Description
Master home chefs can elevate simple Lemon Butter Pan-Fried Tilapia with a restaurant-quality sauce in mere minutes. Delicate fish fillets paired with zesty citrus create an elegant meal promising restaurant-grade flavors right from your kitchen.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 fillets of tilapia (6 oz/170 g each, 1.5 lbs/680 g total)
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- ¼ cup (57 g) salted butter
- 2 tbsps lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp garlic powder (for tilapia)
- ¼ tsp garlic powder (for sauce)
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preparation: Meticulously dry tilapia fillets using paper towels to guarantee maximum crispness, then season comprehensively with garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper, ensuring complete coverage for optimal flavor infusion.
- Searing: Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high temperature until shimmering, then carefully position seasoned fillets in a non-overlapping arrangement to facilitate uniform caramelization and prevent steaming.
- Cooking Technique: Allow fillets to develop a golden-brown exterior for 3-4 minutes, then delicately flip using a thin spatula, continuing cooking until fish becomes translucent, flakes effortlessly, and reaches 145°F internal temperature (approximately 2-4 additional minutes).
- Sauce Creation: Reduce skillet heat to medium-low, incorporate salted butter, and introduce fresh lemon juice with a sprinkle of garlic powder, whisking consistently to create a harmonious, slightly thickened sauce with vibrant citrus undertones.
- Plating: Artfully drizzle lemon butter sauce onto serving plates, strategically position golden-crusted tilapia fillets, and finish with an additional luxurious sauce drizzle, ensuring immediate service to preserve temperature and textural integrity.
Notes
- Dry Fish Thoroughly: Removing excess moisture ensures a crispy, golden-brown exterior and prevents steaming instead of searing.
- Precise Temperature Matters: Medium-high heat creates the perfect sear without burning, developing a delectable caramelized crust on the fish.
- Watch Cooking Time Closely: Tilapia cooks quickly; overcooking leads to dry, tough fish, so monitor closely and aim for just 3-4 minutes per side.
- Sauce Technique: Whisk continuously while making lemon butter sauce to prevent separation and achieve a smooth, silky consistency that perfectly complements the fish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 348
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 528 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg