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

Two golden-brown, pan-seared Chilean sea bass recipe fillets topped with fresh parsley and butter sauce.
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Achieve a tender, flaky, restaurant-quality Chilean Sea Bass at home. You will pan-sear the fillets to get a crisp skin and finish them with a simple, rich lemon garlic butter sauce.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 (6-ounce) Chilean Sea Bass fillets, about 1.5 inches thick
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • For the Sauce:
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

  1. Pat the Chilean Sea Bass fillets completely dry using paper towels. This step is crucial for achieving crisp skin. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
  2. Place a large, oven-safe skillet (cast iron works best) over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. When the oil shimmers, carefully place the sea bass fillets skin-side down into the hot skillet.
  3. Sear the fish without moving it for 4 to 5 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and crisp. Reduce the heat to medium.
  4. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan. As the butter melts, carefully spoon the hot butter over the top side of the fish for about 1 minute.
  5. Flip the fillets carefully. Cook on the second side for 2 to 3 minutes, depending on thickness, until the fish is nearly cooked through. The internal temperature should read about 135°F.
  6. Remove the skillet from the heat. Transfer the fish to a plate and keep it warm.
  7. Wipe out any excess fat from the skillet. Return the skillet to low heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and the minced garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds until the garlic is fragrant; do not let it brown.
  8. Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the fresh lemon juice and chopped parsley.
  9. Spoon the lemon garlic butter sauce generously over the pan-seared Chilean Sea Bass fillets before serving immediately.

Notes

  • For a thicker fillet, you can finish the fish in a 400°F oven for 3-5 minutes after searing both sides.
  • Use high-quality, fresh sea bass for the best buttery texture.
  • This dish pairs well with roasted asparagus or jasmine rice for an elegant seafood dinner.

Nutrition

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