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Restaurant-Style Pan-Seared Chilean Sea Bass with Lemon Garlic Butter

A thick, perfectly seared fillet of Chilean sea bass topped with a garlic-herb butter sauce.
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Create a buttery, flaky Chilean Sea Bass with a crisp, golden-brown skin right in your home kitchen. This quick recipe delivers the elegant flavor of a gourmet seafood dinner.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 (6-ounce) Chilean Sea Bass fillets, about 1.5 inches thick
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

  1. Pat the sea bass fillets completely dry using paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
  2. Place a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Wait until the butter stops foaming.
  3. Carefully place the sea bass fillets skin-side down in the hot skillet. Sear without moving for 4 to 5 minutes until the skin is golden brown and crisp.
  4. Flip the fillets gently. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook on the second side for 2 minutes.
  5. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and the minced garlic to the pan. Tilt the pan slightly and use a spoon to baste the melting butter mixture over the fish for about 1 minute.
  6. Pour in the white wine or broth. Let it bubble and reduce slightly, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
  7. Stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest. Cook for 30 seconds more.
  8. Remove the skillet from the heat. Sprinkle the chopped parsley over the fish.
  9. Serve the sea bass immediately with the pan sauce spooned over the top.

Notes

  • Drying the fish skin thoroughly is the secret to achieving that shatteringly crisp exterior.
  • Do not overcrowd the pan; cook the fish in batches if necessary to maintain high heat.
  • For a richer sauce, you can substitute the wine/broth with heavy cream and simmer until slightly thickened.
  • This fish cooks quickly; watch carefully to avoid overcooking, which results in a dry texture.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://blissbatter.com/chilean-sea-bass-recipe-pan-seared-lemon-garlic/