Easy Fish Piccata Recipe

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Easy Fish Piccata Recipe

This easy fish piccata is a restaurant-worthy weeknight dinner that can be on your table in only 20 minutes! Delicate fish fillets are lightly pan-seared until golden, then finished in a bright, buttery, lemon, white wine, and caper sauce that conveniently comes together right in the same pan. It’s a quick and delicious way to elevate a simple fish dinner!

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 20

Servings: 4

Calories: 450kcal

Author: Nicole Gaffney

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds flaky white fish fillets like flounder, sole, branzino, grouper or sea bass
½ cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus more as needed
1 clove garlic smashed
4 tablespoons butter unsalted, divided
½ cup dry white wine
¼ cup lemon juice freshly squeezed
½ lemon very thinly sliced into rounds
3 tablespoons capers drained
¼ cup fresh parsley chopped

Instructions

Pat the fish dry with paper towels. Cut larger fillets into smaller pieces if needed.
1 ½ pounds flaky white fish fillets
In a shallow dish, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Lightly dredge the fish and shake off excess flour.
½ cup all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 4 tablespoons butter
Add the fish and cook until lightly golden and just cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, then repeat with the remaining fillets. Cover to keep warm while you make the pan sauce.
Add the white wine and garlic clove to the skillet and scrape up any browned bits. Simmer for about 2-3 minutes to burn off the alcohol and reduce slightly.
1 clove garlic, ½ cup dry white wine
Stir in the lemon juice, lemon slices, and capers, then simmer for another 1-2 minutes. Remove the garlic clove, then taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
¼ cup lemon juice, ½ lemon, 3 tablespoons capers
Whisk in the remaining butter over low heat until the sauce becomes glossy. Stir in the parsley, then pour the sauce over the fish.
¼ cup fresh parsley

Notes

I don’t return the fish to the pan like I do with other proteins, like chicken, since it’s so delicate. Unless your fish is very firm, it can easily fall apart at this step. It can also easily overcook, so I just keep it warm on a plate, then pour the hot sauce over the top right before serving.
This recipe works with any variety of fish, only you’ll need to adjust the cooking time based on the thickness.
Make sure you pat the fish very dry before dredging, especially if it was frozen and defrosted.
You can tell if the fish is done if it flakes easily with a fork. You can also try poking a skewer or toothpick gently into the thickest part of the flesh. If it goes through with no resistance, it's fully cooked. If there's resistance, it needs another minute or two.
If needed, you can keep the fish warm in a 200°F oven, covered, for up to 30 minutes, but no more, or it can overcook and dry out.
Make sure your butter is cold and added gradually over very low heat. This is what helps the sauce stay smooth instead of separating.
If the sauce becomes too sharp from the lemon, whisk in a little bit of water plus a small additional knob of butter.

Nutrition