Whole 30 Whole30 Lemon-Dill Cod with Lemon Caper Sauce
Flaky, golden-seared cod meets a bright, briny pan sauce in this weeknight dinner that feels far more impressive than the effort required. The lemon-zest seasoning crust gives each fillet a fragrant edge before it even hits the skillet, and that initial undisturbed sear is what builds the gorgeous crust that makes the fish so satisfying to eat. The real magic happens after the cod comes out — ghee goes into the same pan, the capers crisp up at the edges, and a splash of chicken broth and fresh lemon juice lifts all those browned bits into a silky, restaurant-worthy sauce. Fresh dill stirred in at the very end keeps the whole thing tasting clean and herbaceous rather than heavy. Every single ingredient here — ghee instead of butter, compliant broth, no added sugar or off-plan thickeners — is built to work within the rules of a strict elimination protocol without any substitutions or workarounds needed. Serves four, so it's just as easy to pull off for a family dinner as it is for a meal-prep situation where you want something genuinely delicious waiting in the fridge.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the cod
- 4 cod fillets (6 oz each), about 1 inch thick
- 1 tsp lemon zest (from about 1 lemon)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For the lemon caper sauce
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 3 tbsp capers, drained and roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1–2 lemons)
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- 2 tbsp fresh dill, roughly chopped
For serving
- lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
In a small bowl, combine the lemon zest, kosher salt, and black pepper. Pat the cod fillets completely dry with paper towels, then sprinkle the seasoning mixture evenly over both sides of each fillet.
- 2
Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the cod fillets in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 4 minutes, until the underside is golden and the fish releases easily from the pan.
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