lemony garlic pan seared salmon

Dinner

Lemony Garlic Pan Seared Salmon

This pan-seared salmon features fresh herbs of your choice, bright lemon and savory garlic. Leaving the skin on the salmon keeps the fillet in one piece while cooking. The skin is deliciously crispy, but easy to remove if you prefer skinless salmon.

Ingredients

4 (5-ounce) skin-on salmon fillets
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon salt-free lemon pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, chives and/or dill
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
lemon wedges for serving

Directions

Pat salmon dry and sprinkle on both sides with garlic powder, salt and lemon pepper.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the salmon, skin-side down; cook, pressing the fillets down slightly with a spatula until they rest flat against the pan, about 15 seconds. Release spatula and continue cooking until the skin releases easily from the pan and the fish edges are opaque, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and flip the salmon. Add garlic and butter to the pan; cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest portion registers 145°F, 2 to 4 minutes, swirling the butter in the pan occasionally. Remove and discard the garlic clove.
Transfer the salmon to a platter; sprinkle evenly with herbs and lemon zest. Serve with lemon wedges.