Seize your Air Fryer and make this Air Fryer Fish Tikka – Indian Spicy Cilantro Tikka ASAP. This easy Air Fryer Fish Tikka – Indian Spicy Cilantro Tikka is a fun dinner/snack idea that’s fast and is uncomplicated enough to make especially on a work night!
I have those days when I want that amazing spicy and flavorful fish at home but I don’t want to resort with frying in oil.
Now thanks to my air fryer, I can make spicy fish tikka whenever I want without all the fat, oil, and guilt.
What type of fish did I use?
This recipe works great with any tender, flaky, fish filet. I used tilapia filets. Make sure your filet are at least 1-inch thick, to ensure that nice thick texture. Chop the filet into 4-inch pieces. They need to be about 4″ x 3″ in length and width. We want nice medium sized pieces.
What ingredients do I need to make this Air Fryer Fish Tikka – Indian Spicy Cilantro Tikka?
Salt, ground turmeric, juice of 1 lemon, Kashmiri chili powder, ground coriander, ground cumin, ground ginger, garam masala, mango powder, fresh cilantro leaves, dry desiccated unsweetened coconut, garlic cloves, curry leaves, tamarind concentrate, onion, Serrano peppers (hari mirch), oil, and water.
Steps:
Step 1:
First blend cilantro leaves, coconut, garlic cloves, curry leaves, lemon juice, tamarind concentrate, onion, salt, Serrano peppers, and 4 tablespoon water in a blender.
Step 2:
Next add Kashmiri chili powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, ground ginger, garam masala, ground turmeric, and mango powder with the blended paste.
Then, in a mixing bowl, coat the fish well with the marinade.
Furthermore, let the fish sit in the marinade for 30 minutes covered with a lid. If you have time leave it overnight in the refrigerator otherwise 30 minutes is good enough.
Step 3:
Finally, When you are ready to cook line the air fryer basket with aluminum foil. Make sure the basket does not stick out beyond the basket edge. ALSO, THIS IS KEY! DO NOT COVER THE BASKET BOTTOM COMPLETELY. To cook the food well, air needs to flow through the basket. If you cover the bottom of the basket, this reduces the airflow. I covered only ¾ of the basket. You can avoid the foil if you’d like. But I prefer to add it to prevent the marinade from slipping under from the basket.
Brush/ grease the aluminum foil generously with oil. Preheat at 350°F for 5 minutes. Once the air fryer is preheated, place the fish in a single layer. Set the time and temperature (390°F for 10 minutes). When done, Additionally, flip the pieces of fish in the basket and repeat for another 7 minutes.
Repeat the process subsequently until you run out of fish.
Above all eat the fish hot, with a side of veggies!
Tried this recipe yet? Give us a rating, comment below in the reply section and let us know what you think.
Do try some of the other air fryer recipes.
Butter Chicken Tikka – Air Fryer
Air Fryer Spicy Tandoori Mushrooms
Spicy Okra – Air Fryer Sukhi Bhindi

Air Fryer Fish Tikka – Indian Spicy Cilantro Tikka
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp oil of choice (to rub in the air fryer the basket or foil)
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro leaves (2 cups chopped)
- 1/4 cup dried desiccated coconut (unsweetened)
- 5 garlic cloves
- 7 curry leaves
- 1 lemon juice freshly squeezed (1 tbsp)
- 1 tsp tamarind concentrate
- 1/4 onion (1/2 cup chopped)
- 1 and 1/4 tsp salt
- 6 serrano peppers, small (hari mirch) (optional)
- 4 tbsp water
- 1/4 tsp kashmiri chili powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin (jeera powder)
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander (dhaniya powder)
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger (sonth)
- 1/4 tsp ground turmeric (haldi)
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp mango powder (amchur/amchoor powder)
- 1 pound fish filet (tilapia)
Instructions
- Chop the filet into 4-inch pieces. They need to be about 4″ x 3″ in length and width. We want nice medium sized pieces.
- Blend cilantro leaves, coconut, garlic cloves, curry leaves, lemon juice, tamarind concentrate, onion, salt, Serrano peppers, and 4 tablespoon water in a blender.
- Once blended, mix Kashmiri chili powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, ground ginger, ground turmeric, garam masala, and mango powder with the blended paste.
- In a mixing bowl, coat the fish well with the marinade.
- Let the fish sit in the marinade for 30 minutes covered with a lid. If you have time leave it overnight in the refrigerator.
- When ready to cook line the air fryer basket with aluminum foil. Make sure the basket does not stick out beyond the basket edge. ALSO, THIS IS KEY! DO NOT COVER THE BASKET BOTTOM COMPLETELY. To cook the food well, air needs to flow through the basket. If you cover the bottom of the basket, this reduces the airflow.
- Brush/ grease the aluminum foil generously with oil. Preheat at 350°F for 5 minutes.
- When the air fryer is preheated, place the fish in a single layer. Set the time and temperature (390°F for 10 minutes).
- When done, flip the pieces of fish in the basked and repeat for another 7 minutes.
- Repeat the process until you run out of fish.
Notes
- On a scale of 1 to 5 this dish is about 3.5 in terms of spice levels with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest. You can reduce the amount of Serrano peppers as per your taste.
- Rub the fish well with marinade, however don’t overcoat it with the marinade just before air frying. Discard the excess marinade or else you will taste a lot of spices.
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Hi, I tried this recipe in air fryer but fish came out dry, what should I do differently next time?
Hello. Sorry to hear that. Every air fryer is diffrent. Maybe it was overcooked? Also make sure you drizzle some oil to prevent it from drying out. Hope this helps