Panko-Crusted Tilapia with Mango Salsa
plus Rice, Sweet Chili-Lime Mayo & Cilantro
- Fish
- Wheat
- Eggs
- Milk
Inspired by the tropical flavors of the Caribbean, our chefs created a dish for Black History Month that pairs panko-crusted fried tilapia with a vibrant, tangy-sweet mango-cilantro salsa for the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity. Serve with fluffy white rice and chili-lime mayo to complete the meal.
Ingredients
4 ounce
Mango
1 tablespoon
Fry Seasoning
1 ounce
Sweet Thai Chili Sauce
11 ounce
Tilapia
(Contains: Fish)
1 unit
Lime
½ cup
Panko Breadcrumbs
(Contains: Wheat)
¼ ounce
Cilantro
2 tablespoon
Mayonnaise
(Contains: Eggs)
1 tablespoon
Cornstarch
¾ cup
White Rice
3 tablespoon
Sour Cream
(Contains: Milk)
1 unit
Shallot
Not included in your delivery
Salt
Pepper
Cooking Oil
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
• In a small pot, combine rice, 1 1⁄4 cups water (2 1⁄4 cups for 4 servings), and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until tender, 15-18 minutes. • Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.
• While rice cooks, wash and dry produce. • Halve, peel, and thinly slice shallot lengthwise. Drain mango (reserving juice). Roughly chop cilantro. Quarter lime.
• In a small bowl, combine shallot, mango, half the cilantro, 1 tsp mango juice (2 tsp for 4 servings), juice from half the lime, salt, and pepper. • In a separate small bowl, combine mayonnaise, chili sauce, and a squeeze of lime juice (big squeeze for 4). Stir in water 1⁄2 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency.
• Halve tilapia* lengthwise. (TIP: Each fillet will have a larger piece and a smaller piece.) Pat dry with paper towels. • In a shallow dish, combine Fry Seasoning, sour cream, 1 TBSP water (2 TBSP for 4 servings), salt, and pepper. • On a plate, combine panko and cornstarch. • Dip each fillet into sour cream mixture until coated on both sides, then press into panko mixture until evenly coated.
• Heat a 1⁄3-inch layer of oil in a large, preferably nonstick, pan over medium- high heat. Once oil is hot enough that a pinch of panko mixture sizzles when added to the pan, add coated tilapia; cook until crust is golden and tilapia is cooked through, 2-3 minutes per side. (For 4 servings, fry tilapia in batches.) • Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.
• Divide rice and tilapia between plates; top tilapia with salsa. Drizzle rice with sweet chili-lime mayo and garnish everything with remaining cilantro. Serve with any remaining lime wedges on the side.
Fish is fully cooked when internal temperature reaches 145°.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Dec 2025- Flavor: Many loved the mango salsa and crispy fish combo; some found it refreshing and tropical 🍲.
- Ease of prep: Several noted it was easy to make, though some found breading and frying the fish messy or time-consuming.
- Suggestions: Consider air frying for a healthier option; some recommend adding extra seasoning to the fish for more flavor.
- Portions: Fish portions were generous, but several wished for a vegetable side to complete the meal.
- Sauce: The sweet chili-lime mayo was a hit; some suggested using it generously on both fish and rice.
Reviews from our home cooks
Great flavors. The mango relish and sauce was a great combo for the fish. The only complaint I had was the breading for the tilapia. It fell off on the bigger pieces during frying. The fish should have been dipped first in flour, wet mix and then panko.
The fish was tasty and fried up perfectly, and we all loved the flavorful mango salsa. I didn't have enough panko/corn starch mixture to coat all of the fish, so thankfully I had those ingredients available from my own pantry to supplement. I did not receive any Thai chili sauce in my order and had to purchase a different brand from the grocery store, but the resulting Thai chili mayo was really good with the fish. This did not feel like a complete meal without a vegetable, so I made roasted asparagus to go with it. I also think it would have been better if the rice side was something more interesting than plain white rice.
Bomb! One critic is that I would have hoped for fresh mangoes instead of canned. I added fresh mangos, extra lime, and tomatoes to the salsa which made it taste amazing. I also accompanied the fish and rice with sautéed asparagus for extra veggies.
Very significant size for Tilapia. Unique way of coating the fish prior to frying....it was a bit messy to do but I don't mind that. The sauce helped out with the simple white rice side dish.
My husband and I agree. This is hands down the best Tilapia we've ever had anywhere. No restaurant has approached this delectable fish dish. The flavors pop. The crust was perfect. More sauce please!
Awesome recipe. The mango salsa was terrific. It would go so well on fish or shrimp tacos as well. Fried tilapia is always a treat. Loved it all.
Loved everything about it. Especially the lime kick and mango salsa as well as the texture of the fresh Tilapia.
What was said on the instructions for the rice. The rice became mushy. The way I cooked the rice was better. I put oil in a small pan, toasted the rice. Afterwards, I added the water, salted and put pepper. After 18 to 23 minutes, that rice was perfect, flaky! The Tilapia was so awesome!
This was absolutely incredible! We all loved it. Such amazing flavors. I diced the shallots instead of the long cuts. I also used the rest of the mango juice as part of the water to cook the rice. It would be nice to have air fryer directions for the fish. I unfortunately ran out of Panko for the breading.
I used some unsweetened coconut flakes from an old recipe. I mixed it in with the panko/cornstarch and this recipe turned out incredible!
