Recipe Idea: Corn Flake Crusted Tilapia
Hi. Don here, telling you about Corn Flake Crusted Tilapia. Lois really likes a corn flake crumb crust on her fish. She finds it tasty, and it is gluten free. I’m ambivalent about it. So I add a twist or two every time I make Corn Flake Crusted Talapia.
It’s really a simple main dish to prepare. We buy Tilapia frozen in bulk from Costco. Each piece is vacuum packed in a separate wrapper. When I plan ahead, I can take several pieces out of the freezer the night before and let them thaw overnight in the refrigerator. When I’m not as prepared—which is more often than not—it’s easy to thaw the Tilapia fillets in a large bowl of very warm tap water. By the time I’m ready to cook them, they are thawed.
I don’t recommend cooking them frozen. My experience is by the time the center is cooked the outside is way past its prime.
I discovered that the liquid low or no cholesterol egg product is great for holding the crust on the fish. It seems to be “stickier” than the fresh beaten eggs. So I dip the fillets in the liquid eggs first and turn those several times to be sure they are well coated with the it. Then I place them in a dish of corn flake crumbs (the packaged ones from the store are perfect for this).
The corn flake flavor tends to overwhelm any spices you add, but it does need some salt. If you want to change the flavor, be very generous when adding spices or rubs. Try simple flavors like garlic powder or cayenne pepper or an herb like fresh thyme or oregano. Or the spice mixes like Old Bay Seasoning, Lawry’s Season Salt or Penseys Rubs. Experiment with your favorite flavors. If the flavor of the final product isn’t quite what you expected there is always tartar sauce or ranch dressing to rescue the meal. Try a different seasoning the next time.
Here is one that worked for me.
As you cut and eat the Tilapia, the crust will crunch but stay on the fish so you get the full flavor of each bite. Serve with brown or Basmati rice or wide egg noodles. Asparagus, broccoli or grilled zucchini makes a nice complement. Enjoy!
Corn Flake Crusted Tilapia
Ingredients
- 4 4-ounce Tilapia fillets 4 ounces each, thawed
- ½ cup liquid egg
- 1 cup Corn Flake crumbs
- 1 tablespoon Penzeys Spices Old World Seasoning
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Enough vegetable or olive oil to cover the skillet ¼ to ½ inch deep about ½ cup
Instructions
- Heat the oil in the skillet over medium high heat until a drop of water sizzles on the surface.
- Dip the Tilapia fillet one at a time first in the liquid egg, then in the corn flake crumb mixture, being sure that it is well coated all over.
- Place the fillet in the hot skillet.
- Repeat until all fillets are sizzling away.
- Reduce the heat to medium.
- Cook the first side about 3 to 4 minutes until the coating is crisp.
- Turn the tilapia filets over and cook on the second side for another 3 to 4 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet.
- Remove to a paper-towel covered platter. The paper towel absorbs the excess oil.
Nutrition
Kathy acquired the blog, Recipe Idea Shop in 2024. She was raised on a farm in Arkansas where having a big garden and good food to eat was the norm. She shares recipes for homemade comfort food and new trending dishes.
Kathy began her blogging journey in 2011 when she founded PetticoatJunktion.com, a home décor blog focused on repurposing and upcycling furniture, and thrift store finds.