Want a perfect Friday night dinner? Try this Paraguayan-inspired Fish Milanese recipe (Milanesa de Pescado) made with a marinade of tangy lemon juice accented by flavorful garlic and spices, bringing a more flavorful fish.
It is then breaded and fried until golden brown, resulting in a delicious crispy and juicy meat that goes well with mashed potatoes, potato salad, or sautéed vegetables.
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How to Make Fish Milanese
Note: The full instructions are provided in the recipe card below.
In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons dried parsley, 1 tablespoon granulated garlic, 1 tablespoon Goya Adobo, 1 tablespoon oregano, and 1 tablespoon ground black pepper; stir to combine. (Remove 3 tablespoons of the rub mixture.
Set aside for later use). Blot excess moisture from fish and place them in a large bowl; add fish fillets, sprinkle the dry rub on both sides of the fish fillets, and set aside. Lightly beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon of the reserved dry rub marinade in a large bowl.
Set aside. In a wide dish, combine bread crumbs and 1 tablespoon of the reserved dry rub mixture. Set them aside. Combine all-purpose flour and the remaining 1 tablespoon of the reserved dry rub mixture in another wide dish. Set aside.
First, dredge the fish fillet into the flour and shake off excess. Second, dip in the egg mixture and let the excess drip back into the bowl. Finally, coat the breadcrumb mixture, press it, and move it around so it's thoroughly coated.
Turn to coat both sides. Patting on lightly to make sure the coating adheres to the fish. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat this step with the remaining fish fillets. Once you finish breading all the Fish Milanese, you will fry them.
Using a large, high-sided skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until an instant-read thermometer reads 360°F Degrees. Working in batches, carefully drop 1 to 2 Fish Milanese at a time.
Occasionally turning until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Do not overcrowd the skillet; the oil temperature will drop. Adjust the heat as needed to keep the temperature at 350 and 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Fish Milanese is done when it reaches a golden color. However, to ensure that it is cooked through, I recommend using a Deep-Frying Thermometer.
The internal temperature of the meat should register at 145 degrees on an instant-read thermometer). Remove with tongs or a slotted spoon and transfer the Fish Milanese to a baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain excess oil before serving.
Let the oil temperature return to 350 degrees F before frying the remaining Milanese fish.
Related Recipes
- Chicken Milanese
- Beef Milanese
- Milanesa a la Napolitana
- Paraguayan Marinera de Cane
- Eggplant Parmesan
Recipe
Easy Fish Milanese
Tools
Ingredients
- 1,361 g (3lb) Tilapia Fillets
- 4 extra-large eggs , beaten
- 250g ( about 4-¼ cups) Plain Panko Breadcrumbs
- 250g (about 2-¼ cups) Plain Breadcrumbs
- 250g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 1.5 liter (6 cups) Peanut, Sunflower or any neutral flavored frying oil
- 1 tablespoon Goya Adobo con Pimienta or Goya Sazonador Total
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- Zest From 2 Limes
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper , or adjust to taste
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic.
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons parsley, 1 tablespoon granulated garlic, 1 tablespoon Goya Adobo, oregano, and 1 tablespoon ground black pepper, stir to combine. (Remove 3 tablespoons of the rub mixture: Set aside for later use). Blot excess moisture from fish and place them in a large bowl, add fish fillets, sprinkle the dry rub on both sides of the fish fillets, and set aside.
- In a large shallow dish, lightly beat the eggs along with 1 tablespoon of the reserved dry rub marinade. Set aside. In a wide dish deep, combine both bread crumbs and 1 tablespoon of the reserved dry rub mixture: Set them aside.
- In another large shallow dish combine, all-purpose flour and the remaining 1 tablespoon of the reserved dry rub mixture: Set aside. Prepare a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil to place the sliced fish fillets after breading.
- First, dredge fish fillet into the flour, shake off excess. Second, dip in the egg mixture, and let the excess drip back into the bowl. Finally, coat in the bread crumb mixture, be sure to press it and move it around so that it's thoroughly coated.Turn to coat both sides.
- Patting on lightly to make sure the coating adheres to the fish. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat this step with the remaining fish fillets. Once you finish breading all the fish, you will proceed to fry them. Turn to coat both sides.
- Using a large high-sided skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until an instant-read thermometer reads 360°F. Working in batches, carefully drop 1 to 2 Fish Milanese at a time, occasionally turning until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side, until cooked through.
- Do not overcrowd the skillet; the temperature of the oil will drop; adjust the heat as needed to keep the temperature at 360 and 380 degrees Fahrenheit. (I recommend using a Deep Frying Thermometer) Carefully remove with a slotted spoon and transfer the Fish Milanese on a baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain excess oil before serving. Let the oil temperature return to 360 and 380 degrees F before frying the remaining fish fillets. Serve with potato salad , mashed potatoes, or sautéed vegetables.
Notes
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.