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Mexican Breaded White Fish Fillets

Name: Mexican Breaded White Fish Fillets
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 300 ml Oil for frying; 50 g Plain flour; 3 g Ground cumin; 600 g White fish fillets (tilapia, basa or hake); 150 g Breadcrumbs; 3 g Ground ancho chilli; 2 cdas Lemon juice; 5 g Garlic powder; 1 to taste Salt and pepper; 2 pzas Eggs; 200 g Coleslaw with lemon to serve

27 min (15 prep + 12 cook) Easy 4 servings Centro de México

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 29 Mar 2026 · Updated: 12 May 2026

White fish fillets in a crispy breadcrumb coating with garlic and herbs.

About this recipe

Filete de pescado empanizado is a homely, everyday dish of Mexican cooking, where white fish fillets are marinated in lemon juice and spices, coated in breadcrumbs seasoned with garlic and herbs, and fried or baked until they have a golden, crispy crust enclosing tender and juicy fish. It is one of the most consumed foods in Mexican homes on Fridays during Lent.

History & Origin

Breaded fish in Mexico has its roots in the Spanish culinary tradition of coating and frying fish - the Andalusian pescaíto frito - that arrived in the viceroyalty with the sixteenth-century colonisers. Lent, the period of meat abstinence imposed by the Catholic Church, was the engine that popularised fish consumption throughout New Spain, carrying fish preparation techniques from the coastal ports to the inland cities. In Mexico, breadcrumbs replaced the flour batter, and the addition of garlic, cumin and chilli powder to the coating created a distinctive national variant. Today it is one of the most prepared dishes in Mexican homes on Fridays, especially during the forty days before Holy Week.

Estimated cost

£10.00

Total cost

£2.50

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

340

Calories

28g

Protein

24g

Carbohydrates

14g

Fat

1.5g

Fibre

540mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Marinate the fillets in lemon juice, salt, pepper and cumin for 10 minutes. Do not marinate longer or the acid will cook the fish.
💡 10 minutes is enough to season without altering the texture.
2
Prepare three plates: one with flour, one with eggs beaten with salt and one with the breadcrumbs mixed with garlic powder and ground ancho chilli.
3
Pass each fillet through the flour (shaking off the excess), then through the egg and finally through the breadcrumbs, pressing so they adhere well.
4
Heat the oil in a deep frying pan to 175°C. Fry the fillets for 3-4 minutes per side until golden and crispy.
💡 Do not overcrowd the pan or the oil temperature will drop and the fish will be greasy.
5
Remove onto kitchen paper to drain excess oil.
6
Serve immediately with coleslaw, lemon and Mexican salsa. The coating loses its crunch if left to cool.