This post may contain affiliate links. See my privacy policy for details.

This delicious tilapia recipe uses a common chef secret—the trick to amazing restaurant-quality, melt-in-your-mouth flaky fish is the poaching method. Some of the best chefs I know poach their fish for dishes, and when you poach it in a lemon garlic butter sauce, you get the best-tasting tilapia you have ever made at home!

butter poached lemon garlic tilapia in baking dish, garnish with lemon slices

Butter Poached Tilapia

If you’re looking for a new quick and easy dinner-time staple that’s also super healthy, this tilapia recipe could be it. It takes less than half an hour to make this mouthwatering lemon butter tilapia, and if you’re new to cooking fish, it’s an excellent first dish to get started with! This butter-poached lemon garlic tilapia is super juicy, and it’s amazing when served with some rice, Parmesan pasta, or my simple roasted garlic and rosemary potatoes.

What is Tilapia?

Tilapia is a leaner white fish, so it’s high in protein, low in fat, and has fewer calories than other types of fish. It’s also not very “fishy” in taste, so it’s a good option if anyone in your family is on the fence about fish! The lemon and garlic really give it a much-needed punch of flavor, so you get a healthy and delicious end result!

flaking cooked tilapia fillet using a fork

How To Make Butter Poached Lemon Garlic Tilapia

This light fish recipe is super simple to make and won’t take long!

Start by preheating your oven to 400 F.
Grease your pan with butter and melt the remaining butter.
Juice and zest a lemon.
Wash the fillets under some cold water and pat them dry with paper towels.
Once rinsed, place the tilapia fillets in the baking dish.
Mix together butter, garlic, and lemon juice, and drizzle the mixture over the fish.
Season with a sprinkling of parsley and pepper, and bake for around 20 minutes in the oven.
You’ll know the fish is ready when it’s turned a solid white color and flakes easily when pulled apart.
Once you’ve made sure your fish is done, you’re ready to serve!

Tilapia Cooking Tips

If you aren’t serving this cooked fish right away, it’s best to keep it warm in a warming drawer or at 200° F in the oven.
You can stop the fish from falling apart/flaking by cooking it in small separate au gratin baking dishes.
Lemon juice concentrate works just as well as fresh juice if you want to save even more time!
If you want to keep the dish for a while you can store it in the fridge for 2-3 days, just bear in mind that the longer you store it the less flavorsome it will be! Most chefs will recommend that you eat it right after prep.
If you’re using frozen fillets, refrigerate them well in advance so they have time to thaw.
Overcooked fish will not rock your world, so make sure to start checking on the fillets after about 10 minutes.

three baked tilapia fillets with lemon slices on top

More Delicious Fish recipes to try:

Fast and Easy Lemon Garlic Grilled Salmon

Extravagantly Luxurious Garlic & Herb Fish

The Best Deep Fried Haddock

Buffalo Shrimp Kale Salad

For other serving options, try serving with some scalloped corn casserole, my baked sweet potatoes or mashed cauliflower.

Happy cooking!

Love,

Karlynn