4.9 from 27 votes
Tilapia Piccata (Tilapia with Lemon Caper Sauce)
Tilapia Piccata features tilapia fillets cooked in a delicious bright, lemony butter sauce. It's perfect for a quick weeknight dinner and your kids will love it too!
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 263 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
Italian , American
Ingredients
- 1 cup reduced sodium chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- ¼ cup + 2 teaspoons flour, divided use
- 4 tilapia fillets (about 5 oz each) can substitute any mild, white fish like flounder, halibut, cod or grouper
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ cup dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Whisk the chicken stock, lemon juice, zest, and 2 teaspoons flour together in a measuring cup. Set aside.
- Pat the tilapia fillets dry and season them with a pinch of salt and pepper. Place the remaining ¼ cup flour on a plate and lightly dredge the fillets in the flour on both sides, dusting off any excess. Discard the extra flour.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat and add the fish. Cook until golden, about 3 minutes, then carefully flip the filets over and cook another 3 minutes on the second side. Remove the fish and place on a plate.
- Add the garlic to the skillet and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the white wine and cook until reduced by half. Then, pour the reserved chicken stock mixture and capers into the skillet and cook until the sauce thickens, 2-3 minutes.
- Lower the heat and stir in the butter, swirling it around until it melts into the sauce. Return the tilapia fillets back to the pan and spoon the sauce over them. Cook another minute until warmed through. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Serve this Tilapia Piccata on a bed of angel hair, spaghetti squash, risotto, diced potatoes or mashed potatoes to soak up all the delicious lemony sauce. Check out my post on the 30 Best Side Dishes for Tilapia.
- spaghetti squash
- risotto
- diced potatoes
- mashed potatoes
- 30 Best Side Dishes for Tilapia
- This recipe is easily adaptable and can be made with chicken breast or pork tenderloin.
- Use a dry white wine that you enjoy drinking, like a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. You can enjoy the rest of the bottle with your dinner!
- For nutritional calculations, I did not include the full ¼ cup flour used for dredging the fish but rather used 2 tablespoons, which is the amount of flour that adhered to the fish (the rest is discarded).
Nutrition Information
Serving
1piece tilapia plus sauce
Calories
263kcal
(13%)
Carbohydrates
5g
(2%)
Protein
30g
(60%)
Fat
13g
(20%)
Saturated Fat
4g
(20%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
Monounsaturated Fat
7g
Trans Fat
0.1g
Cholesterol
78mg
(26%)
Sodium
206mg
(9%)
Potassium
525mg
(15%)
Fiber
0.5g
(2%)
Sugar
0.4g
(1%)
Vitamin A
410IU
(8%)
Vitamin C
8mg
(9%)
Calcium
29mg
(3%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 263
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1piece tilapia plus sauce | |
| Calories | 263kcal | 13% |
| Carbohydrates | 5g | 2% |
| Protein | 30g | 60% |
| Fat | 13g | 20% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Trans Fat | 0.1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 78mg | 26% |
| Sodium | 206mg | 9% |
| Potassium | 525mg | 11% |
| Fiber | 0.5g | 2% |
| Sugar | 0.4g | 1% |
| Vitamin A | 410IU | 8% |
| Vitamin C | 8mg | 9% |
| Calcium | 29mg | 3% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.