Golden and crisp on the outside but perfectly moist on the inside, this pan-seared salmon is so easy to make. It features a flavorful lemon garlic butter sauce that compliments the pan-fried salmon perfectly. The best part is that most of the ingredients needed are kitchen staples, so you’ll be able to whip this meal up on a busy day without much effort.
If you’ve never pan-seared salmon, then this post will guide you through how to cook salmon in a pan! The technique is effortless to master, and you’ll have perfectly cooked salmon in a jiffy. Serve with some roast vegetables or grains, and you’ll have a full meal ready in no time. Want to try another method? Give my Air Fryer Salmon a try!
Key Ingredients You Need
Salmon — This is such a great source of protein that has healthy fats and omega-3s. It’s one of the easiest proteins to cook, making it perfect for a quick weeknight meal. Feel free to use salmon fillet with or without skin. Try to get fillets that are similar in size so they’ll cook evenly.
Chicken broth — Try to use unsalted or low-sodium chicken broth for the sauce.
Butter — To thicken the pan sauce and give it a thicker consistency, you’ll need butter. I recommend using unsalted butter, and you can salt to taste.
How to Make Pan Seared Salmon
Step 1: Season the salmon with salt and pepper.
Step 2: Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Cook the salmon until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Step 3: Lower the heat to medium and flip the salmon. Cook for 5 minutes more or until it has reached your desired doneness.
Step 4: Heat a saucepan over medium heat and add the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Step 5: Add the lemon juice and chicken broth with salt and pepper to taste and whisk to combine.
Step 6: Garnish with the lemon garlic sauce and chopped parsley.
Tips For This Recipe
- As the time it takes to cook through your fish may vary due to the thickness of your fillet, I suggest you check up on it at the 8-minute mark with an instant-read thermometer. Salmon is cooked through once the internal temperature has reached 120°F to 135°F.
- To ensure a crispy exterior, before adding to the pan, make sure to pat the salmon fillets dry if there is moisture on them.
- Make sure the pan is hot before adding the salmon to it, so you get a nice sear.
- When the salmon is done, don’t let it rest in the hot pan, or it’ll continue to cook and become overcooked.
- Try to bring the salmon close to room temperature before you sear it. If you pan-sear salmon straight from the fridge, the fish won’t cook evenly. You might end up drying out the outside and before the interior reaches the ideal temperature.
- If your salmon has the skin on, there’s no need to remove it as the skin will help the salmon from overcooking.
- Avoid moving the fillets around the pan once you’d placed them in. You don’t want the pan seared salmon to tear. The salmon will stick immediately but will naturally release once the exterior has crisped up.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use frozen fillets for this recipe. Frozen salmon might be more fresh than fish from the fish counter! You’ll have to thaw it first before pan-searing, as when you cook from frozen, the exterior will cook before the middle, causing the salmon to become overcooked.
Thawing frozen fish overnight in the fridge is the recommended method, but sometimes we forget! In those situations, simply fill a large bowl with cold water and place your wrapped frozen fillets in it. When submerged in cold water, it should defrost within the hour. Change the water out if it starts approaching room temperature.
Both methods are a great way to enjoy salmon. I love how you can get crispy edges from pan-searing salmon, but if you’re cooking up multiple fillets, you might choose to bake it to save time.
Some of my favorite side dishes for salmon are Cilantro Lime Rice, Mashed Cauliflower, Cauliflower Steak, and Air Fryer Green Beans. They’re all super quick and easy to make while the salmon cooks.
IF YOU LOVE THIS RECIPE TRY THESE OUT!
If you’ve tried this Pan Seared Salmon Recipe, then don’t forget to leave me a 5 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Pan Seared Salmon
Ingredients
For the salmon:
- 4 salmon filets (6 oz) about 1" thick
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
For the sauce:
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- salt and pepper to taste
- chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Pat the salmon dry with a paper towel and then season with salt and pepper.
- Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil.
- Cook the salmon, skin side up until golden, about 3 - 4 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and flip the salmon to skin side down. Cook for 5 minutes more or until it has reached your desired doneness.
- While the salmon is cooking, prepare the sauce- heat a saucepan over medium heat and add the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the lemon juice and chicken broth with salt and pepper to taste and whisk to combine.
- Garnish with the lemon garlic sauce and chopped parsley.
Video
Notes
- As the time it takes to cook through your fish may vary due to the thickness of your fillet, I suggest you check up on it at the 8-minute mark with an instant-read thermometer. Salmon is cooked through once the internal temperature has reached 120°F to 135°F.
- To ensure a crispy exterior, before adding to the pan, make sure to pat the salmon fillets dry if there is moisture on them.
- Make sure the pan is hot before adding the salmon to it, so you get a nice sear.
- When the salmon is done, don’t let it rest in the hot pan, or it’ll continue to cook and become overcooked.
- Try to bring the salmon close to room temperature before you sear it. If you pan-sear salmon straight from the fridge, the fish won’t cook evenly. You might end up drying out the outside and before the interior reaches the ideal temperature.
- If your salmon has the skin on, there’s no need to remove it as the skin will help the salmon from overcooking.
- Avoid moving the fillets around the pan once you’d placed them in. You don’t want the salmon to tear. The salmon will stick immediately but will naturally release once the exterior has crisped up.
I made this recipe for me and my husband. I never knew how to get that crispy sear on the outside and it turned out amazing! Thank you for your detailed instructions on how to achieve that crispness. The lemon garlic sauce is a great accompaniment. I served it with oven roasted broccoli and cauliflower that I tossed in olive oil with salt and pepper and roasted on 420° for 16 min. I will be making this for our friends in the coming weeks.
I'm so happy to hear that you loved this salmon recipe! It's one of my favorites too. Have a great day!