This crispy tilapia with mango salsa is a tasty dish this is cooked in minutes on the stove. I only use enough olive oil to shallow fry the fish and get a crispy coating. I used olive oil but canola oil would be another good choice. This dish is all about the salsa and fresh, ripe mangoes can make or break the dish. See my recommendation on mango type and see how to handle cutting the fruit below.
There are several kinds of mangoes and the ones I’m using today are often called honey mangoes. They are small, yellow and have a hooked end. I’m providing instructions on how to cut up a mango for the salsa as it can be tricky if you haven’t worked with them before. Important note: don’t eat the skin. It doesn’t taste good at all and actually can irritate your mouth.
How to cut a mango:
- This mango has a very thin pit in the middle. To cut a mango, you need to cut on either side of that pit. Cut a small sliver of the fruit off the bottom side to create a flat surface so the fruit is stable when cutting. Next, stand the mango on a cutting board with the sliced off end-down and hold in place with your hand.
- Place your knife about ¼-inch from the center of the fruit and cut down through the mango. You want to get as much of the fruit’s flesh as possible without hitting the pit.
- Repeat on the other side. Throw away the middle slice (the pit).
- The resulting ovals of mango are called “ the cheeks.” Score the inside of each mango cheek about ½-inch deep with a sharp knife, but do not cut through the skin. (see the photos below)
- Push the mango cheek “inside out,” and the cubes of flesh will be separated and sitting on the skin and will be ready to scrape off with a spoon. Just scrape them into the bowl you are using to make the salsa.
Feel free to use other types of mangoes that you find at the grocery store. I just think these are the sweetest.
This salsa is great served with chips or on tacos too. You will probably have left over salsa so experiment.
To get started on the recipe, let’s make the salsa. Chop all your ingredients into small dice. All the pieces should be about the same size. Add everything to a large bowl and add the lime or lemon juice, salt and pepper. Toss everything together and taste. Adjust seasoning. Put in the fridge until ready to serve.
Next, set up your breading station. Mix the egg, mayonnaise and a pinch of salt and pepper into a shallow bowl. On a large plate, put the panko breadcrumbs and season with garlic powder, onion powder, Guijillo pepper, salt & freshly ground black pepper. Stir breadcrumb mix to combine.
Dip each fish filet into the egg mixture to coat completely and let excess drip off. Then, place the filet on the plate with the breadcrumbs and coat both sides of the fish. Press the breadcrumbs to make sure they are sticking.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over a medium-high heat until really hot but not smoking. Add the fish filets and let cook 3-4 minutes until golden brown on one side. Flip and cook another 3-4 minutes until cooked through and brown on the second side. Drain for a couple of seconds on paper towels. Sprinkle the fish with salt.
Serve the fish on a plate topped with the salsa and extra lime and/or lemon wedges on the side and enjoy. I love that this is light and colorful. It would go great with a side of coconut rice to keep that tropical feeling going. A pitcher of Margaritas sounds like a good idea too!
If you liked this recipe, be sure to try some of my other favorite “crispy” recipes.
Crispy Tilapia with Mango Salsa
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 – 4 Tilapia filets (depending on size)
- 2 Lg. Egg
- 1 Tbsp. Light mayonnaise
- 1/2 Cup Panko
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 Tsp. Garlic powder
- 1/2 Tsp. Onion powder
- 1/4 Tsp. Guijillo pepper
- 3 Tbsp. Olive oil
- Lemon and/or lime wedges to serve (optional)
- Fresh Parsley, chopped to garnish (optional)
SALSA
- 3 Honey Mangos, Ataulfo, diced (see instructions below)
- 1 Red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 Small red onion, chopped
- 1/4 Jalapeño, seeds removed and finely chopped
- Juice of one lime or lemon
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Make the salsa. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl and toss with lime or lemon juice and salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning…add more juice if desired. Put in refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Mix the egg, mayonnaise and a pinch of salt and pepper in a bowl. On a large plate, put the panko breadcrumbs and season with garlic powder, onion powder, guijillo pepper, salt & freshly ground black pepper. Stir breadcrumb mix to combine.
- Dip each fish filet into the egg mixture to coat completely and let excess drip off. Then, place the filet on the plate with the breadcrumbs and coat both sides of the fish. Press the breadcrumbs to make sure they are sticking.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over a medium-high heat until really hot but not smoking. Add the fish filets and let cook 3-4 minutes until golden brown on one side. Flip and cook another 3-4 minutes until cooked through and brown on the second side. Drain for a couple of seconds on paper towels. Sprinkle the fish with salt.
- Serve the fish on a plate topped with the salsa and extra lime and/or lemon wedges on the side and enjoy.
