Pan-Seared Tilapia with Lemon Butter Sauce

by 30MinuteMeals
Prep: 10m
Cook: 15m
seafood
Pan-Seared Tilapia with Lemon Butter Sauce - Image

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Ingredients
Servings:4
4tilapia fillets
1/2tspsalt
1/4tspblack pepper
1tbspall-purpose flour
1tbspolive oil
1/2cupchicken broth
2tbsplemon juice
1tbspbutter
1tbspcapers
lemon wedges
Nutrition Facts

Per serving

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Instructions
  1. 1

    Season and dredge

    Pat the tilapia dry. Season both sides with salt and pepper, then dust lightly with the flour. The flour is what gets you that browned crust, so don't skip it.

  1. 2

    Sear the fish

    Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the fillets and cook 3-5 minutes per side, until lightly browned and the fish flakes easily with a fork. Move them to a plate and keep warm. Medium heat, not high - thin fillets overcook fast.

  2. 3

    Build the pan sauce

    To the same skillet, add the chicken broth, lemon juice, butter and drained capers. Cook and stir until the sauce reduces by half, about 5 minutes. Spoon it over the fish and serve right away with lemon wedges.

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Pan-Seared Tilapia with Lemon Butter Sauce

Created by: 30MinuteMeals

Prep Time: 10m
Cook Time: 15m
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 4 tilapia fillets
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp capers
  • lemon wedges

Instructions

  1. Season and dredgePat the tilapia dry. Season both sides with salt and pepper, then dust lightly with the flour. The flour is what gets you that browned crust, so don't skip it.
  2. Sear the fishHeat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the fillets and cook 3-5 minutes per side, until lightly browned and the fish flakes easily with a fork. Move them to a plate and keep warm. Medium heat, not high - thin fillets overcook fast.
  3. Build the pan sauceTo the same skillet, add the chicken broth, lemon juice, butter and drained capers. Cook and stir until the sauce reduces by half, about 5 minutes. Spoon it over the fish and serve right away with lemon wedges.

Notes & Tips

This is the whole point of tilapia - it's cheap, it's fast, and it takes on whatever you throw at it. Fifteen minutes of actual cooking and it tastes like a restaurant plate. Two things matter: keep the heat at medium so the fillets don't dry out, and serve it the second the sauce is done. Fish keeps cooking on the plate, so a sauce that sits gets thick and the fish gets tough. Want heat? Toss a pinch of red pepper flakes or minced garlic into the pan before the sauce. No capers? Chopped olives do the job. Serve over pasta or with crusty bread to catch the sauce - none of it should go to waste.