Made entirely in one pan in only 30 minutes, this salmon piccata is an incredible twist on the classic dish and features seared salmon fillets in a flavorful lemon caper sauce.
You heard it here first, salmon piccata is officially giving the classic chicken dish a run for its money.
We’re HUGE chicken piccata lovers around here (looking at you, meatballs) but this salmon version is in a whole other dimension of goodness.
The fact that it’s made in one pan and ready for your face in only 30 minutes is also just ticking all the dinner win boxes.
Salmon lovers, you may never feel inclined to make your salmon any other way again. We sure don’t.
I’d personally live in that bowl up there if given the option.
This Salmon Piccata features…
- Perfectly tender seared salmon fillets.
- A buttery, flavorful lemon caper sauce.
- Ready in 30 minutes with only 1 pan and 11 basic pantry ingredients needed.
Making the Salmon Piccata
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Salmon
- Unsalted butter
- Olive oil
- Garlic
- Capers
- Lemon
- White wine
- Chicken broth
- Parsley
- Angel hair pasta
How to Prepare Salmon
We recommend purchasing a side of salmon (about 1.5 lbs) removing the skin, and cutting it into equal fillets about 6 oz each.
You can buy your salmon pre-cut into fillets, but be aware that the sizes will not be uniform and will result in the salmon cooking at different rates. For best results, we recommend cutting the fillets yourself.
Tips for Perfect Salmon Piccata
- Don’t overcook salmon – salmon is one of those proteins that can go from perfectly-cooked to dry in a matter of seconds. Sear the salmon on both sides until golden-brown and aim for an internal temperature of about 130F.
- Build sauce in same pan – remove the salmon from the pan and we’ll start building the lemon caper sauce by sautéing garlic and capers, then reducing white wine and chicken broth.
- Fold butter, lemon juice, zest, and parsley into skillet at end of cooking – swirl the butter into the sauce, then add the salmon and top with lemon and parsley. – adding these ingredients at the end keeps the lemon and herby flavors super fresh!
What to Serve with Piccata
Piccata is traditionally served over a bed of warm angel hair pasta with lots of the lemon caper sauce spooned over top. You can definitely use any kind of pasta you desire though!
This piccata would also be incredible served alongside a rice pilaf or a big green salad. You really can’t go wrong!
Recipe Variations
Try these ideas for a different spin on this piccata!
- Add veggies – sauteed mushrooms, zucchini, or broccoli would be a welcome veggie addition to this piccata.
- Skip the wine – for an alcohol-free version, just use extra chicken broth in place of the white wine.
- Try a different fresh herb – minced fresh basil or chives would be a great substitute for the parsley.
Did you try this recipe a different way? We’d love to hear how it went! Leave a comment at the bottom of the post.
Oh gosh, the FLAVORS we’re able to build in this salmon in only 30 minutes! It’s entirely ridiculous.
The salmon is SO perfectly tender and drenched in the garlicky lemon caper sauce – definitely make sure you have plenty of angel hair on hand for soaking up that incredible sauce!
Meet your new favorite form of piccata. You’re gonna want to hang onto this winner!
Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.
More ridiculously good ways to enjoy salmon!
One Pan Salmon Piccata
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Ingredients
- 1-1/2 lbs skinless salmon fillets (about 4 fillets)
- Salt and pepper for seasoning
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup white wine
- 2 tablespoons capers, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- Warm angel hair pasta for serving
Instructions
- Pat salmon fillets dry and rub all over with salt and pepper.
- In a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon butter and olive oil and swirl pan to evenly coat. Add salmon to pan and sear 3-5 minutes on each side until golden brown and salmon registers about 130F. Transfer salmon to a clean plate and set aside.
- Heat same pan over medium heat. Add garlic and saute in remaining pan drippings until just fragrant (about 1 minute) Add wine and capers to pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape up browned bits on the bottom of pan. Simmer wine until reduced in half.
- Add chicken broth to pan and simmer over medium heat until sauce is reduced in half, about 4-6 minutes of cooking. Add butter and swirl pan to incorporate butter until melted.
- Arrange salmon fillets in pan. Squeeze lemon juice over top of salmon and gently fold into sauce, spooning sauce over top of salmon. Sprinkle lemon zest and parsley over top. Serve salmon piccata warm over angel hair pasta. Enjoy!
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