A mild white fish like cod practically begs to be dressed in big, bold flavors, which this lemon-chile sauce definitely delivers. Sizzling chickpeas, garlic, and whole lemon slices in olive oil with Aleppo-style pepper and smoked paprika creates a puckery, smoky, earthy base; adding a pat of butter and a slow stream of water builds it into an emulsified sauce. Start with about ⅓ cup water and keep adding as needed, stirring the mixture to combine, until you reach a drizzly consistency that will spill over the fish and pool on your plate.
All products featured on Epicurious are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
What you’ll need
Large Nonstick Skillet
$50 At Amazon
Glass Measuring Cup
$26 At Amazon
Wooden Spoon
$8 $7 At Amazon
Recipe information
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Pat four 5–6-oz. white fish fillets (such as cod, halibut, or haddock) dry with paper towels and season on both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high. Cook fish until flesh is opaque and barely golden, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter.
Step 2
Heat remaining ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil in same pan. Add 2 lemons, thinly sliced, seeds removed, 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, one 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed, 1 Tbsp. Aleppo-style pepper or other mild chile flakes, and 1 tsp. smoked paprika and season generously with salt and black pepper. Cook, tossing often, until lemons are softened and jammy and chickpeas are well coated, 5–7 minutes.
Step 3
Add 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter and 1 tsp. honey to pan, then gradually drizzle in ⅓ cup water, stirring constantly until butter is melted and sauce is emulsified, about 2 minutes (you may not need all of the water). Scrape lemon mixture over fish and top with chopped parsley.
