This site runs ads and generates income from affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
Lemon Fish Piccata is a fantastic dish that is both easy to make and tastes great. The fish and lemon sauce is a marriage made in heaven!
I love cooking seafood, and nothing beats fresh fish. This Fish Piccata recipe uses my Pan-fried Fish recipe topped with a delicious Piccata Sauce.
So, if you’re searching for a dish that combines the freshness of lemon with the crispy goodness of fried fish, look no further than this delectable Lemon Fish Piccata recipe. This culinary masterpiece marries tender fish fillets with a tangy and savory lemon sauce, creating a symphony of flavors that will create a restaurant-quality meal that will impress.
Why This Recipe Works
- Crispy Delight: The fish fillets are coated in a perfectly seasoned flour mixture, creating a crispy and golden-brown crust that contrasts beautifully with the tender fish.
- Zesty Lemon Sauce: The star of the show is the lemon sauce, which combines the bright and zesty flavors of lemon zest and juice with the briny goodness of capers, resulting in a tangy and savory sauce.
- Restaurant-Quality at Home: With our step-by-step instructions and helpful tips, you can achieve restaurant-quality results with this Lemon Fish Piccata recipe, making it an impressive dish for special occasions or a delightful weeknight dinner.
Ingredient Notes
- Fish Fillets: You can also use frozen fillets; just ensure they’re thawed properly. See the section below for fish recommendations.
- Flour: Choose all-purpose or plain flour. If you need a gluten-free option, try a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend, usually available in the gluten-free section.
- Vegetable Oil: Canola or grapeseed oil are great choices for frying due to their high smoke points.
- Dry White Wine: Choose a dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. If you prefer a non-alcoholic option, substitute with chicken or fish stock, which you can find in the soup or broth aisle.
- Lemon Zest and Juice: Use fresh lemons for the best flavor.
- Fresh Parsley: Fresh herbs are often in the produce section. Italian flat-leaf parsley works wonderfully here.
- Capers: These can be found in the condiment aisle near olives and pickles. They may come in small jars or containers.
- Butter: Unsalted butter is a versatile choice for this recipe. You can find it in the dairy section of the store.
- Olive Oil: You can find olive oil in the cooking oil aisle. Extra-virgin olive oil adds a rich flavor to the sauce.
- Garlic: Garlic cloves are commonly found in the produce section.
Fish Options
For the best results, use high-quality, tender to medium-firm fish fillets. Ensure that the fillets are boneless and skinless for easy preparation. Some good options include cod, sole, flounder, halibut, Branzino, tilapia, sea bass, grouper, pollock, or perch.
You can use fresh fish or frozen that’s thawed overnight in the fridge. I don’t recommend using fish with the skin attached, as the sauce may make it soggy.
Step By Step Instructions
Prepare the Fish
Start by taking 1 lb (450g) of fish fillets from the fridge and pat them dry with paper towels.
Season the fish generously with salt and pepper on both sides. This will enhance the flavor. Set the seasoned fillets aside while you prepare the other components.
Make the Roux
Combine 2 tablespoons (15g) of melted butter in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon (7.5g) of all-purpose flour.
Mix them until they form a smooth paste. This mixture will thicken the sauce later on. Set the roux aside for later use in the sauce.
Prepare the Egg Mixture
Add 2 eggs and ¼ cup (60 ml) of milk to a shallow bowl.
Season this mixture with a pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk the eggs and milk together until they are well blended. This will serve as a coating for the fish.
Dredge the Fish
In another shallow dish, place 1 cup (120g) of all-purpose flour. Season the flour with salt and pepper and mix it thoroughly.
Coat each fish fillet lightly with the flour.
Then, dip it into the egg mixture, ensuring it’s coated evenly before coating it again with flour, making sure to shake off any excess flour. This double coating will make the fish wonderfully crispy.
Rest the Fish
Once you’ve coated all the fish fillets, set them aside at room temperature for 30 minutes. This resting period allows the coating to adhere well and prevents it from falling off during frying.
Fry The Fish
In a large skillet, heat 1 cup (240 ml) of vegetable oil, such as Canola or grapeseed oil, over medium-high heat until it becomes hot and shimmering.
Fry the fish for 2 to 3 minutes undisturbed. It’s ready to flip when the underside is golden, crispy, and released easily from the pan. Cook on the other side for another few minutes or until it’s golden and reaches an internal temperature of 145°F/63°C.
Remove to a large platter in a single layer to keep warm, and drain the oil from the pan. If there are any burned bits of breading in the pan, wipe it clean with paper towels and return the pan to the stove over medium heat.
Prepare the Sauce
Add 2 tablespoons (28g) of butter and 2 tablespoons (30ml) of olive oil to the skillet. Heat them until they start to sizzle.
When butter and olive oil start to sizzle, add 6 cloves of minced garlic to the pan and cook until the garlic becomes tender and fragrant, which takes about 30 seconds.
Pour in ½ cup (120 ml) of dry white wine and bring it to a boil. Let it cook until almost all the wine has evaporated, which should take about 2 minutes.
Next, add 1½ cups (360 ml) of chicken or fish stock, 1 tablespoon of lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil.
Add the prepared butter and flour mixture (the roux) to the sauce and whisk it in until it’s fully melted and combined. This will help thicken the sauce slightly. Reduce the heat to medium-low, then stir in a generous handful of chopped fresh parsley and 2 tablespoons of drained capers.
Finish the Dish
Taste the sauce for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.
Arrange the fried fish fillets on a serving platter. Pour the flavorful lemon sauce over the fish, coating them generously. Optionally, garnish the dish with thin rounds of lemon rind for a beautiful presentation.
Erren’s Top Tips
- Make sure to heat the oil thoroughly before adding the fish. Starting with hot oil is the key to a crunchy outcome.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. I recommend a 12-inch frying pan. If you don’t have a big enough size, cook the fish in batches. Cooking the fish too close together will result in a soggy rather than crunchy breading.
- If you do not have a meat thermometer, you will know that the fish is ready when it is white and flakes easily.
- To keep the fish warm as the sauce cooks, place ot on a sheet pan in an oven set to 200°F/94°C.
- Serve Lemon Fish Piccata as soon as the sauce is ready to ensure the fish stays crunchy.
- Stay away from cooking wines that are loaded with salt and sugar. Instead, opt for a wine you’d enjoy drinking. Choose a dry white wine, such as Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio. Choose a wine you’d drink, not a cooking wine.
- For a non-alcohol version, deglazing your skillet with stock instead of wine and skip the reduction.
Storage & Freezing Instructions
Store any leftover Lemon Fish Piccata in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. To freeze, wrap individual fillets in plastic and aluminum foil and store them in the freezer for up to three months.
Perfect Pairings
Lemon Fish Piccata is excellent served with a starchy side that soaks up extra sauce, such as angel-hair pasta or Rice Pilaf, but other good complements include:
FAQs
What is piccata sauce made of?
Piccata sauce is made of butter, lemon juice, capers, and often white wine or chicken broth. These ingredients create a tangy and savory sauce.
What makes something a piccata?
A dish is considered piccata when it features thinly sliced meat or fish that’s dredged, pan-fried and served with a sauce made of lemon, capers, and butter.
Recipe
Fish Piccata
Ingredients
For the Roux
- 2 tablespoons butter (melted)
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
For The Fish
- 1 lb fish fillets*
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup milk
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup vegetable oil Canola (or grapeseed oil)
To Prepare the Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter (cubed)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1½ cups chicken stock (or fish stock)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- a good handful of fresh parsley (chopped)
- 2 tablespoons capers (drained)
- 1 lemon with rind (cut into thin rounds for garnish (optional))
Instructions
- Remove the fish from the fridge 15 minutes before cooking. Pat dry with paper towels and season well with salt on both sides. Set aside until ready to cook.
- Mix the melted butter into the flour until combined and set aside for the sauce.
- Add the eggs and milk to a shallow bowl, season with salt and pepper, and beat with a whisk or fork until well blended.
- Place flour in a shallow dish and season well with salt and pepper. Mix to combine.
- Dredge the fish in the flour, then the egg and back into the flour, shaking off any excess.
- Set the fish aside at room temperature for 30 minutes. Frying too soon will cause the coating to fall off during cooking.
- Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering.
- Add the floured fish; cook undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Flip and cook until golden, reaching an internal temperature of 145°F/63°C. Remove to a large platter in a single layer to keep warm.
For the Sauce
- Drain the oil from the pan and wipe it clean with paper towels; if there are any scorched bits of breading in the pan, return the pan to the stove over medium heat.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter with the olive oil. When butter and olive oil start to sizzle, add the garlic to the pan and cook until the garlic is tender and fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the wine, bring to a boil and cook until almost completely evaporated, about 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken stock, lemon zest, and lemon juice, and bring to a boil. Add the prepared butter and flour mixture and whisk it into the sauce until melted and combined. Cook until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the parsley and capers, taste for seasoning, and season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve the sauce on top of the fish garnished with lemon slices.
Tips
- Make sure to heat the oil thoroughly before adding the fish. Starting with hot oil is the key to a crunchy outcome.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan. I recommend a 12-inch frying pan. If you don’t have a big enough size, cook the fish in batches. Cooking the fish too close together will result in a soggy rather than crunchy breading.
- If you do not have a meat thermometer, you will know that the fish is ready when it is white and flakes easily.
- To keep the fish warm as the sauce cooks, place ot on a sheet pan in an oven set to 200°F/94°C.
- Serve as soon as the sauce is ready to ensure the fish stays crunchy.
- Stay away from cooking wines that are loaded with salt and sugar. Instead, opt for a wine you’d enjoy drinking. Choose a dry white wine, such as Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio. Choose a wine you’d drink, not a cooking wine.
- For a non-alcohol version, deglazing your skillet with stock instead of wine and skip the reduction.
Save to favoritesYour saved recipes will be right here waiting for you every time you visit, so you can easily find and make the meals you love.
Leave a Reply