Cod Fish Piccata

In a lemon juice, garlic, and caper sauce, this Cod Fish Piccata is bursting with flavor. Fancy enough for a party, but goes together in 30 minutes making it a fantastic weeknight meal option.

When I say you need to try this fish piccata recipe, I mean it. Piccata, in general to me, is an elegant meal, and our version is a knockout… it’s that piccata sauce ya’ll.

Okay, wanna know a secret? I’ll admit it… I’m lazy. Somedays, I just sit around, play with Lily, eat, and do nothing else.

And on these lazy days, well we still gotta eat, right?! So that means Mama gets to pull out one of her simple fish recipes and just work on autopilot.

There is something about that tender flaky fish that makes me swoon. And coming together in about 30 minutes means I get to spend more time with my loved ones, I call that a score in my book.

Bonus points because our picky toddler likes it too! Our version is without white wine, but you can add it to your liking, more on that below!

A delicious meal, this recipe is one I get asked for on repeat. I love serving this for dinner parties too because I get to mingle with my guests and not spend the entire time cooped up in the kitchen.

Fish piccata is on regular rotation at our house, and once you try it, it will most likely be on yours too, it’s just that good and easy.

Our other favorite seafood recipes on our site include: Crab Cake Recipe, Salmon Burgers, and Tuna Pasta Salad.

1. Comes together in about 30 minutes.
2. A twist on the classic chicken piccata recipe, this is a satisfying and light dinner option.
3. Perfect for any weeknight or dinner party.

• Cod fillets 
• All-purpose flour 
• Kosher salt 
• Black pepper 
• Unsalted butter
• Olive oil
• Small shallot
• Garlic
• Chicken broth, or chicken stock
• Lemon juice
• Capers
• Fresh chopped parsley

1. Pat dry the cod fillets with a paper towel.
2. In a large bowl, mix all-purpose flour, salt, and pepper.
3. Dredge each cod fillet on both sides in the flour mixture. Set aside on a plate.
4. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of butter and the olive oil over medium high heat in a large sauté pan.
5. Add cod to the hot skillet and cook undisturbed for 4 minutes on one side until golden brown. Carefully flip the cod and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes on the other side.
6. Remove the pan-fried fillets to a plate. Set aside.

7. Make the pan sauce, and add another tablespoon of butter to the same frying pan, along with minced shallots and garlic. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
8. Add chicken broth, lemon juice, and capers, and scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pan.
9. Cook for a couple of minutes or until the sauce has reduced slightly.
10. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter until the sauce is silky smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
11. Add cod filets back to the skillet, and spoon the butter sauce over each filet. Sprinkle with fresh parsley. Serve with lemon slices if desired.

CAN I USE ANOTHER FISH?

Absolutely, you can use a wide variety of fresh fish fillets for this piccata recipe. I suggest using white fish fillets, some of my favorite varieties other than cod are:

• Trout fillet
• Mahi mahi
• Sea bass
• Snapper
• Grouper
• Halibut
• Haddock
• Flounder

CAN I ADD WINE?

Most definitely, you can add 1/4 cup of dry white wine in step 8, at the same time you add the chicken broth. Just remember to leave out 1/4 cup of the broth so there is no excess liquid.

I normally don’t add it to ours because our daughter loves it, and I like to be on the safe side. Even though the sauce is reduced, most of the alcohol will cook out but there still may be trace amounts.

However, if she is not eating it and it’s only adults that consume alcohol, I like to use it to make the white wine sauce.

Some of my favorite white wines to use are:

• Pinot Grigio
• Sauvignon blanc
• Chardonnay

WHAT TO SERVE WITH COD FISH PICCATA?

We like to eat ours over pasta normally. But it is also very good served over rice or mashed potatoes.

Really you are just looking for a vessel to soak up all that sauce!

Pair it with a light side salad or steamed vegetables like asparagus for a balanced meal.

DO I HAVE TO USE CAPERS?

I highly suggest leaving in the capers. They give a nice acid and depth of flavor to the dish.

If you don’t have capers or really don’t want to use them, you can try adding chopped green olives. It will give that brininess to the dish as the capers do.

A squeeze of lemon and/or lemon zest will also help!

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Reheat in the microwave or a baking dish covered with foil until warmed through. Do not reheat in the skillet as it may burn.

Freeze for up to 3 months.

Place leftovers in the freezer in a freezer-safe container. To thaw, place the dish in the fridge overnight.

Our Fish Piccata is that simple, easy recipe you’ve been looking for! Give it a try and let us know how it comes out in the comments below.

If you’ve tried this FISH PICCATA, let me know how it turned out in the comments! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!