Garlic Butter Salmon with Lemon (20-Minute Skillet)

Ingredients

Tick the ingredients as you go

Salmon

• 4 salmon fillets, about 170 g / 6 oz each, skin-on or skinless
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Garlic butter

• 4 tbsp butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lemon, half juiced, half sliced
• 1/2 tsp chili flakes, optional
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

1. 1

   Dry and season

   Pat the salmon completely dry with paper towels — a wet fillet steams instead of searing. Mix the salt, pepper and paprika and rub it over the flesh side (and the skin, if skin-on).

2. 2

   Sear

   Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Lay the fillets in skin-side down (or the prettier side down if skinless) and don't move them for 4 minutes. The skin should be crisp and release easily.

3. 3

   Flip and lower the heat

   Flip the fillets, turn the heat down to medium and cook 2–3 minutes more. Skinless fillets: 3 minutes per side total. Salmon is done when the sides look opaque and the centre flakes but is still slightly translucent — about 52 °C / 125 °F inside for medium.

5. 4

   Make the garlic butter

   Push the salmon to one side (or move it to a plate). Add the butter to the pan; when it foams, add the garlic and chili flakes and cook 45 seconds until fragrant — do not let the garlic brown.

6. 5

   Finish with lemon

   Turn off the heat. Squeeze in the juice of half the lemon, add the lemon slices and parsley, and spoon the butter over the salmon for a minute so it soaks in. Serve straight from the pan with the extra sauce.