Description
This quick and easy Lemon Garlic Butter Tilapia features tender, flaky fish fillets pan-seared to golden perfection and topped with a bright, buttery lemon garlic sauce. Ready in just 15 minutes, it’s the perfect healthy weeknight dinner that tastes like restaurant-quality seafood!
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 tilapia fillets (about 4-6 ounces each)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- Juice of 1 large lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth or dry white wine (optional, for extra sauce)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
- Lemon slices, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the fish: Pat the tilapia fillets completely dry with paper towels. This is crucial for getting a nice golden crust. Season both sides generously with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
- Heat the pan: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Wait until the oil shimmers and is hot but not smoking—this ensures proper searing.
- Sear the tilapia: Carefully place the seasoned tilapia fillets in the hot pan, making sure not to overcrowd (work in batches if needed). Cook for 3-4 minutes on the first side without moving them—this creates that beautiful golden crust. Flip gently with a spatula and cook for another 2-3 minutes on the second side until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Remove the cooked fillets to a serving platter and tent loosely with foil to keep warm.
- Make the lemon garlic butter sauce: In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter. Once the butter melts, add the minced garlic and sauté for about 30-45 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
- Add the liquids: Pour in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and chicken broth or white wine if using. Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan—this adds incredible flavor!
- Finish the sauce: Remove the pan from heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter until melted and the sauce becomes glossy. Taste and adjust seasoning with remaining salt and pepper as needed. Stir in half of the chopped fresh parsley.
- Serve: Pour the warm lemon garlic butter sauce over the tilapia fillets. Garnish with remaining fresh parsley and lemon slices. Serve immediately while hot and enjoy!
Notes
- Don’t overcook the fish: Tilapia cooks very quickly and can become dry if overcooked. The fish is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F and flakes easily with a fork.
- Pat fish dry: This step is essential for achieving a nice golden, crispy exterior. Wet fish will steam instead of sear.
- Room temperature fish: If using frozen tilapia, make sure it’s completely thawed and brought to room temperature for about 15 minutes before cooking for even cooking.
- Don’t burn the garlic: Keep a close eye when sautéing garlic as it can go from perfectly golden to burnt in seconds. Burnt garlic tastes bitter.
- Make extra sauce: If you love sauce, double the butter, lemon, and garlic quantities—it’s so good you’ll want extra for drizzling over your sides!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Main Course
- Method: Stovetop, Pan-Seared
- Cuisine: American, Mediterranean-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tilapia fillet with sauce
- Calories: 285
- Sugar: 0.5g
- Sodium: 485mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 3g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 95mg