Baked Lemon Butter Tilapia
Ingredients:
4 tilapia fillets (about 6 oz each)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
2 teaspoons lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme)
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Salt and pepper, to taste
Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Lemon wedges (for serving)
Instructions:
Preheat the oven:
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a baking dish (9×13-inch or similar) with cooking spray or a little butter.
Prepare the lemon butter sauce:
In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, thyme, paprika, salt, and pepper. This will be the sauce for the tilapia.
Arrange the tilapia:
Place the tilapia fillets in the prepared baking dish. Make sure the fillets are not overlapping for even cooking.
Pour the sauce:
Spoon the lemon butter mixture evenly over the tilapia fillets, making sure each fillet is coated with the buttery sauce.
Bake:
Bake the tilapia in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork and is opaque in the center. The exact baking time may vary depending on the thickness of the fillets.
Serve:
Once the tilapia is cooked, remove it from the oven and garnish with freshly chopped parsley. Serve with extra lemon wedges on the side for added brightness.