Salmon Piccata with Rice and Honey Buttered Carrots

Pan-seared salmon fillets in a lemon-caper piccata sauce, served with honey buttered carrots over a bed of rice.

This Salmon Piccata with Rice and Honey Buttered Carrots recipe harmoniously combines the zesty flavors of lemon piccata with the succulence of salmon. The dish features two 6-ounce salmon fillets, seasoned, floured, and pan-seared in a mix of olive oil and unsalted butter, achieving a crispy exterior and a tender, flaky interior. The essence of the dish is captured in the piccata sauce, a tangy blend of fresh lemon juice, chicken broth, capers, minced garlic, and parsley, enriched with a final touch of butter, which beautifully complements the natural taste of the salmon. Served alongside is fluffy, long-grain white rice cooked in chicken broth with a hint of olive oil and salt, making for an elegant and absorbent base for the flavorful sauce. Completing the meal are honey buttered baby carrots, boiled until tender and then glazed in a sweet mix of melted butter and honey, offering a sweet and buttery dimension. This dish is a symphony of flavors and textures, from the lemon-infused salmon and aromatic rice to the sweetly glazed carrots, creating a meal that is both comforting and refined.

Servings

2

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

30 minutes

Total Time

50 minutes

Ingredients

For the Salmon:

  • 2 salmon fillets (about 6 oz each)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (for dusting)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

For the Piccata Sauce:

  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup capers, drained
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For the Rice:

  • 1 cup long-grain white rice
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

For the Honey Buttered Carrots:

  • 1 cup of baby carrots
  • 2 tablespoons salted butter
  • 2 tablespoons honey

Instructions

Cook the Rice:

  • Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear.
  • In a saucepan, bring water to a boil and stir in 2 teaspoons of Better than Bullion base.
  • Add the rice, olive oil, and salt.
  • Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 18-20 minutes until the rice is cooked and the liquid is absorbed.
  • Fluff the rice with a fork and keep it covered until serving.

Prepare the Baby Carrots:

  • Bring a small pot of water to a boil and add the carrots. Boil about 5 minutes until slightly tender.
  • Drain the carrots and set aside. In the same pot, add the butter to melt and then stir in the honey.
  • Simmer a few minutes to coat the sauce until slightly thickened and remove from heat.

Prepare the Piccata Sauce:

  • Juice a fresh lemon to make ¼ cup of juice.
  • Mince 2 cloves of garlic. Drain the capers.
  • Prepare the chicken broth, butter, salt, and pepper.

Prepare and Cook the Salmon:

  • Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper and lightly dust with flour.
  • Heat olive oil and  butter in a skillet.
  • Place the salmon flesh side down and let cook about 4 minutes over medium heat and covered.
  • Flip the filets skin side down and continue to cook about 4 more minutes. Flip again and easily remove the skin.
  • Remove the salmon from the skillet and set aside.

Make the Piccata Sauce:

  • In the same skillet, cook minced garlic for 1 minute.
  • Add lemon juice and broth, and bring to a simmer. Add capers.
  • Add the butter to whisk in until melted.
  • Stir in half the parsley.

Serve:

  • Return the salmon to the skillet, spoon sauce over to reheat.
  • Serve the salmon over a bed of rice, with the buttered carrots alongside.
  • Garnish with remaining parsley.

Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. In a saucepan, bring water to a boil and stir in 2 teaspoons of Better than Bullion base. Add the rice, olive oil, and salt. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 18-20 minutes until the rice is cooked and the liquid is absorbed. Fluff the rice with a fork and keep it covered until serving.

Bring a small pot of water to a boil and add the carrots. Boil about 5 minutes until slightly tender. Drain the carrots and set aside. In the same pot, add the butter to melt and then stir in the honey. Simmer a few minutes to coat the sauce until slightly thickened and remove from heat.

Juice a fresh lemon to make ¼ cup of juice. Mince 2 cloves of garlic. Drain the capers. Prepare the chicken broth, butter, salt, and pepper.

Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper and lightly dust with flour.

Heat olive oil and butter in a skillet.

Place the salmon flesh side down and let cook about 4 minutes over medium heat and covered.

Flip the filets skin side down and continue to cook about 4 more minutes. Flip again and easily remove the skin. Remove the salmon from the skillet and set aside.

In the same skillet, cook minced garlic for 1 minute.

Add lemon juice and broth, and bring to a simmer. Add capers.

Add the butter to whisk in until melted.

Stir in half the parsley.

Return the salmon to the skillet, spoon sauce over to reheat.

Serve the salmon over a bed of rice, with the buttered carrots alongside. Garnish with remaining parsley.