Pan-Fried Chilean Sea Bass with Honey and Lemon

Take your dinner to new heights with my Pan-Fried Chilean Sea Bass with Honey and Lemon. Not only is this seafood dish delicious but it makes the perfect quick yet elegant dinner.

Your taste buds will love the buttery and flaky texture of the sea bass and the subtle sweetness of the honey. Pair this amazing Honey Sea Bass with potatoes, rice or your favorite vegetables. 

Reasons to love this recipe

This sea bass recipe is perfect for date nights or other special occasions. 

The cooking time is under 20 minutes. 

​Pan-Fried Chilean Sea Bass is pretty easy to make and uses simple ingredients. 

More delicious seafood recipes to try: Moroccan Seafood Stew and Simple Baked Salmon with Lemon and Dill.

 Ingredients 

• Extra virgin olive oil. 
• Chilean sea bass.
• Honey bbq seasoning. I use Flavor God but any type of honey bbq seasoning will work. 
• Lemon slices.
• Kosher salt.
• Chopped dill. 
• Honey.

How to prepare Chilean Sea Bass filets 

Normally I would say start with seasoning the fish skin side down. But since my fish was kind of an odd shape, you can slice it into 3 or 4 pieces and season the sides instead.

1. Start with preheating a large skillet on medium heat. 

2. Add the olive oil. Season fish with the honey bbq and a dash of salt.

3. Place fish in a single layer in the pan and turn the heat down to low. Sear for 4 minutes or until golden brown and then carefully flip it over. Season the other side of the sea bass. Let sear for 2 minutes.

4. Then drizzle the honey over the fish. Add the dill on top and then squeeze the lemon on top and set the lemon wedges on top. Let the sea bass cook for another 3 minutes.

5. When done, remove it from the heat and transfer to a warm plate to serve immediately. Add another touch of salt if needed. 

 Helpful tips 

Sea bass can be found at your local meat market or a grocery store that carries fresh seafood. However Chilean sea bass can carry a hefty price tag. I found the best prices to be at Costco. 

Costco runs about $35.00 for a pound. 

I think this recipe is great for 2 people. It’s makes for an elegant dinner or celebrating a special occasion like New Years Eve, Valentines Day or a date night in. With the higher price tag, I wouldn’t use sea bass for large entertaining. 

I use Honey BBQ seasoning from Flavor God because their seasonings are clean, low in sodium and pack a lot of flavor. 

If you don’t have this and are looking for another substitute, you can use any type of honey bbq spice or rub. 

Though my recipe is honey glazed, sea bass can be enjoyed with many different flavor profiles. Other flavor combinations such as low-sodium soy sauce, orange juice, a lime honey glaze or honey mustard would be good as well. 

Because sea bass is thick, it would also be great in a marinade. 

Other serving suggestions or alternatives 

Mash potatoes are delicious or a cauliflower mash. White rice and sweet potatoes are good as well. For vegetables, serve with any seasonal produce or anything green like sauteed spinach, broccoli or roasted asparagus. Zucchini noodles or roasted brussel sprouts would be tasty as well. 

You can bake chilean sea bass or cook it in an air fryer. 

White fish recipes will pair nicely with a glass of white wine. 

Storing and reheating

Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave on high for about 90 seconds. I do not suggest freezing cooked sea bass.

Recipe inspiration for these sea bass fillets

For the longest time I was always apprehensive about cooking my own sea bass at home. It’s something I always ordered when dining out. 

Then I noticed Costco started carrying sea bass. I decided to give it a try. I’m pretty sure my sea bass is now one of my husbands favorite seafood recipes!

Chilean sea bass is definitely easy to prepare at home! 

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