Pan-Seared Thai Tilapia with Sweet Chili Glaze
Lightly pan-seared tilapia fillets glazed with a vibrant sweet chili sauce and garnished with fresh herbs for a balanced, flavorful seafood dish. This Thai-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 20 minutes, pairs tilapia fillets, vegetable oil, garlic cloves for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 280 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 4 fillets (about 150 g each) tilapia fillets
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3, minced garlic cloves
- 4 tbsp sweet chili sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp, chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- 2, thinly sliced green onions
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Pat dry 4 tilapia fillets and season both sides with 1/4 tsp black pepper.
- Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place fillets skin-side down and cook for 3-4 minutes until the edges are crispy and golden.
- Step 3: Flip fillets carefully and cook the other side for 2-3 minutes until fish is cooked through and flakes easily.
- Step 4: Lower heat to medium and add 3 minced garlic cloves, stirring quickly for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in 4 tbsp sweet chili sauce, 1 tbsp fish sauce, and 1 tbsp lime juice, stirring to combine and coat the fillets with a glossy glaze.
- Step 5: Remove from heat and garnish with 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro leaves and 2 thinly sliced green onions. Serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice.







