs

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Before you add panko breadcrumbs to your tilapia filets you will need to thaw them if they are frozen. It is easiest to do this overnight in the refrigerator. Do not forget to rinse the thawed fish and pat it dry with paper towels. Thawed fish holds on to a lot of water and if you thaw a fish filet it will be sitting in a pool of water afterwards.

Coating the Fish

If you are going to use panko breadcrumbs you will need to give them something to stick to, so coat your fish filets all over using mustard and mayonnaise or another combination of thick, sticky ingredients. Make sure the fish is evenly coated.

It is usually better to make a little extra mayonnaise and mustard mixture, rather than discover you did not make enough to coat your fish filets. Remember that a thin fish filet will have a larger surface area than a thick one.

Finally dip your fish into the breadcrumb mixture. You can add herbs or spices to this mixture, and you can use half panko breadcrumbs and half fine dry breadcrumbs for a nice flavor and texture. You can also swap some of the breadcrumbs for parmesan cheese.

Baking the Fish

The fish should be baked in a preheated oven until it is done and this can take anywhere from twelve to twenty minutes, depending on your oven, the thickness of your tilapia filets, and how thick the coating is.

It is best to check the fish after twelve minutes to see whether it is nowhere near done, almost done, or done. If it is nowhere near done, you can leave your baked tilapia with panko breadcrumbs for another five minutes before checking it again. Do not let it overcook else it will dry out.

Tilapia is a mildly-flavored, firm-textured white fish that grows in warm waters such as Southeast Asia, Latin America and warmer waters off the coast of the U.S. Tilapia can also be farm-raised, giving the growers the ability to control the environment in where the fish is raised as well as their diet. Furthermore, farm raising Tilapia can give the growers more ability to control the hygiene of the fish and conform to global food standards before selling the fish for distribution and to various restaurants serving the fish.

Tilapia is one of the most popular fish served on menus around the world because it is lean, low in fat and carbohydrates but offers protein as well as the essential Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. Furthermore, because of its mild taste, it can take on a variety of delicious flavors and spices from Cajun to Mediterranean. Also, it is easy to cook and clean and can be baked, fried, grilled or barbecued.

One truly delicious way to cook Tilapia is to coat it with panko breadcrumbs and bake or fry it. Panko breadcrumbs are a very thin, flaky breadcrumb used in Japanese fried dishes. It is a lot flakier and lighter than the traditional breadcrumb because instead of baking the bread, the bread is actually passed through electrical currents so that it breaks up into smaller pieces.

With fish, it can be easy to overcook it, leaving a rubbery dried food item that no one wants to eat. When coating the Tilapia with panko breadcrumbs, you get a flaky crispy outside and tender, juicy fish inside. You can add various flavors to the panko breadcrumbs as well such as cheese or your favorite spices such as ginger powder, chili, or curry to give the Tilapia an extra boost of flavor.

When serving the baked Tilapia with panko breadcrumbs, you can choose from a variety of sides such as rice, potatoes, greens, or even beans. This item is a great crowd favorite and can be served for any occasion. It also great for a surf and turf menu, eating it alongside a great beef dish.

Not to mention, Tilapia thaws quickly and keeps well prior to cooking. Of course, when preparing the Tilapia, you always want to be sure to rid the fish of any excess bones or scales and wash it very well before cooking. Luckily, Tilapia does not have a very strong scent, but you still want to wash any items that have touched the raw Tilapia.

Keep any leftovers of the planko crusted Tilapia in a resealable, plastic container to ensure freshness and keep the outer layer crispy.

You can see from the photo how delicious the panko-crusted Tilapia appears. It looks as if it has been fried, which can be highly unhealthy. You can still get the fried fish texture by baking the Tilapia in its panko coating. As soon as the Tilapia is baked, it is ready to be served and a squeeze of lemon adds the perfect touch.