This week I was feeling inspired by my favorite chicken piccata recipe and this (reader favorite) garlic butter sauce. Picking mahi-mahi fish rather than my usual go-to codfish fillets, the result was this easy, 30-minute pan-seared mahi-mahi dinner. Delicious, flavorful, and made with just 7 ingredients – that’s it! One of my favorite parts about this recipe (aside from the fish, of course) is that it pairs so well with just about everything. From rice to couscous, pasta to potatoes (yes, you really want buttery mashed potatoes here), to every single veggie you can possibly imagine.
Season the fillets. But first, pat each mahi-mahi fillet dry with paper towels. Next, season both sides of your fish fillets with salt and lemon pepper or your own combination of seasoning.
Prepare the ingredients for the garlic butter sauce. Wash your lemons. Then, thinly slice one lemon and juice the other lemon into a small bowl. Mince the fresh garlic cloves and set aside.
Pan sear the mahi-mahi. Add the olive oil to a large stainless steel skillet or cast-iron skillet set over medium-high heat. Carefully add each fillet. Sear, undisturbed, until nicely golden brown and the sides are cooked just past halfway up the fillets.
Prepare the lemon garlic sauce. Immediately start the sauce. In the same skillet (or in a new one), heat the butter, lemon juice, and lemon slices over medium heat. Heat until the butter is melted and just starting to bubble. Stir in the garlic, reduce heat to low, and continue to cook until the garlic is lightly golden.
Combine and serve. Spoon the garlic butter sauce over the mahi-mahi and serve immediately with all your favorite side dishes.