Parmesan Encrusted Tilapia

Our Friday night dinner! I always thought that the this recipe sounded really good, but I’ve been really disappointed with what I’ve had at restaurants. The Olive Garden’s version is a little bland and over-cooked for my taste, so I skipped all of the copycats for that and slightly modified one I found on Recipezaar. The hint of lemon you get when you bite into this is really great and the salt and garlic give it flavor without being too overbearing.

2-4 tilapia fillets, depending on size
1/4 cup Japanese Panko bread crumbs (anything else can be substituted, but these really make it light and crispy)
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1 tablespoon oregano or Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
The juice of one Lemon
Salt/Pepper
Olive Oil

– Thaw and wash tilapia fillets if frozen. Pat dry on paper towels.
– Soak the fillets in all but about a teaspoon of the lemon juice while you prepare the rest of the ingredients
– Combine crumbs, parmesan, oregano, and garlic powder on a plate, mixing well.
– Working 1 at a time, remove the fillet from the lemon juice, sprinkle with desired amount of salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Turn the fillet over in the lemon juice and sprinkle seasoning on the other side.
– Dredge fillet in the parmesan mixture patting it all over to coat.
– Place in a baking dish coated with olive oil, repeat with remaining fillets.
– Sprinkle the remaining lemon juice over fillets and drizzle or spray them lightly with olive oil.
– If desired, sprinkle a small amount of parmesan cheese on top of the fillets.
– Bake at 425ºF for about 20 minutes or until they easily flake with a fork and edges are browning.

Linda’s Notes:
– I just about over-cooked the fish because I was waiting for it to turn golden brown. It doesn’t have to be brown to be crispy and done.
– I served this with a side of pasta with a parmesan sauce, but I think a healthier option would be broccoli and cauliflower steamed and topped with parmesan cheese.
– Be cautious about how much salt you are adding, especially if you use salty cheese or breadcrumbs.