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One Skillet Country Fried Tilapia with Creamy Lemon Sauce and Garlic Asparagus

June 11, 2018 By Rachel 22 Comments

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One Skillet Country Fried Tilapia with Creamy Lemon Sauce and Garlic Asparagus – Not your typical “country fried” recipe, this crunchy, garlicky, one-pot meal comes together quickly and easily!

One Skillet Country Fried Tilapia with Creamy Lemon Sauce and Garlic Asparagus

I think I’m on a tilapia kick because in addition to today’s recipe, in April I blogged a recipe for Sheet Pan Pistachio Crusted Tilapia. It’s a such a versatile fish with a mild flavor which is great for picky eaters. Tilapia is also great for the budget-conscious cook as well. Basically, tilapia in it’s various forms has become a mainstay in my kitchen.

Garlic AsparagusOne Skillet Country Fried Tilapia with Creamy Lemon Sauce and Garlic Asparagus

My favorite part of my last tilapia recipe was the crunch of the pistachio coating. I decided to continue with the crunchy theme by making country fried tilapia. If you’re more familiar with country fried steak, I just want to say that a lot of things are good “country fried.” To compliment the fish I took the traditional creamy gravy and turned it into a creamy, lemony sauce. Served with tasty, garlicky, local asparagus, this meal is the tops!

One Skillet Country Fried Tilapia with Creamy Lemon Sauce and Garlic AsparagusOne Skillet Country Fried Tilapia with Creamy Lemon Sauce and Garlic Asparagus

When I see a recipe that involves breading and a sauce, I immediately think that although tasty, it will probably make a mess of my kitchen. The truth is, I made this recipe in just one large skillet and it only takes 30-40 minutes to bring together! You can make this recipe in your kitchen in a jiffy, too. To make it even easier I’ve included some step-by-step photos. Happy cooking! 🙂

How to Make Country Fried Tilapia

 

One Skillet Country Fried Tilapia with Creamy Lemon Sauce and Garlic Asparagus
 
Print
Prep time
20 mins
Cook time
20 mins
Total time
40 mins
 
Not your typical "country fried" recipe, this crunchy, garlicky, one-pot meal comes together quickly and easily!
Author: Rachel Hanawalt
Recipe type: Entrees
Cuisine: American
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
Garlic Asparagus
  • 1 lb asparagus
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • ½ tsp salt
  • pepper to taste
  • 2 Tbsp water (more as needed)
Country Fried Tilapia
  • 4 tilapia filets (12-16 ounces)
  • ⅓ C flour
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ⅛ tsp black pepper
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 1¼ C panko bread crumbs
  • 4 Tbsp vegetable oil
Creamy Lemon Sauce
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • 1½ Tbsp flour
  • 1¼ C chicken broth
  • ½ lemon, juiced
  • ½ C whole milk
  • 2 Tbsp cream cheese
  • ¼ tsp lemon zest
  • ⅛ tsp black pepper
Instructions
  1. Wash and snap or cut the ends off of your asparagus. Heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet. Add the asparagus to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes. Flip and cook 2 minutes more. Add minced garlic, salt, pepper, and water to the skillet and cook for a final 2 minutes for a total of 6 minutes. Add additional water and cook longer if you have thicker asparagus spears. The asparagus is done when it’s fork tender. Transfer the asparagus to a serving dish and cover with aluminum foil.
  2. Prepare your ingredients to bread the fish. In a dish that’s slightly bigger than a fish filet, evenly mix together the flour, paprika, salt, and pepper. In a second similar-sized dish, pour in the panko. In a third and final dish, whisk together 2 eggs. To lessen your dishes burden you can use large, sturdy paper plates for this step.
  3. To bread the fish, coat each filet on all sides in the flour mixture. Dip the floured filets into the beaten eggs. Allow excess egg to drip off of the tilapia and then add it to the panko and coat it on all sides. Place on a cutting board or aluminum foil-lined pan until you are ready to cook.
  4. In a large skillet, heat 4 Tbsp of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Fry the tilapia for 3-4 minutes per side. The fish is done cooking once it’s golden brown and reaches an internal temperature of 145ºF at the thickest part of the filet. Transfer the cooked fish to the serving plate with the asparagus and cover with foil.
  5. For the sauce, leave the fonds (caramelized drippings) from the fish in the skillet. Over medium heat melt 2 Tbsp of butter. Add 1½ Tbsp of flour to the pan and stir to fully incorporate into the butter and cook for one minute. Next, slowly pour the chicken broth into the skillet while constantly stirring to prevent clumping. Bring to a simmer. Cook for about a minute while frequently scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent burning until the liquid has thickened. Stir in the lemon juice, whole milk, cream cheese, lemon zest, and black pepper. Heat the sauce until it first shows signs of beginning to simmer. Do not overheat so as to not cause curdling of the milk. The sauce is done once it is heated through and thick and creamy.
  6. Serve the tilapia and asparagus immediately with the lemon sauce poured over each.
Notes
If you're looking to add a carbohydrate to this dish, some recommendations are mashed potatoes, mashed cauliflower, couscous, or rice.
3.5.3251

One Skillet Country Fried Tilapia with Creamy Lemon Sauce and Garlic Asparagus

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Filed Under: Asparagus, Entrees, Fruits, Lemon, Meal Types, Meat, Eggs, and Dairy, One Pot, Recipes, Seafood, Seasons, Specific Audiences, Spring, Vegetables Tagged With: asparagus, country fried, Cream Cheese, Fish, Lemon, one skillet, one-pot, seafood, Spring, Tilapia, Weeknight Dinner

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Comments

  1. Shanna Jones says

    June 28, 2018 at 9:52 am

    I am loving everything about this meal! The crunch on the tilapia, the creamy sauce, the asparagus – yes, yes, and yes!

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      September 23, 2018 at 1:08 pm

      Thanks Shanna!

      Reply
  2. Jenni LeBaron says

    June 30, 2018 at 11:14 am

    This is a really beautiful, mouthwatering dish. I love using tilapia in new and interesting ways. I can’t wait to try this.

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      September 23, 2018 at 1:04 pm

      I hope you enjoy!

      Reply
  3. prasanna hede says

    June 30, 2018 at 2:44 pm

    Such a beautiful dish! love all the ingredients on the plate,tilapia,sauce and asparagus..mmmm..yumm!

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      September 23, 2018 at 1:04 pm

      Thanks Prasanna!

      Reply
  4. Karyl Henry says

    June 30, 2018 at 8:16 pm

    You sold me at “country fried”! I love eating tilapia, but very rarely ever make it because I run out of cooking options. I’m definitely adding this one to my list, and most certainly adding the creamy lemon sauce

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      September 23, 2018 at 1:04 pm

      You can’t go wrong with “country fried!” Enjoy!

      Reply
  5. Marisa Franca says

    July 1, 2018 at 5:04 am

    Love one pan meals. Especially when they are tasty and quick. We do eat a lot of seafood — low in fat and high in nutrition!! And I really like your touch of lemon to the dish. I think they belong together. Great combination.

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      September 23, 2018 at 1:03 pm

      Thanks Marisa! I you’re concerned about making this meal lower in fat you could omit the breading and make the remainder of the meal according to the directions. The sauce would still be scrumptious on the unbreaded fish!

      Reply
  6. Julie says

    July 1, 2018 at 4:04 pm

    I’ve never actually had fried fish, but this looks so good and crispy! And that sauce looks deeee-licious!

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      September 23, 2018 at 1:01 pm

      Perhaps fried fish isn’t the healthiest way to enjoy it, but it’s so yummy that it’s worth a try!

      Reply
  7. ElCitrakale says

    July 1, 2018 at 6:01 pm

    This looks scrumptious. Love everything here especially that tilapia.

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      September 23, 2018 at 1:00 pm

      Thanks!

      Reply
  8. Sri Mallya says

    July 1, 2018 at 10:22 pm

    Love everything about this meal. Packed with full of flavors. Saving it for later!

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      September 23, 2018 at 1:00 pm

      Thanks Sri! Enjoy!

      Reply
  9. Amanda Mason says

    July 2, 2018 at 12:36 am

    This skillet tilapia recipe looks amazing! I love a good skillet flaky fish! The ingredients also are making my mouth water! What a perfect dinner meal! Looks quick to throw together, too!

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      September 23, 2018 at 1:00 pm

      Thanks Amanda! It comes together surprisingly quickly! I recommend making it for someone special, but not telling them how easy it is to make! 😉

      Reply
  10. Michele @ Queenbeebaker says

    July 2, 2018 at 6:53 am

    Two of my favorites! I love tilapia and asparagus. That lemon sauce looks to-die-for! Looks like perfection on a plate. ;-D

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      September 23, 2018 at 12:59 pm

      Thanks so much Michele!

      Reply
  11. Heather says

    July 2, 2018 at 7:22 am

    This skillet tilapia looks amazing. I love that you showed how easy it is to make and that creamy lemon sauce is to die for! Tasty, easy meal any night of the week

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      September 23, 2018 at 12:59 pm

      Thanks Heather! It is an easy meal for any night of the week, but it tastes like a weekend meal!

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Rachel! Welcome to Simple Seasonal, a resource for simple, healthful, and delicious recipes that help you make the most of seasonal produce from your local farmer's market, CSA, or home garden. Simple Seasonal is committed to a whole foods diet. With an occasional cookie... ;)


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