Air Fryer Chilean Sea Bass with Lemon Garlic Butter
Description
Buttery, flaky perfection in 15 minutes — restaurant quality without the restaurant price tag. No overcooking, no dry fish, ever.
Ingredients
Fish + seasoning
- 2 Chilean sea bass fillets, 6–8 oz each
- 1 tbsp olive oil, or melted butter
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika, optional
Lemon garlic butter sauce
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, or chives, chopped
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp Salt, to taste
- 1/4 tsp white pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Remove fillets from refrigerator 20 minutes before cooking. Pat completely dry with paper towels.
- Brush fillets with olive oil or butter. Season all sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
- Preheat air fryer to 390°F for 3 minutes. Line basket with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
- Place fillets skin-side down in basket. Air fry at 390°F for 8–10 minutes (1-inch thick). Do not flip.
- While fish cooks, make the sauce: melt butter over medium-low, add garlic, cook 60–90 sec until fragrant. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice, zest, and herbs. Season to taste.
- Check internal temp at 8 minutes. Pull at 135–140°F. Rest 2 minutes — carryover will bring it to 145°F.
- Transfer to warmed plates. Spoon lemon garlic butter sauce over each fillet immediately. Serve with lemon wedges.
Equipment
- Parchment Paper, optional
- Cooking Spray
Notes
Key tips: Room temperature fish cooks evenly. Pull at 135°F — don't wait for 145°F. Use parchment under the fillets to protect the skin and simplify cleanup. Make the sauce right before serving, not ahead of time.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 232kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 1gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 1464mgPotassium: 89mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1066IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 27mgIron: 1mg