Salmon Piccata

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 15

Servings: people

Calories: 355kcal

Author: Platings and Pairings

This quick & easy Salmon Piccata recipe features a tangy lemon-caper butter sauce and is ready in just 15-minutes.

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Equipment

Large Skillet

Ingredients

1 pound salmon filets
½ cup flour
3 Tablespoons butter unsalted, divided
1 Tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
⅓ cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth low-sodium, divided
1 teaspoon cornstarch
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 Tablespoons capers drained
2 Tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley minced
Kosher salt and pepper

Instructions

Pat the fillets dry and season both sides of all pieces with salt and pepper.
Add the flour to a shallow dish; dredge the salmon in the flour to evenly coat. Shake off excess.
Heat 1 TBSP butter and olive oil in a large nonstick pan or skillet over medium-high heat.
Sear the fillets in the pan until cooked through (approximately 3-4 minutes per side) then set aside on a platter lightly tented with foil. Do not crowd the salmon fillets in the pan. Work in batches, using a bit more olive oil and butter as required for each batch.
Reduce the heat to medium and melt 1 TBSP. of the butter in the pan. Add the garlic and cook until golden brown, about 30 seconds. Add the wine, lemon juice and ¾ cup broth, increase the heat to medium-high and cook until the liquid is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
Whisk cornstarch together with the reserved ¼ cup broth. Pour the mixture into the pan and cook for 1 minute or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat.
Whisk in the remaining 1 TBSP butter, the capers and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Place the salmon fillets back into the pan, gently turning each fillet to evenly coat in the sauce.
Serve immediately over rice, pasta or vegetables.

Notes

Storing

Store leftover salmon piccata in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Store the sauce and salmon together to keep the fillets moist and flavorful.
To reheat without overcooking the salmon, slowly warm it in a skillet over low heat until heated through. Add a splash of broth or water to loosen the sauce and keep the fillets from drying out.
I don’t recommend freezing leftover salmon piccata as the texture of the fillets and sauce is likely to change.

Tips and tricks

Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels before seasoning. Any excess moisture prevents a crust from developing when pan seared.
Don’t crowd the skillet. Arrange the fillets in a single layer with space between each fillet so that they cook without steaming. Cook them in batches, if needed.
To keep the cooked salmon fillets warm, transfer them to a plate and tent them loosely with foil until ready to add them to the sauce in the skillet for serving.
Serve this salmon piccata immediately. These salmon fillets are best enjoyed right out of the pan with the lemon caper sauce while they’re still warm.
Achieve the perfect consistency for the sauce by mixing in a cornstarch slurry once the liquid ingredients have reduced over heat. Combining the cornstarch with broth instead of water prevents diluting the flavor of the sauce.
Use center-cut salmon fillets which are thick, even-sized portions taken from the middle section of the salmon. These fillets are great for their uniform thickness, which ensures even cooking, making them ideal for pan-searing.
Salmon is perfectly cooked when it flakes easily with a fork but still appears slightly translucent in the center, reaches an internal temperature of 145°F, and feels firm yet springy to the touch.
Be gentle with the salmon when it’s placed back in the pan. If your fillets feel too delicate to flip, use a spoon to gently bathe each piece in the sauce to help them stay intact.
A light dusting of flour is all you need for these salmon fillets - just enough to crisp the exterior and help the sauce cling, without creating a thick or gummy crust. Shake off any excess before cooking.

Variations

Dairy-free salmon piccata - Use extra olive oil or dairy-free butter instead of butter. Your sauce will lose some richness, but the final dish will still be delicious.
Gluten-free salmon piccata - Coat the salmon in rice flour, almond flour, or a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. Skip anything too dense (like coconut flour).
Try another type of fish – This salmon piccata recipe will definitely work with cod, and should also work just as well with another mild, flaky white fish like halibut, haddock, grouper, or tilapia.

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