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A freshly cooked Lemon Garlic Butter Cod with beautifully crispy skin, garnished with herbs.

Zesty Lemon Garlic Butter Cod with Crispy Skin

This recipe features pan-seared cod with exceptionally crispy skin, finished with a bright and savory lemon garlic butter sauce. It's a quick and flavorful dish perfect for a weeknight meal.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 2 fillets
Calories 300 kcal

Equipment

  • Paper Towels
  • Oven-Safe Skillet (Cast Iron or Stainless Steel)

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients

  • 2 (6-8 ounce each) skin-on Cod Fillets
  • 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 3 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
  • 3-4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1 Lemon half juiced, half thinly sliced for garnish
  • 2 tablespoons Fresh Parsley, chopped
  • Salt to taste
  • Black Pepper to taste

Instructions
 

Cooking Steps

  • Pat the cod fillets dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and black pepper on both sides.
  • Heat olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, then carefully place cod skin-side down.
  • Press down gently on fillets for the first minute to ensure full contact; cook for 4-6 minutes until skin is crispy and golden brown.
  • Flip the cod; for thin fillets, cook for 2-4 minutes on the flesh side, or for thicker fillets, transfer the pan to a preheated 400°F (200°C) oven and bake for 5-8 minutes.
  • While fish finishes, if using stovetop method, remove fish to a plate; reduce heat to medium-low, add butter, minced garlic (cook 1 minute), and lemon juice.
  • Serve cooked cod skin-side up, drizzle with lemon garlic butter sauce, and garnish with fresh parsley and a lemon slice.

Notes

For best results, make sure the cod skin is as dry as possible to achieve maximum crispiness. Adjust cooking times based on the thickness of your cod fillets to avoid overcooking. Feel free to add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the butter sauce for a little heat!