Lemon Archives - Family Dinners

How To Make Fruit Salad Dressing

Andrea + Stef — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 21:11:59 +0000

Have you ever wondered how to make fruit salad dressing? Our delicious fall fruit salad dressing is super quick and easy to make and adds immense flavor to any fresh fruit salad blend. Spiced fruit salad dressing is a combination of orange juice, sugar, orange and lemon zest as well as apple pie spice. Simply combine the ingredients, simmer, strain and cool. This is the best fruit salad dressing. It will bring your fruit salads to the next level and make even the harshest fruit critics go for seconds and thirds.

Fall Fruit Salad

What is Fruit Salad Dressing?

Fruit salad dressing is generally a blend of three main ingredients. Firstly, a sweetener, such as sugar, honey or maple syrup. Secondly, freshly squeezed citrus juice, such as lemon juice, lime juice or orange juice. And thirdly, citrus zest and spices, such as cinnamon, apple pie spice or ginger. Fruit salad dressing adds incredible flavor to a summer fruit salad or fall fruit salad and even makes it last longer. Whip up this easy fruit salad recipe with for favorite combination of fruit and this easy dressing.

Why You’ll Love This

Notable: sweet, citrusy and full of warm fall spices
Main Ingredients: orange juice, sugar, apple pie spice, lemon zest, orange zest
Cooking Method: stovetop
Cooking Time: 5 minutes
Pairs well with: all kinds of fruit salad blends — pour over your favorite fruit salads
Diets: gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, vegan
Special Equipment Needed: small saucepan, zester, whisk

Ingredients

You may have all of these fall fruit salad dressing ingredients in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store. See recipe card below for ingredient amounts and print the recipe.

Pantry Ingredients: sugar
Refrigerated/Frozen Ingredients: orange juice
Produce Ingredients: orange zest and lemon zest
Spices: apple pie spice
Fruit Mixture: For best results use your favorite fruits, enough to fill a large bowl. We suggest cutting fruits into bite sized pieces. Use ripe fruits for a fresh flavor. Suggested fruits include: stone fruits like peaches or nectarines, apples, red grapes, green grapes, pears, oranges, fresh strawberries, fresh blueberries, mangoes, pineapple chunks, papaya or avocado.

Variations:

Orange Juice: Substitute the orange juice for fresh lime juice, pineapple juice or apple juice.

Sugar: Substitute white sugar for brown sugar (light brown sugar or dark brown sugar will work).

Spices: Try a pumpkin pie spice instead of apple pie spice.

Zest: Substitute for lime zest.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: This flavorful fruit salad dressing pairs really well with our Fall Fruit Salad for Thanksgiving and Christmas. A nutrient-dense fruit blend with apples, oranges, grapes, pecans and dried cranberries.

Recommended Tools

Links to our favorite tools are affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link we may get a tiny portion of the sale.

Fine-mesh strainer – This helps remove any small spice particles that you don’t want in your finished fruit salad.

Instructions

This section shows how to make fruit salad dressing on the stovetop, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique. For full step-by-step instructions, photos and nutritional information see the recipe in the recipe card below. You can print the recipe with or without photos.

COMBINE INGREDIENTS: In a small saucepan, mix orange juice, sugar, apple pie spice, zest of 1 lemon and zest of 1 orange.

COOK: Place over medium heat. Whisk to combine. Bring to a low boil and simmer for 3-4 minutes.

STRAIN: Strain in a fine mesh strainer and cool completely.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: Fruit salad doesn’t always have to be sweet. Stef’s delicious Peach Burrata Salad with Cherries, Pistachios and Berries combines refreshing flavors from berries, cherries, fresh peaches, and creamy burrata cheese!

Make Ahead

This delicious fruit salad dressing can be made up to 3 days ahead of time. Cool it completely, transfer to an airtight container or jam jar and store in the fridge until ready to use.

How To Pick Fruit For A Fruit Salad

When you are choosing fruit for a fruit salad make sure you pick lots of different colored fruit. The more colorful a fruit salad is the more scrumptious it looks. Different textures are also a plus, such as crunchy apples, soft berries or juicy oranges. Moreover, combining lots of different kids of fruit ensures a great variety of nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals and fiber. Tip: Use your favorite fresh fruit! Or try to stick to seasonal fruit. Cut enough to fill a big bowl.

Some good choices for our favorite fresh fruits for fruit salad are:

apples and pears
oranges and mandarin oranges
berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries)
seedless grapes
melons (watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew)
peaches and nectarines
tropical fruit (pineapple, kiwi, mango, papaya)

Additionally, you can add toasted nuts for some crunch. We like using pecans, walnuts or almonds. Dried cranberries, poppy seeds, chia seeds or fresh herbs, like basil or fresh mint, for example, are also popular add-ins for fruit salad.

Stef says….

Mangos are a sweet, tropical super fruit packed with over 20 different vitamins and minerals. While I love eating it plain, it also tastes fantastic in a fruit salad. If you ever wondered how to cut a mango, then take a look at my post and you will be an expert in no time.

Recipe Tips

Follow these tips to make the best fall fruit salad dressing.

Tip: Use organic oranges for zest. To avoid ingesting harmful pesticides or additives try to use organic citrus fruits for zesting.
Tip: Use freshly squeezed orange juice. Freshly squeezed orange juice produces the best dressing.
Tip: Don’t skip straining the dressing. This way you wont end up with bigger spice parts or zest in your finished salad. Those might make it look unappetizing.

How To Store

Room Temperature: You can leave the ready made dressing on the counter if you are planning on using it within a couple of hours.

Refrigerate: If you are not using the dressing right away, or in case you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container or jam jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Leftover fruit salad that is already mixed with the dressing will store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days though the fruit will lose freshness after 1-2 days. It is best to eat the next day.

Where To Serve Fruit Salad

Fruit salads are easy to make ahead or take to your next event. Consider making it for one of these:

Showers: Bridal showers or baby showers are a great place to serve a sweet fruit salad.

Cookout: A fruit salad is a beautiful dish for a summer BBQ or backyard summer cookouts. It makes the perfect summer side dish.

Holiday Meal: These are a great addition to a traditional holiday meal.

Common Questions

How do I zest a lemon without a lemon zester?

It’s not a problem if you don’t own a lemon zester. You can also use the fine side of a box grater to rub off the lemon zest. Another way to zest a lemon is using a vegetable peeler. First, peel off very thin slices of lemon peel (avoid the white part) and then chop the lemon peel finely on a cutting board with a knife.

Is it ok to substitute any other sweeteners for the white sugar?

Yes. In fact, you can use any sweetener that you prefer. You could try honey, maple syrup, agave nectar, or coconut sugar. Flavor as well as the degree of sweetness may vary a bit using another sweetener.

Should I use store bought or freshly squeezed orange juice for this dressing?

We prefer freshly squeezed orange juice for this dressing, but you can also use store bought in a pinch.

Fall Fruit Salad Dressing Recipe

Skip the creamy, heavy sauces and learn how to make this easy to make fruit salad dressing full of citrus flavor and fall spices.

Course Dessert, Side Dish

Cuisine American, vegan, vegetarian

Diet Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword how to make fruit salad dressing, recipe for fruit salad dressing, what to serve with fruit salad

Prep Time 2

Cook Time 3

Total Time 5

Servings portion

Calories 250kcal

Author Andrea + Stef

Equipment

small saucepan
whisk
fine-mesh strainer

Ingredients

½ cup orange juice
¼ cup white sugar
¼ teaspoon apple pie spice
zest of 1 lemon
zest of 1 orange

Instructions

In a small saucepan, mix orange juice, sugar, apple pie spice, zest of 1 lemon and zest of 1 orange.
Place over medium heat. Whisk to combine. Bring to a low boil and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
Strain through a fine mesh strainer.
Cool completely and store in the fridge until ready to use.

Nutrition

The post How To Make Fruit Salad Dressing appeared first on Family Dinners.

Fall Fruit Salad For Thanksgiving And Christmas

Andrea + Stef — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 17:23:25 +0000

If you have been looking for a lighter and healthier holiday side dish, then this Thanksgiving fruit salad is the perfect recipe for you. It combines crunchy apples, sweet grapes, tangy oranges, dried cranberries and toasted nuts for the most delicious fruit medley. A sweet and citrusy dressing with just the right hint of warming spices makes this fruit salad out of this world good. Ready in only 10 minutes, spiced apple fruit salad can be served as a side at any holiday dinner. You can even turn it into a mouthwatering dessert by topping it with a scoop of ice cream and a dollop of whipped cream. This is the best fruit salad you will ever make and your family will sure love it.

What is Thanksgiving Fruit Salad?

This fall fruit salad only uses fruit that is in season, like apples, grapes, oranges or pears for example. The fruit is combined with nuts and dried cranberries before being tossed with a sweet and spiced dressing. The dressing is made from orange juice, orange and lemon zest, apple pie spice and some sugar for sweetness. This red and green apple fruit salad goes particularly well with holiday dinners, breakfasts and brunches.

Why You’ll Love This

Notable: crunchy fresh fruit mixed with sweet dried cranberries and a delicious spiced dressing
Main Ingredients: green apples, red apples, dried cranberries, pecans, grapes, navel orange, lemon, orange juice, sugar, apple pie spice
Nutrients: excellent source of fiber and vitamins
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Pairs well with: holiday dinners, holiday breakfast and brunch, roast turkey and chicken
Diets: dairy free, vegetarian, vegan
Special Equipment Needed: sheet pan, apple slicer (optional), small saucepan, fine mesh strainer

Ingredients

You may have all of these spiced Thanksgiving or Christmas fruit salad ingredients in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store. See recipe card below for ingredient amounts and print the recipe.

Pantry Ingredients: sugar, orange juice, pecans, dried cranberries
Produce Ingredients: green apples, red apples, navel orange, grapes, lemon
Spices: apple pie spice

Stef says….

Crunchy and colorful salads are a great way to lighten up the Thanksgiving menu. If you are looking for a more savory salad option, then you have to try my Broccoli Grape Salad. Fresh broccoli florets are combined with sweet grapes, toasty almonds, crunchy celery, flavor-punching bacon and a creamy mayonnaise based dressing.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you are looking to include more fall fruit into your Thanksgiving menu, then you have to try our flavorful Thanksgiving Sangria. It is a bold blend of red wine, sparkling cider, rum and cranberries with a hint of spice! It’s the best cranberry sangria recipe!

Recommended Tools

Fine-mesh strainer – This helps remove any small spice particles that you don’t want in your finished fruit salad.

Apple Slicer – We love this easy to use apple slicer, because it makes cutting up apples for fruit salad, apple pies or apple crisps so much quicker.

Instructions

This section shows how to make holiday fruit salad with dried cranberries, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique. For full step-by-step instructions, photos and nutritional information see the recipe in the recipe card below. You can print the recipe with or without photos.

TOAST THE PECANS: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place pecans on a lined baking sheet and place in the oven while it’s heating up. Remove pecans from the oven when you can smell their aroma. This should be about the same time as when the oven is fully heated. Remove from the oven and cool.

MAKE THE DRESSING: In a small saucepan, mix orange juice, sugar, apple pie spice, zest of 1 lemon and zest of 1 orange. Place over medium heat. Whisk to combine. Bring to a low boil and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Strain in a fine mesh strainer and cool completely.

COMBINE AND SERVE: Core and slice apples to bite sized pieces. Toss apples with juice from half a lemon to prevent browning. Cut the peel off the orange and cut into bite sized pieces. In a large bowl, mix apples, dried cranberries, toasted pecans, grapes and oranges. Drizzle dressing over the fruit and toss to combine. Serve.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love fruity thanksgiving side dishes then you’ll love Stef’s amazing Cranberry Jello Salad. Not only do the bright and zesty flavors of raspberry, cranberry, and orange taste delicious, but this dish also looks stunning and is a real holiday showstopper.

Make Ahead

We do not recommend assembling this apple fruit salad too far ahead of time. Even though tossing the apples in lemon juice will prevent them from browning too quickly, they will turn slightly brown eventually. However, you can prepare certain components of this fruit side dish in advance.

NUTS: You can toast the pecans up to week ahead of time. Make sure they are completely cold before transfering them into a dry airtight container.

DRESSING: The dressing can also be made up to 3 days ahead of time. Cool it completely, transfer to an airtight container or jam jar and store in the fridge until ready to use.

Autumn Fruit Salad Recipe Tips

Follow these tips to make the best spiced apple fruit salad.

Tip: Use fresh, firm apples. Crunchy apples have the best texture for this fruit salad. If they are blemished or mealy they are not enjoyable to eat.
Tip: Toss apples in lemon juice. This prevents the apples from browning too quickly.
Tip: Use organic oranges for zest. To avoid ingesting harmful pesticides or additives try to use organic citrus fruits for zesting.
Tip: Assemble right before serving. This ensures most freshness and makes the fruit salad look irresistible.

How To Store

Refrigerate: We recommend making this spiced fruit salad fresh and serve it immediately. This way all the fruit will look fresh and most appetizing. Leftover fruit salad can be stored in an airtight container or ziploc bag in the fridge for 1-2 days. Even though the overall appearance might not be as fresh anymore after 1 or 2 days of storage, the holiday fruit salad will still taste great.

Common Questions

How do I zest a lemon without a lemon zester?

How long ahead of time can I make this salad?

Although we recommend making the salad fresh right before serving, it can be stored in the fridge for 1-2 days. Alternatively, you can toast the pecans and prepare the dressing a couple of days ahead of time, and therefore speed up assembly when ready to serve.

What apple brands are best for Thanksgiving fruit salad?

For the red apples we recommend using Fuji apples, Honeycrisp apples, Jazz apples, Gala apples or even Red Delicious apples. For the green apples we chose Granny Smith apples.

Can I add any other ingredients to this fruit salad?

Of course! You can add some diced pear, pomegranate seeds, slices of mandarin oranges, kiwi or walnuts to this fall fruit salad.

Thanksgiving Fruit Salad

This colorful thanksgiving fruit salad is full of apples and citrus flavors. A homemade dressing adds sweetness and warm fall spices.

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American, vegan, vegetarian

Diet Gluten Free, Low Fat, Low Lactose, Low Salt, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword apple fruit salad, spiced fruit salad, thanksgiving fruit salad recipe

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings servings

Calories 223kcal

Author Andrea + Stef

Equipment

baking sheet
small saucepan
whisk
fine-mesh strainer
apple slicer and knife
large bowl

Ingredients

Fruit Salad Ingredients:

2 medium green apples
2 medium red apples
¾ cup dried cranberries
1 cup pecans
1 cup grapes
3 medium navel oranges
1 medium lemon juiced

Dressing Ingredients:

½ cup orange juice
¼ cup white sugar
¼ teaspoon apple pie spice
zest of 1 lemon
zest of 1 orange

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place pecans on a baking sheet and place in the oven while it’s heating up. Remove pecans from the oven when you can smell them, about the same time the oven is fully heated. Remove from the oven and cool.
In a small saucepan, mix orange juice, sugar, apple pie spice, zest of 1 lemon and zest of 1 orange.
Place over medium heat. Whisk to combine. Bring to a low boil and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
Strain in a fine mesh strainer and cool completely.
Core and slice apples to bite sized pieces. Toss apples with juice from half a lemon to prevent browning.
Cut the peel off the orange and cut into bite sized pieces.
In a large bowl, mix apples, dried cranberries, toasted pecans, grapes and oranges.
Drizzle dressing over the fruit and toss to combine. Serve.

Notes

Serve immediately or refrigerate until you serve.
Refrigerate the fruit salad for 1-2 days.

Additions or substitutions:

Add diced pear instead of the green apples.
Add pomegranate seeds.

Nutrition

The post Fall Fruit Salad For Thanksgiving And Christmas appeared first on Family Dinners.

Chicken Injection Recipe

Andrea + Stef — Sat, 10 Sep 2022 11:11:00 +0000

This quick and easy to make chicken injection recipe adds incredible flavor to a whole roast chicken and makes the meat moist and tender. It is as easy as whisking together melted butter, fresh lemon juice, chicken broth and spices. Inject the flavorful marinade all over the chicken, let rest for 30 minutes and roast in the oven until cooked through. Using this simple but rewarding injection technique, you can turn every roast chicken into an incredible meal that your family will love.

What is Chicken Injection Marinade?

Chicken injection marinade is usually a butter based mixture that can also contain chicken broth, lemon juice, garlic powder, pepper or other seasonings. Using a meat injector (syringe), the marinade is directly injected into the meat to add flavor and keep the meat juicy and moist during cooking. It is especially helpful to keep breast meat of whole chickens and turkeys from drying out while roasting. Use as a chicken injection for rotisserie chicken or a chicken injection for oven roasted chicken or even a chicken injection for smoked chicken.

Why You’ll Love This

Notable: chicken meat turns out moist and tender with a yummy lemon and garlic flavor
Main Ingredients: low sodium chicken broth, unsalted butter, lemon juice, garlic powder and black pepper
Cooking Method: no bake
Cooking Time: 5 minutes prep time and 10 minutes rest time
Pairs well with: whole roast chicken
Diets: keto friendly, gluten free
Special Equipment Needed: mixing bowl, whisk, meat injector syringe

Ingredients

You may have all of these chicken injection ingredients in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store. See recipe card below for ingredient amounts and print the recipe.

Pantry Ingredients: low sodium chicken broth
Refrigerated/Frozen Ingredients: unsalted butter
Produce Ingredients: fresh lemon juice
Spices: garlic powder, black pepper

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: If you love roasting whole chickens then you’ll love Stef’s Herb Roasted Chicken Recipe. This flavor-bursting one-dish meal will fill your home with the most delicious aroma and is a must have for your recipe box.

Instructions

This section shows how to make a chicken injection mixture, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique. For full step-by-step instructions, photos and nutritional information see the recipe in the recipe card below. You can print the recipe with or without photos.

PREPARE THE MARINADE: Firstly, whisk together the melted butter, lemon juice and chicken broth in a small bowl. Next, add garlic powder and black pepper and stir. Then let rest for 10 minutes. Before using, whisk thoroughly once more.

INJECT THE CHICKEN: Prepare the chicken by patting it dry with paper towels. Then load marinade into the meat injector, and slowly inject into multiple spots in the chicken. We gently lifted the chicken skin so we didn’t have to pierce the skin. Be sure to really work the breast meat. Discard any leftover marinade.

CHILL: Cover the injected chicken with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Marinate chicken in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 6 hours.

WHAT TO MAKE NEXT: Combine this flavor boosting injection technic with our delicious Convection Oven Roast Chicken recipe. Inject the whole chicken with the lemon butter blend, then season with a homemade spice rub to produce the most delicious roast chicken dinner.

Recommended Tools

Meat Injector Syringe – This recipe requires a meat injector. We used a stainless steel injector as it is easy to use and comes apart for quick and thorough clean up.

Make Ahead

You can make the marinade and inject it into your chicken up to 6 hours ahead of time. Make sure you cover the chicken tightly with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Stef says….

I love roasting whole chickens, because they are easy to make and taste wonderful. But even after the yummy meat is eaten you can still make the most flavorful Homemade Chicken Stock using the leftover bones.

Andrea says….

This simple injection technique makes a huge difference in how juicy the meat of a roast chicken turns out. But not only does it add moisture, it also adds just the right hint of lemon flavor to the chicken. It really turns a plain roast chicken into a spectacular meal!

Recipe Tips

Follow these tips to make the best chicken injection recipe.

Tip: Use fresh lemon juice. We prefer freshly squeezed lemon juice, because it adds a more intense flavor and tastes fresher than bottled lemon juice.
Tip: Make sure the marinade is smooth. If the butter is not completely melted or there are any larger bits of spices in the marinade the injector needle might clog.
Tip: Inject the marinade into the breast meat multiple times. Breast meat has a tendency of drying out during cooking, injecting marinade helps prevent that.
Tip: Allow more resting time. The chicken absorbs more of the marinade when it rests a bit longer. (up to 6 hours)

How To Store

We recommend preparing this chicken injection recipe fresh, right before using. It is not suitable for storage. Do not safe any leftover injection mix.

Common Questions

Can I save any leftover marinade for a later use?

Unfortunately that is not possible. While injecting the chicken with marinade the injector needle touches raw chicken and therefore comes in direct contact with unsafe bacteria, like salmonella for example. The bacteria is then transfered from the poultry to the marinade when you reload your meat injector. It is therefore very important to discard any leftovers.

What other spices can I add to the marinade?

You can also try adding paprika, smoked paprika, onion powder, or for a spicy twist, add some chili powder or cajun seasoning. Additionally you can try Worcestershire sauce or finely ground dried herbs such as thyme, rosemary, basil or oregano. Make sure there are no large bits though, as they might clog the needle of your flavor injector.

How long does an injected chicken need to rest before roasting in the oven?

We recommend letting the chicken chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or up to 6 hours.

Lemon Butter Chicken Injection Recipe

Flavorful blend of melted butter, lemon juice, chicken broth and spices bring the juiciness of roast chicken to another level.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword chicken injection recipe, how to make chicken injection marinade

Prep Time 20

Chill time 30

Total Time 50

Servings chicken

Calories 877kcal

Author Andrea + Stef

Equipment

mixing bowl
whisk
meat injection syringe

Ingredients

1 cup low sodium chicken broth
½ cup unsalted butter melted
1 lemon juiced
2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter, lemon juice and chicken broth.
Add garlic powder and black pepper and stir. Let stand for 10 minutes, and stir through once more before using.
Prepare the chicken by patting dry with paper towels. Load marinade into the meat injector, and slowly inject into multiple spots in the chicken. We gently lifted the chicken skin so we didn’t have to pierce the skin. Be sure to really work the breast meat. Discard extra.
Cover and refrigerate. Marinate chicken in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 6 hours.

Nutrition

The post Chicken Injection Recipe appeared first on Family Dinners.

Chopped Asparagus Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

Andrea + Stef — Fri, 20 May 2022 16:51:00 +0000

Nothing beats a colorful, fresh and tasty salad when you are looking for a healthy lunch or dinner option. This beautiful vegetarian chopped asparagus salad with lemon vinaigrette ticks all the boxes.

It is packed with tons of delicious crunchy vegetables, creamy feta cheese and tangy olives. The homemade lemon vinaigrette adds just the right amount acidity and seasoning, and best of all, it only takes 20 minutes to make this scrumptious dish.

You can add some protein like grilled meat or fish to turn this easy salad recipe into a complete meal and serve it with some crusty bread. Asparagus and chickpea salad also makes an incredibly yummy gluten free and keto friendly side dish. You will love the blend of flavors and textures of this Greek inspired salad.

❤️ WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS FRESH SALAD RECIPE

✔️ This Greek inspired salad is full of fresh and healthy vegetables and ready in only 20 minutes.

✔️ The easy lemon vinaigrette uses simple ingredients but adds tons of flavor. If you are low on time you can use store bought dressing.

✔️ This nutritious salad is veget aria n, gluten free as well as keto friendly. It’s healthy and full of protein.

✔️ You can serve this beautiful asparagus and chickpea salad as a side or main dish.

ASPARAGUS SALAD INGREDIENTS

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for gluten free chopped asparagus salad, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

You may have all of these keto friendly asparagus side dish ingredients in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store. See recipe card below for ingredient amounts.

Asparagus: We recommend using thin green asparagus for this recipe. Make sure you trim off the woody ends.
Mixed Greens: Use whatever leafy greens you prefer.
Chickpeas: Also known as garbanzo beans, need to be thoroughly rinsed to remove the canned flavor.
Grape Tomatoes: We used grape tomatoes, because they are the perfect size for a chopped salad. You can also use cherry tomatoes, for example, or regular tomatoes cut into 1 inch pieces.
English Cucumber: Adds a nice, fresh crunch to the salad.
Red Onion
Kalamata Olives: They add a nice tangy flavor to the salad.
Feta Cheese
Olive Oil: We prefer using extra virgin olive oil. Try to use high quality olive oil with this salad as the flavor of the oil really comes through.
Lemon Juice: For best flavor use freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Dried Oregano
Salt
Black Pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

This section shows how to make asparagus and chickpea salad, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique. For full instructions, nutritional information, to print the recipe or to have the recipe scaled to double or triple, see the recipe card below.

PREPARE: Boil the asparagus for 2 minutes. Then transfer to an ice water bath to cool. Remove from the water and pat dry.

🔴 TIP: Trim the woody ends off the asparagus, these will stay hard and are no joy to eat. You can skip parboiling, if you enjoy raw asparagus.

MAKE DRESSING: Combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk well to emulsify.

🔴 TIP: Skip making a dressing. If you don’t want to make your own dressing, use ¼ cup of your favorite store bought dressing.

MAKE SALAD: Add all the prepared salad ingredients to a large bowl.

TOSS: Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Serve.

TIPS FOR THE BEST CHOPPED SALAD

Follow these tips to make the best chopped asparagus salad with lemon vinaigrette.

✔️ Trim the woody ends off the asparagus. If you hold each end with a hand and bend it should break at the point where the woody end snaps off. Do that for one piece then cut the rest at the same point.

✔️ Cut asparagus into 1-1.5″ pieces. If you don’t enjoy the tips just discard them.

✔️ Cut other ingredients into bite sized pieces.

✔️ Rinse the canned chickpeas. Giving them a thorough rinse will get rid of the “canned” taste.

✔️ Whisk the salad dressing well to emulsify. Pour over the salad immediately.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH SALAD

Serve asparagus salad as a healthy lunch, with a side of delicious bread or flavorful sandwich. We love Garlic French Bread, Garlic Knots, Copycat Lionhouse Rolls, Hot Ham and Cheese Sandwich bites or 3 Cheese Bombs, for example. You can even add some protein, such as grilled chicken, salmon, shrimp or steak.

This colorful, scrumptious and keto friendly chopped salad also works as a phenomenal side dish for Air Fryer Salmon, Air Fryer Tilapia, or Grilled Chicken Marinade with Lemon. To complete the meal serve some fluffy baked potatoes or grilled baked potatoes.

MORE SALAD RECIPES

If you love love asparagus salad you’ll enjoy our delicious Italian Salad, Antipasto Tortellini Salad, Salmon Pasta Salad, Greek Salad or fresh Caprese Salad.

Are you also a big fan of asparagus? Then you also enjoy our easy Air Fryer Asparagus and Air Fryer Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

For perfect results every time, here are answers to the most common questions about cooking chopped asparagus salad with lemon vinaigrette.

Can I add some protein to this salad?

Of course! Add a cooked or grilled chicken, steak, shrimp, salmon, or tofu to the top of this salad to make it a complete meal. You could also add some quinoa.

How long can I store homemade vinaigrette in the fridge?

Generally, homemade vinaigrettes can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Shake or whisk again before using.

Is this salad vegan?

This salad is vegetarian, gluten free and keto friendly, but because we use regular feta for this recipe the salad is not vegan. But you can simply leave out the cheese or substitute vegan feta to make vegan chopped asparagus salad.

Chopped Asparagus Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

Delicious chopped asparagus salad with lemon vinaigrette dressing has feta, chickpeas, pecans and is a keto friendly vegetarian dish.

Course Salad, Side Dish, Vegetable

Cuisine American, Greek

Keyword asparagus salad with lemon vinaigrette, asparagus side dish, chopped asparagus and chickpea salad, gluten free salad, keto friendly salad

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 5

Total Time 20

Servings servings

Calories 300kcal

Author Andrea + Stef

Equipment

medium pot
knife and cutting board
bowls
whisk
spoons

Ingredients

¼ lb asparagus (about half a bunch) trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
4 cups mixed greens
15 oz can chickpeas drained and rinsed
1 cup grape tomatoes halved
1 English cucumber peeled and diced
½ cup red onion diced
½ cup kalamata olives pitted
½ cup feta cheese crumbled

Dressing Ingredients:

3 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
⅛ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

Fill a medium pot half full of water. Bring to a boil. Add asparagus and cook for 2 minutes. Remove asparagus and place in a bowl of ice water. Let cool, then drain and pat dry.
In a salad bowl, combine mixed greens, asparagus pieces, tomato halves, chickpeas, diced cucumbers, diced red onion, olives and crumbled feta cheese.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt and pepper.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
Serve as a side salad or as a main dish.

Notes

You can skip parboiling the asparagus if you enjoy raw asparagus.
If you don’t want to make your own dressing, use ¼ cup of your favorite dressing.
This recipe is gluten free, vegetarian and keto friendly.

Nutrition

The post Chopped Asparagus Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette appeared first on Family Dinners.

Limoncello Cake Loaf with Limoncello Glaze

Andrea + Stef — Tue, 17 May 2022 03:30:42 +0000

If you’re looking for an extra special dessert for an adults-only tea party, brunch, picnic or anytime, this elegant limoncello cake loaf with limoncello glaze is it. Super moist and full of bright flavor, our limoncello quick bread is–as the name says–baked with limoncello liqueur and it’s topped with a sweet, boozy limoncello glaze. (For a non-alcoholic version, use lemon juice instead.)

Limoncello glazed lemon bread is easy to make and freezer friendly, so be sure to make extra and you’ll be ready next time a party breaks out!

Are you a lemon lover? Check out Andrea’s 50 lemon recipes you’re sure to love.

WHAT IS LIMONCELLO CAKE LOAF?

This limoncello cake loaf is a boozy take on lemon bread. It’s full of lemony taste thanks to the limoncello in the batter and the glaze. Limoncello is an Italian liquor made from the zest of lemons, sugar, water, and, of course, alcohol.

❤️ WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS LIMONCELLO BREAD RECIPE

✔️ Moist, light and full of zesty lemon flavor

✔️ Perfect stand-out dessert for special adults-only occasions. It’s a fun recipe to make for New Years Eve or other occasions.

✔️ Quick bread is easy to make and easy to follow these instructions!

✔️ It’s freezer-friendly!

INGREDIENTS

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for limoncello lemon quick bread, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

You may have all of these limoncello bread ingredients in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store. See recipe card below for ingredient amounts.

All-purpose Flour: Cake flour can be substituted, just add an additional 2 tablespoon for each cup of all-purpose flour. If the recipe calls for 1 cup of all-purpose flour, use 1 cup and 2 tablespoon of cake flour.
Baking Powder: (not baking soda)
Salt
Vegetable Oil
Sugar
Sour Cream: Plain Greek yogurt, plain regular yogurt or créme fraîche can be used as substitutes for sour cream.
Limoncello: You could substitute lemon vodka for limoncello or, if serving to children, use lemon juice.
Lemon: We’re going to use lemon juice and zest.
Eggs
Vanilla Extract

VARIATIONS

You can use this limoncello cake loaf with limoncello glaze as a base recipe and add these fun variations!

Add Berries – Make this a raspberry lemon cake or blueberry lemon cake by adding the kind of berries you like best.

Add Toppings – Try a cream cheese frosting it rather than doing a glaze, or add some lemon curd and whipped cream. Feeling fancy? Try adding some white chocolate curls.

Make it an Orange Loaf – Switch all lemon juice and lemon zest for orange juice (or Grand Marnier) and orange zest.

Non-alcoholic – Substitute lemon juice for limoncello.

INSTRUCTIONS

This section shows how to cook limoncello glazed lemon bread in the oven, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique. For full instructions, nutritional information, to print the recipe or to have the recipe scaled to double or triple, see the recipe card below.

PREP: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×5 or 8×4 inch bread pan with non-stick cooking spray or line it with parchment paper to make sure the bread doesn’t stick to the pan.

🔴 TIP: You can substitute limoncello with vodka or lemon juice (for a non-alcoholic version).

MIX DRY INGREDIENTS: In a large bowl, add flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine.

MIX WET INGREDIENTS: In a separate medium bowl, combine oil, sugar, sour cream, limoncello, lemon zest, eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk until fully mixed. You can use a hand mixer or standing mixer on a low setting. Do not overmix.

COMBINE INGREDIENTS: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients bowl. Gently fold together until just combined. Do not overmix your batter.

FILL PAN: Pour the bread batter into the pan.

BAKE: Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick poked into the center of the bread comes out with crumbs on it.

🔴 TIP: If the top of your bread is browning to quickly, loosely tent with foil

COOL: Let the limoncello loaf rest for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on a cooling rack.

GLAZE: Make the glaze by mixing the powdered sugar and limoncello. Whisk until smooth. Pour the glaze over the loaf once it’s fully cooled.

🔴 TIP: Cool before glazing. If you glaze the loaf before it is fully cooled the glaze will melt and run off the bread.

SLICE: Let glaze set then slice and eat.

RECOMMENDED TOOLS

Bread Pan – A 9×5 or 8×4 inch bread pan baking dish works perfectly for this recipe. It’s just the right size. You could also make this in a bundt pan or use circular cake pans. Just be aware that some cakes may cook faster if they are thinner.

TIPS FOR THE BEST LIMONCELLO LOAF

Follow these tips to make the best limoncello cake loaf:

✔️ Do not overmix the batter. Some flour mixture should not be mixed in when you finish mixing.

✔️ Line your baking pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking.

✔️ Keep a close eye on the last 10-15 minutes of cooking. Loosely cover your loaf with foil if it is beginning to get too brown. This will allow it to continue cooking but will slow the browning of the top.

✔️ Allow the loaf to cool completely before topping with glaze.

STORAGE TIPS

Counter/Refrigerator: Limoncello cake loaf can be stored in an airtight container or zip top bag for 2-3 days on the counter. Or store in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Freeze: Can be frozen in a Ziploc freezer bag or an airtight plastic container for up to 3 months.

Defrosting: Let the lemon quick bread sit at room temperature for a couple of hours or overnight.

MORE LEMON LOAF RECIPES

If you love limoncello cake loaf, you’ll enjoy our lemon bread, blueberry lemon bread, raspberry lemon bread, cream cheese filled blueberry lemon bread or chocolate rum muffins.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

For perfect results every time, here are answers to the most common questions about cooking limoncello cake loaf.

What exactly is limoncello?

Limoncello is an Italian liqueur with a smooth, sweet taste and a bright, intense lemon flavor. It is typically made with alcohol (vodka or grappa) as its base liquor. You can make your own by steeping lemon zest in vodka and then adding simple syrup. The longer it sits and ages, the better it is.

Can I use lemon juice instead of limoncello?

Yes, if you wish to make this cake non-alcoholic, you can substitute all the limoncello with lemon juice.

Does limoncello freeze?

Limoncello liqueur can be stored in the freezer for 1 to 2 years, but it will not freeze solid because of high alcohol content.

Can I freeze limoncello cake?

You can freeze this limoncello lemon quick bread for up to 3 months.

Limoncello Cake Loaf

The best limoncello cake loaf recipe! This boozy lemon bread is a fun quick bread to make for any occasion.

Course Bread

Cuisine American, vegetarian

Keyword boozy lemon cake, limoncello bread, limoncello cake bread, limoncello cake loaf, limoncello glazed cake loaf, limoncello glazed lemon bread, limoncello lemon quick bread

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 55

Servings slices

Calories 490kcal

Author Andrea + Stef

Ingredients

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
3 tablespoon limoncello
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Glaze Ingredients

1 cup powdered sugar
3-4 tablespoon limoncello

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F and assemble ingredients for limoncello loaf cake.
Spray a 9×5 or 8×4 inch bread pan with non-stick cooking spray or line it with parchment paper to make sure the bread doesn’t stick to the pan.
In a large bowl, add flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine.
In a separate medium bowl, combine oil, sugar, sour cream, limoncello, lemon zest, eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk until fully mixed.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients bowl. Gently fold together until just combined. Do not overmix your batter. (Some flour mixture should not be mixed in when you finish mixing.)
Pour the bread batter into the bread pan lined with parchment to prevent sticking.
Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick poked into the center of the bread comes out with crumbs on it. Keep an eye on your loaf the last 10-15 minutes of cooking.
Let the limoncello loaf rest for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on a cooling rack.
Make the glaze by mixing the powdered sugar and limoncello. Whisk until smooth.
Pour the glaze over the loaf once it’s fully cooled.
Let glaze set then slice and eat.

Notes

If children will be eating this bread, use lemon juice instead of limoncello in the glaze.
If the top of your bread is starting to get too brown, loosely tent with foil.
If you glaze the loaf before it is fully cooled the glaze will melt and run off the bread.
You could substitute lemon vodka for limoncello if you don’t have any limoncello.

Nutrition

The post Limoncello Cake Loaf with Limoncello Glaze appeared first on Family Dinners.

Shrimp Fettuccine with Creamy Lemon Garlic Sauce

Andrea + Stef — Mon, 02 May 2022 16:37:40 +0000

Give your dinner routine a little zing! Our shrimp fettuccine with creamy lemon garlic sauce is full of bright and buttery flavor. Like shrimp fettuccine alfredo but better, it combines two simply delicious recipes — lemon butter shrimp and pesto fettuccine — in one easy meal. In just 30 minutes, this pasta recipe becomes the perfect flavor wake-up call for your weekly dinner menu.

Pair this with our easy, cheesy garlic rolls or copycat Lion House rolls. It’s the perfect way to ensure you don’t miss a drop of that delicious sauce!

Are you a lemon lover? Check out these 50 lemon recipes.

❤️ WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS SHRIMP FETTUCCINE

✔️ Just one skillet to clean up when you’re done!

✔️ Delicious comfort food with the perfect balance of cream and herbs.

✔️ 19 grams of protein per serving.

✔️ Only 30 minutes from start to finish.

INGREDIENTS

You may have all of the ingredients for creamy lemon garlic shrimp fettuccine in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store. See recipe card below for ingredient amounts.

Fettuccine: You can use fresh or dried fettuccine noodles. You can also substitute other long noodles if you don’t have fettuccine.
Olive oil
Butter: We’re using unsalted butter.
Shrimp: We recommend using fresh shrimp for best results. If using frozen shrimp, thaw firsthand pat dry before cooking.
Garlic: Fresh garlic is best but you can used minced garlic in the jar.
Red pepper flakes: This adds just a bit of heat but you can omit it if you prefer.
Lemon: You’ll need a fresh lemon for the juice and zest.
Salt & pepper: Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.
Flour
Chicken broth
Heavy cream
Pesto: You can use store-bought pesto or make your own with Stef’s pesto recipe.
Parmesan cheese: You can grate your own or purchase refrigerated, fresh-grated parmesan to save time.

INSTRUCTIONS

If you’d like to print this creamy shrimp fettuccine recipe, scroll down to the recipe card where you can print the recipe or have it scaled to double or triple. You’ll also find nutrition information.

PREP: You can cook the pasta in the same pot as you’ll make your shrimp fettuccine, or use a different pot to make things go a little quicker. Boil pasta in salted water until al dente (or tender). Measure and prepare ingredients while pasta is boiling.

COOK SHRIMP: Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat. In a bowl, mix 3 minced garlic cloves, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Add shrimp and coat. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When the olive oil is hot, add 2 tablespoons of butter, melt. Add the shrimp to the hot pan. Cook and flip shrimp for approximately 4-5 minutes or just until shrimp are curled and cooked through. Remove shrimp and seasonings to a bowl. Set aside.

🔴 TIP: Shrimp are perfectly cooked when they are pink and curl into a letter C shape. Shrimp become tough when overcooked.

MAKE CREAM SAUCE: Melt 2 tablespoons butter in the same pan. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and saute 30 seconds. Add the flour to make a roux and whisk together for 1 minute, then reduce heat to low. Slowly whisk in chicken broth, heavy cream and pesto. Continue whisking until the sauce is smooth. Turn heat to medium high. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Heat approximately 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened. Reduce heat to low. Add in lemon juice and Parmesan cheese until melted.

COMBINE: Add the shrimp with juices and pasta to the sauce. Stir until well coated in sauce. Season with additional salt, pepper to taste. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan Cheese, fresh parsley and lemon juice.

⚠️ TIPS FOR THE BEST SHRIMP FETTUCCINE

✔️ Cook the fettuccine al dente. That means it’s cooked through but still firm, not mushy.

✔️ Use fresh lemon juice.

✔️ When zesting a lemon, avoid zesting the white part of the peel. This pith is bitter.

✔️ Make sure all your ingredients are measured and nearby when making your cream sauce. This part goes quickly and requires your full attention and constant whisking so you won’t be able to leave the sauce to get another ingredient.

STORAGE TIPS

Don’t throw out your leftovers! You can store them for later!

Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Freeze: Due to the nature of the cream sauce, this does not freeze well after it’s been cooked.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH CREAMY FETTUCCINE

Enjoy shrimp fettuccine with a simple salad, some roasted vegetables and some bread. Don’t forget the dessert!

MORE PASTA RECIPES

While we love creamy lemon garlic shrimp fettuccine, we also love some of these other recipes and think you will as well.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How do you know when shrimp is done?

A perfectly cooked shrimp has an opaque pink color with a sheen and is firm enough to curl into a nice C shape.

Can you cook raw shrimp in a pan?

Cooking shrimp in a skillet or pan with a little butter or oil is one of the easiest ways to do it.

Shrimp Fettuccine with Creamy Lemon Garlic Sauce

This creamy lemon garlic shrimp fettuccine is the perfect way to add some zip to your dinner routine!

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword fettuccine alfredo, garlic butter shrimp fettuccine, lemon garlic shrimp pasta, pesto pasta, shrimp fettuccine alfredo

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Servings servings

Calories 409kcal

Author Andrea + Stef

Equipment

1 skillet to sauté shrimp
1 large sauce pan to boil pasta

Ingredients

8 ounces fettuccine
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 tablespoon butter unsalted
1 pound medium raw shrimp peeled and deveined
6 garlic cloves minced divided
½ tspn red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon lemon zest
½ tspn salt
¼ tspn pepper
2 tablespoon flour
¾ cup chicken broth
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup pesto
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

Boil pasta in salted water until al dente.
Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When the olive oil is hot, add 2 tablespoons of butter, melt.
In a bowl, mix 3 minced garlic cloves, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Add shrimp and coat.
Add the shrimp to the hot pan. Cook and flip shrimp for approximately 4-5 minutes or just until shrimp are curled and cooked through.
Remove shrimp and seasonings to a bowl. Set aside.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in the same pan. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and saute 30 seconds.
Add the flour to make a roux and whisk together for 1 minute, then turn heat to low.
Slowly whisk in chicken broth, heavy cream and pesto. Continue whisking until the sauce is smooth.
Turn heat to medium high. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Heat approximately 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened.
Reduce heat to low. Add in lemon juice and Parmesan cheese until melted.
Add the shrimp with juices and pasta to the sauce. Stir until well coated in sauce.
Season with additional salt, pepper to taste.
Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan Cheese, fresh parsley and lemon juice.

Notes

Serve while hot. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days. Does not freeze well.
Serve with your favorite salad or steamed vegetables.

Nutrition

The post Shrimp Fettuccine with Creamy Lemon Garlic Sauce appeared first on Family Dinners.

Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp

Andrea + Stef — Sat, 16 Apr 2022 21:14:17 +0000

Looking for an easy seafood dish? This simple shrimp recipe is a keeper. Cooking shrimp has never been easier or more delicious than with this lemon garlic butter shrimp skillet. Succulent shrimp are sautéed in a rich and zesty lemon garlic butter sauce. And, when we say these pan seared lemon garlic shrimp cook up FAST, it’s no joke. Keep an eye on them!

Serve this easy shrimp recipe with vegetables, rice or pasta, for an easy, healthy weeknight meal. Don’t forget to make our easy cheesy garlic rolls or copycat Lion House rolls so you can soak up every last drop of that mouth-watering lemon garlic butter sauce.

❤️ WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS SHRIMP RECIPE

✔️ From start to finish these take 20 minutes to cook.

✔️ 32 grams of protein per serving (4 servings total).

✔️ Easy cleanup! No dirtying lots of dishes.

✔️ Fresh mild taste for those who love lemon.

LEMON GARLIC BUTTER SHRIMP INGREDIENTS

You may have all of the ingredients for lemon garlic butter shrimp in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store. See recipe card below for ingredient amounts.

Butter: Use unsalted butter.
Minced garlic: You can mince it yourself or use minced garlic in the jar.
Shrimp: Fresh is best but you can use frozen raw deveined shrimp with stems. Just thaw completely and pat dry.
Lemon: Fresh lemon juice and lemon zest are a must for this dish.
Salt & pepper: Fresh-ground black pepper and kosher salt to taste. You can also add red pepper flakes if you like a little heat.
Parsley: We use chopped fresh parsley, but dried parsley is ok in a pinch.
Lemon zest
Water

Here are 50 sweet lemon recipes to help you keep things zesty.

INSTRUCTIONS

If you’d like to print this recipe, scroll down to the recipe card where you can print the recipe or have it scaled to double or triple. You’ll also find nutrition information.

PREP: Mince garlic and parsley. Zest the lemon, squeeze it and measure your salt, pepper and butter.

🔴 TIP: When zesting a lemon, only remove the yellow rind. Removing the white pith will contribute a bitter flavor.

COOK: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and garlic for 1 minute. Add shrimp, salt, pepper, parsley, lemon zest. Cook 2 minutes on each side until just beginning to turn pink. Add 2 tablespoons of butter, lemon juice and water. Stir frequently until butter is melted and shrimp are fully cooked. These shrimp will cook up fast so keep an eye on them. Remove from heat.

GARNISH & SERVE: Serve with fresh parsley and lemon wedges.

TIPS FOR THE BEST GARLIC BUTTER SHRIMP

Follow these tips to make the best shrimp in a skillet.

✔️ Prep your ingredients before cooking. Shrimp cook very quickly so get all your ingredients prepped before you begin cooking.

✔️ Don’t skimp on the lemon zest. Lemon zest (just the yellow peel, not the white part) is an important part of the recipe. If you have access to a lemon, definitely don’t omit the zest!

✔️ Watch the shrimp closely. Shrimp cook quickly so don’t walk away from the skillet. Shrimp are done when they’re pink and curled. Overcooking shrimp can make them tough.

STORAGE TIPS

Refrigerate: Store shrimp in an air-tight container for 3-4 days.

Freeze: Freeze shrimp in airtight containers, heavy-duty freezer bags, or wrapped tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil for 10-12 months. We do not recommend refreezing cooked shrimp that was previously frozen raw.

Defrosting: Thaw cooked shrimp in the refrigerator overnight.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH SHRIMP

We recommend serving a couple vegetables and a starch with your shrimp. Consider a crusty Garlic Bread or Garlic Knots, Easy cheesy garlic rolls or noodles or Instant Pot Jasmine Rice.

MORE LEMON GARLIC RECIPES

Love garlic butter?? Try these other delicious recipes:

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT SHRIMP

Should you marinate shrimp in lemon?

If you want to marinate your shrimp in lemon before cooking, don’t allow them to sit for more than 15 minutes or the acid will start to cook the shrimp and make them mushy.

Can you cook raw shrimp on a pan?

Cooking shrimp in a skillet or pan is one of the easiest ways to do it. Once your butter has melted and the garlic has softened in the pan, simply add your shrimp and they will cook in 5-10 minutes (depending on size and number of shrimp you cook at once).

What can you season shrimp with?

Similar to chicken, shrimp can take on the flavor of almost any seasoning you throw at it. Our lemon garlic butter sauce is an easy and delicious classic seasoning for sauteed shrimp.

How do you know when shrimp is done?

A perfectly cooked shrimp has an opaque pink color with a sheen and is firm enough to curl into a nice C shape.

Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp

Succulent shrimp sautéed in a rich and zesty lemon garlic butter sauce.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword easy shrimp recipe, lemon butter shrimp, lemon butter shrimp skillet, pan seared shrimp, sauteed shrimp

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Servings servings

Calories 180kcal

Author Andrea + Stef

Equipment

1 skillet or frying pan

Ingredients

¼ cup butter divided
6 cloves garlic minced
2 lbs uncooked shrimp peeled, deveined
2 tablespoon lemon juice fresh squeezed
½ tspn salt
½ tspn pepper
2 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 tablespoon water

Instructions

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add 2 tablespoons of butter and garlic for 1 minute.
Add shrimp, salt, pepper, parsley, lemon zest. Cook 2 minutes on each side until just beginning to turn pink.
Add 2 tablespoons of butter, lemon juice and water. Stir frequently until butter is melted and shrimp are fully cooked. Remove from heat.
Serve with fresh parsley and lemon wedges.

Nutrition

The post Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp appeared first on Family Dinners.

Grilled Chicken Marinade with Lemon

Andrea + Stef — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 04:29:48 +0000

This grilled chicken marinade with lemon is incredibly fast to make and produces the most delicious grilled chicken thighs you have ever tasted. A blend of fresh lemon, tangy soy sauce, brown sugar and herbs will take your grilled chicken to the next level.

We have chosen bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for this chicken marinade recipe, but you can also grill chicken legs or small chicken breasts if you prefer. The marinade is ready to use in only five minutes. You can even marinate your chicken overnight in the fridge for a quick meal prep the next day.

If you don’t feel like heating up the grill, we have also included instructions on how to cook this fabulous chicken meal in the air fryer, Instant Pot or oven.

❤️ WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS GRILLED CHICKEN MARINADE RECIPE

✔️ This marinade has the perfect blend of sweet and savory making these chicken thighs addictive!

✔️ The marinade only takes 5 minutes to make.

✔️ Marinade chicken for 30 minutes and up to 24 hours ahead to make dinner prep easier.

✔️ Finally, grilled chicken that isn’t dry!

GRILLED CHICKEN MARINADE WITH LEMON INGREDIENTS

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for lemon soy chicken marinade, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

You may have all of these lemon soy chicken marinade ingredients in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store. See recipe card below for ingredient amounts.

Olive Oil
Lemon juice: For best flavor use fresh lemon juice.
Brown Sugar: Light brown or dark brown sugar work well in this recipe. You can substitute honey for the brown sugar if you’d like.
Soy Sauce: If you’re cooking gluten free, make sure you use gluten free soy sauce.
Lemon Zest: For best results use fresh and bright yellow lemons. Make sure you only use the yellow part of the lemon peel and not the white one. The white part, also called pith, tastes bitter and might ruin the flavor of your lemon chicken. See more recipes with lemon.
Fresh Parsley
Dried Thyme
Salt
Pepper
Garlic
Chicken Thighs: We use bone-in and skin-on chicken thighs for this recipe. However, you can also use chicken legs or small chicken breasts with skin if you prefer.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Enjoy this great lemon soy marinade recipe as a great addition to a Grilled Baked Potato, Garlic Knots and some fresh fruit. If you’re cooking this inside, consider some Creamy Mashed Potatoes and Air Fryer Broccoli.

INSTRUCTIONS

This section shows how to marinate chicken thighs and how to grill chicken thighs with step-by-step photos and details about the technique. For full instructions, nutritional information, to print the recipe or to have the recipe scaled to double or triple, see the recipe card below.

MAKE THE MARINADE: Place all the ingredients, except the chicken, in a large bowl. Whisk until everything is well combined. Add chicken thighs to the bowl, rotating to cover completely in the marinade. Cover the bowl and let marinate for 30 minutes on the counter or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.

🔴 TIP: If you don’t own a lemon zester, you can also use the fine side of a box grater to rub off the lemon zest or a vegetable peeler. First, peel off very thin slices of lemon peel (avoid the white part) and then chop the lemon peel finely on a cutting board with a knife.

GRILL: Heat your grill to medium high. Place marinated chicken thighs on the preheated grill. Turn every 5 minutes until chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165ºF at the thickest part. It should take about 20-25 minutes to cook.

The length of time it takes to cook it depends on the temperature of the chicken when it’s put on the grill, the size of the chicken and the exact temperature of the grill.

GARNISH AND SERVE: Arrange chicken thighs on a platter, garnish with parsley and lemon slices and serve.

You might want to put some lemon slices on the grill for the last 5 minutes of the chicken cooking for a grilled lemon garnish. Serve with grilled baked potatoes and fresh fruit.

RECOMMENDED TOOLS

Grill – This recipe requires a grill. You can use an outdoor grill or an electric grill intended for indoor use. Do not use a gas or charcoal grill inside. This is the indoor grill we use and love.

OTHER WAYS TO COOK LEMON SOY CHICKEN

AIR FRYER: To cook in an air fryer, cook at 380ºF for about 10-25 minutes, flipping once in the middle.

OVEN: To cook in the oven, cook at 400ºF in a baking dish or on a sheet pan for 30-40 minutes.

INSTANT POT: To cook in an Instant Pot, add ⅓ cup of chicken stock to the pot. Add chicken. Close the lid, lock and seal vent. Cook for 7 minutes. Allow 5 minutes of natural release time. Manually release then unlock the lid.

⚠️ TIPS FOR THE BEST GRILLED CHICKEN THIGHS

Follow these tips to make the best tender grilled chicken.

✔️ Pat the chicken skin dry. Drying the chicken with a paper towel before seasoning ensures the marinade will penetrate the chicken more.

✔️ Season under the skin. For more flavorful chicken meat, rub some of the marinade under the chicken skin as well. Then pull the skin back over the chicken and cover the outside with marinade.

✔️ Don’t crowd together while grilling. Leave a little space between your thighs on the grill.

✔️ Rotate every 5-10 minutes. Rotating and flipping the chicken on the grill will help prevent areas from becoming too charred before the chicken is cooked through.

STORAGE TIPS

Storing your food properly is important to prevent spoiling or food poisoning.

Refrigerate: Store grilled lemon soy chicken thighs in an airtight container or ziploc bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freeze: Grilled chicken marinade with lemon is best eaten fresh. However, you can freeze the chicken thighs in an airtight and freezer safe container or ziploc freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. We do recommend freezing uncooked chicken thighs rather than cooked ones.

Defrosting: A great way to defrost frozen chicken thighs is in the fridge overnight.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH GRILLED CHICKEN

Serve chicken thighs with a healthy side dish and some bread. Consider making these Copycat Lion House Rolls, Artichoke Rice Salad, or Cheesy Garlic Knots.

MORE CHICKEN RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How do I zest a lemon without a lemon zester?

Are there other ways to cook this dish besides grilling?

Yes, you can also cook the chicken in the air fryer at 380ºF for about 10-25 minutes flipping it once, in the oven at 400ºF for 30-40 minutes or in the Instant Pot. For the Instant Pot, add ⅓ cup of chicken stock in the pot. Add chicken, close the lid, lock, and seal the vent. Cook for 7 minutes. Allow 5 minutes of natural release time. Manually release then unlock the lid.

Can I marinate the chicken overnight?

Yes, you can marinate the chicken overnight in a covered bowl in the refrigerator. Do not leave the meat on the counter for more than 30 minutes of marinating time, as it is not food safe.

Is it OK to use other chicken parts for this recipe?

Yes, you can also use boneless or skinless chicken thighs, drumsticks as well as skinless or skin-on chicken breasts. Cooking times may vary though. Make sure to test that the internal temperature of your meat has reached 165ºF.

Grilled Chicken Marinade with Lemon

This insanely good grilled chicken is crispy brown on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside and full of amazing flavors.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword grilled chicken marinade, grilled lemon soy chicken thighs, how to grill chicken thighs, lemon soy marinade

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 25

Servings chicken thighs

Calories 354kcal

Author Andrea + Stef

Equipment

large bowl
whisk
lemon zester or box grater
knife and cutting board
Grill
tongs or spatula

Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves chopped
1½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
6 cloves of garlic minced
6 chicken thighs bone-in with skin

Garnish:

fresh chopped parsley
lemon slices

Instructions

Place all the ingredients, except the chicken, in a large bowl.
Whisk until well combined.
Add chicken to the bowl, rotating to cover completely in the marinade.
Cover the bowl and let marinate for 30 minutes on the counter or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
Heat the grill to medium heat. Place chicken on the grill.
Turn every 5 minutes until chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165ºF at the thickest part. The length of time it takes to cook it depends on the temperature of the chicken when it's put on the grill, the size of the chicken and the exact temperature of the grill. It should take about 20-25 minutes to cook.
Arrange chicken thighs on a platter, garnish with parsley and lemon slices and Serve.

Notes

AIR FRYER: To cook in an air fryer, cook at 380ºF for about 10-25 minutes, flipping once in the middle.

OVEN: To cook in the oven, cook at 400ºF in a baking dish for 30-40 minutes.

INSTANT POT: To cook in an Instant Pot, add ⅓ cup of chicken stock in the pot. Add chicken. Close the lid, lock and seal vent. Cook for 7 minutes. Allow 5 minutes of natural release time. Manually release then unlock the lid.

Put some lemon slices on the grill for the last 5 minutes of the chicken cooking for a grilled lemon garnish.

Serve with grilled baked potatoes and fresh fruit.

Nutrition

The post Grilled Chicken Marinade with Lemon appeared first on Family Dinners.

Cream Cheese Filled Blueberry Lemon Bread

Andrea + Stef — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 06:43:05 +0000

We love the combination of lemons and blueberries. You must try our cream cheese filled blueberry lemon bread recipe. This insanely good combination of a blueberry lemon quick bread with a cheesecake filling is fluffy, moist, full of flavor and simply to die for.

To add another hint of sweetness, we topped our blueberry cream cheese lemon loaf with a drizzle of lemon icing. If you love lemon bread and lemon cake, you will love this cheesecake lemon blueberry bread.

You can serve this oven baked bread for breakfast, brunch or dessert. It would also be a great addition to an afternoon tea or potluck.

❤️ WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS LEMON BREAD

✔️ The cheesecake filling is just the right combination of sweet and tart, adding a brilliant juxtaposition to the lemon bread.

✔️ It’s never going to go bad in your fridge because it’ll all be eaten.

✔️ The lemon loaf is perfectly moist.

✔️ The glaze on top brings all the flavors together.

CREAM CHEESE FILLED BLUEBERRY LEMON BREAD INGREDIENTS

You may have all of these blueberry cream cheese lemon loaf ingredients in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store. See recipe card below for ingredient amounts.

All-purpose flour: You can substitute cake flour in a pinch. To substitute, add an additional 2 tablespoon for each cup of all-purpose flour. So, if the recipe calls for 1 cup of all-purpose flour, use 1 cup and 2 tablespoon of cake flour.
Baking Powder
Salt
Vegetable Oil: Canola oil can be substituted.
Sugar
Sour cream: Regular or reduced fat sour cream should work just fine. Plain Greek yogurt, plain regular yogurt or créme fraîche can be used as substitutes for sour cream.
Lemon Juice: For best flavor use freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Lemon Zest: For best results use fresh and bright yellow lemons. Make sure you only use the yellow part of the lemon peel and not the white one. The white part, also called pith, tastes bitter and might ruin the flavor of your lemon quick bread.
Eggs
Vanilla Extract
Fresh Blueberries: You can also use frozen in a pinch.
Cream Cheese: Soften it beforehand. We like to take it out of the fridge an hour before using.

SUBSTITUTIONS

Buttermilk – Use buttermilk instead of sour cream in a pinch.
Blueberries – Fresh blueberries can be replaced by frozen ones, or any other kind of berry that you prefer.

INSTRUCTIONS

If you’d like to print this recipe, scroll down to the recipe card where you can print the recipe or have it scaled to double or triple. You’ll also find nutrition information.

PREHEAT OVEN: Preheat your oven to 350ºF.

PREPARE PAN: Prepare a 9×4 inch loaf pan. Spray your bread pan with non-stick cooking spray or line it with parchment paper. This will make a large loaf so we don’t recommend using a smaller pan.

COMBINE WET INGREDIENTS: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the vegetable oil, sugar, sour cream, fresh squeezed lemon juice, lemon zest, 2 eggs and vanilla extract.

WHISK: Whisk wet ingredients until fully mixed.

COMBINE DRY INGREDIENTS: In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Then set the flour mixture aside.

🔴 TIP: Make sure your teaspoon is leveled off when adding your baking powder. Do not add extra baking powder.

COMBINE WET AND DRY INGREDIENTS: Pour wet ingredients from the medium bowl into the large bowl of the dry ingredients. Gently mix until almost combined.

TOSS BLUEBERRIES WITH FLOUR: In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of flour with the blueberries. Gently mix to coat.

ADD BLUEBERRIES TO BATTER: Add the blueberries to the batter. Using a spatula, gently stir until all the ingredients are combined.

POUR INTO PAN: Pour lemon blueberry bread batter into the prepared pan.

MAKE CREAM CHEESE FILLING: In a separate medium bowl make the cream cheese filling. Combine softened cream cheese, ¼ cup of sugar, 2 tablespoons of flour, and 1 egg. Use a hand mixer to beat until smooth.

ADD CREAM CHEESE FILLING: Spoon cream cheese mixture onto the top of the batter then use a spatula or knife to spread it out and swirl it into the batter a little.

BAKE: Bake for 70-75 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted and comes out with only a few moist crumbs on it.

🔴 TIP: When inserting a toothpick to determine doneness it is best to test near the center of the bread to get the best representation of doneness. If the toothpick is gooey it is not yet done baking. If there are crumbs on it then it is done.

REMOVE FROM OVEN: Remove from the oven and let cool for 10-20 minutes in the pan, then remove to a cooling rack.

MAKE THE GLAZE: Mix powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to make the glaze. For a less lemony taste, use water in the glaze instead of lemon juice.

GLAZE LOAF: Once bread is completely cool, drizzle the top with your glaze.

SERVE: Slice the blueberry cream cheese lemon loaf and serve.

⚠️ TIPS FOR THE BEST CREAM CHEESE FILLED BLUEBERRY LEMON BREAD

✔️ Stir and loosen your flour before measuring. Spoon the loosened flour into your measuring cup. Use a flat utensil to level off the measuring cup.

✔️ Be careful not to overmix the blueberry lemon loaf batter when combining the wet and dry ingredients. Overmixing may cause the bread to become dense, form air pockets inside or bake unevenly.

✔️ Check the bread at the 45 minute mark, and when it is beginning to get overly brown on top, loosely tent with foil until it is completely cooked to prevent the bread from burning.

✔️ If you add the glaze before the bread is completely cool, it will melt and soak into the loaf. For a nice white glaze drizzle, wait till your bread has cooled completely before adding it.

STORAGE TIPS

Refrigerate: Blueberry cream cheese lemon loaf can be stored in an airtight container or zip top bag for 2-3 days. Because of the cream cheese filling, we recommend storing the bread in the fridge rather than the counter.

Freeze: Blueberry cream cheese lemon bread can be frozen in a Ziploc freezer bag or an airtight plastic container for up to 3 months.

Defrosting: Let the blueberry lemon quick bread defrost in the fridge overnight.

MORE LEMON BREAD RECIPES

Don’t miss Stef’s Lemon Cream Cheese Cookie Bars, the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins, or Cherry Cheesecake Hand Pies along with these lemon bread recipes:

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How do I keep my cream cheese filled blueberry lemon bread from sinking in the middle?

To avoid the disappointment of a sunken quick bread, make sure you measure out all the ingredients correctly, especially the baking powder. Be careful not to overmix the batter, because this can lead to a dense and unevenly baked loaf. Also make sure you do not underbake your bread. Insert a toothpick into the center of the bread and only if it comes out clean (or with a few moist crumbs stuck to it) you can remove the loaf from the oven.

How do I zest a lemon without a lemon zester?

Can I use frozen blueberries in this quick bread recipe?

Yes, you can try frozen blueberries instead of fresh ones. It is important NOT to defrost the berries before adding them to the batter. Toss the frozen berries with a tablespoon of flour before adding them to the batter. You might have to increase the baking time of the loaf bread by a couple of minutes.

Cream Cheese Filled Blueberry Lemon Bread

This moist and fluffy quick bread is the perfect combination of cheesecake, lemon and fresh blueberries. It is absolutely delicious and almost impossible to put down.

Course Bread, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword blueberry lemon quick bread, cheesecake lemon blueberry bread, cheesecake quick bread, cream cheese filled lemon blueberry bread

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 15

Servings slices (1 loaf)

Calories 601kcal

Author Andrea + Stef

Equipment

9×4 inch loaf pan optional: parchment paper
large mixing bowl
medium mixing bowls
whisk
hand mixer
small bowls
spatula or knife
cooling rack

Ingredients

Blueberry Lemon Loaf Ingredients:

1¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus 1 tablespoon divided
2 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
¼ cup lemon juice
2 tablespoon lemon zest about 2 medium to large lemons
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup blueberries

Cream Cheese Filling Ingredients:

8 oz cream cheese softened
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 egg

Glaze Ingredients:

1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350ºF.
Prepare a 9×4 inch loaf pan. Spray your bread pan with non-stick cooking spray or line it with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, combine 1¾ cups of all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the vegetable oil, sugar, sour cream, fresh squeezed lemon juice, lemon zest, 2 eggs and vanilla extract.
Whisk wet ingredients until fully mixed.
In a separate medium bowl make the cream cheese filling. Combine softened cream cheese, ¼ cup of sugar, 2 tablespoons of flour, and 1 egg. Use a hand mixer to beat until smooth.
In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of flour with the blueberries. Gently mix to coat.
Pour wet ingredients from the medium bowl into the large bowl of the dry ingredients. Gently mix until almost combined.
Add blueberries to batter. Using a spatula, gently stir until all the ingredients are combined.
Pour batter into the prepared pan.
Spoon cream cheese mixture onto the top of the batter then use a spatula or knife to spread it out and swirl it into the batter a little.
Bake for 70-75 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted and comes out with only a few crumbs on it. Loosely cover with foil after 45 minutes to prevent the top from burning.
Remove from the oven and let cool for 10-20 minutes in the pan, then remove to a cooling rack.
Mix powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to make the glaze.
Once the bread is completely cool, drizzle the top with your glaze.
Slice and serve.

Notes

Make sure your teaspoon is leveled off when adding your baking powder. Do not add extra baking powder.

Be careful not to overmix the lemon loaf batter when combining the wet and dry ingredients. Overmixing may cause the bread to become dense, form air pockets inside or bake unevenly.

When inserting a toothpick to determine if the bread is cooked completely and it still has gooey batter on it, then it is not quite done yet. It is best to test near the center of the bread to get the best representation of doneness.

If you add the glaze before the bread is completely cool, it will melt and soak into the loaf. For a nice white glaze drizzle, wait till your bread has cooled completely before adding.

For a less lemony taste, add water to the glaze instead of lemon juice.

Do not use a smaller bread pan.

Nutrition

The post Cream Cheese Filled Blueberry Lemon Bread appeared first on Family Dinners.

Pan Seared Tilapia with Lemon Butter

Andrea + Stef — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 16:50:16 +0000

Our pan seared tilapia with lemon butter is super easy to make and comes together in only 15 minutes. This great weeknight dinner is most likely the best white fish recipe you have ever tasted. Slightly crispy on the outside and tender and flaky on the inside this mouthwatering dish will soon become a staple on your dinner menu.

To perfectly flavor this mild tasting fish, we seasoned the tilapia with a delicious spice rub before cooking it and then topped it with a piece of scrumptious lemon parsley butter.

Pan seared tilapia is very versatile and goes well with most side dishes. We love serving it with butter noodles, rice, baked potatoes, steamed or roasted vegetables and a salad.

❤️ WHY YOU’LL LOVE PAN SEARED TILAPIA

✔️ Quick and easy! This recipe only takes 15 minutes from start to finish.

✔️ Keto friendly and gluten free!

✔️ 35 grams of of protein for each serving.

✔️ Pan seared tilapia can be paired with so many meals and side dishes.

PAN SEARED TILAPIA WITH LEMON BUTTER INGREDIENTS

You may have all of these lemon butter white fish ingredients in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store. See recipe card below for ingredient amounts.

Jump to Recipe

Tilapia Filets: Tilapia is a flaky white fish that is very mild in taste. Since it has no overwhelming fishy taste it works great in combination with bold flavors like lemon, herbs or garlic.
Garlic Powder
Coarse Salt
Black Pepper
Paprika: We used regular paprika, but if you are a big fan of smoky flavor you can also try smoked paprika.
Lemon Zest: For best results use fresh and bright yellow lemons. Make sure you only use the yellow part of the lemon peel and not the white one. The white part, also called pith, tastes bitter and might ruin the flavor of your lemon chicken.
Olive oil: You can also use avocado oil.
Salted Butter
Lemon Juice: For best flavor use fresh lemon juice.
Fresh Parsley

POSSIBLE VARIATIONS

Tilapia works great with this recipe, but in case you don’t have any at hand you can also try other kinds of fish like: SALMON, HALIBUT or TROUT.

Instead of lemon parsley butter you can top your pan seared tilapia with any compound butter you prefer. We also love these flavored butter ideas:

CILANTRO LIME BUTTER – With just three simple ingredients, this flavorful herb butter adds a fresh and zesty flavor to meat, fish and shrimp.
GARLIC BUTTER – If you are a big fan of garlic, you can add some finely minced garlic to our recipe or make your own version of garlic butter.
OTHER HERBS – You can add your favorite herbs instead of parsley to create your own compound butter flavor. Try a mixture of different kinds of herbs.

INSTRUCTIONS

If you’d like to print this recipe, scroll down to the recipe card where you can print the recipe or have it scaled to double or triple. You’ll also find nutrition information.

PREPARE LEMON PARSLEY BUTTER: Mix all the ingredients in a food processor. Spoon onto plastic wrap and shape into a cylinder. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to harden. For more detailed instructions on how to prepare the lemon parsley butter, how to best store leftovers and lots of suggestions on how to use compound butter, check out our recipe for Lemon Butter.

DRY FISH: Pat tilapia dry with a paper towel.

BLEND SPICES: Mix garlic powder, salt, pepper, paprika, and lemon zest in a bowl. For spicier tilapia, add a pinch or two of chili pepper to the rub.

🔴 TIP: If you don’t own a lemon zester you can also use the fine side of a box grater to rub off the lemon zest or a vegetable peeler. First, peel off very thin slices of lemon peel (avoid the white part) and then chop the lemon peel finely on a cutting board with a knife.

RUB WITH OIL: Rub tilapia filets with oil.

RUB IN SPICES: Rub seasoning mix onto all sides of tilapia.

HEAT SKILLET: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with non-stick cooking spary.

COOK FISH: Add the tilapia filets. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the edges turn white (opaque). Turn your filets over and finish cooking the other side for 2-3 minutes until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily. It should reach an internal temperature of 140ºF.

🔴 TIP: Cooking time may vary depending on the temperature of the pan, the thickness of the fish and the internal temperature of the fish when you started cooking it.

TOP WITH LEMON BUTTER: Turn off the heat. Add 1 tablespoon of parsley lemon butter to the top of each filet. Save the rest of the lemon butter for another meal. You can store the rest of the lemon parsley butter in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to a month.

SERVE: Remove from the pan and serve with lemon slices and fresh parsley.

AIR FRYER INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare tilapia according to skillet instructions.
Cook at 400ºF for 4 minutes on each side in the air fryer.
Use an instant read thermometer to make sure the fish reached an internal temperature of 140ºF.
Remove from the air fryer. Add 1 tablespoon of lemon parsley butter to the top of each filet. Serve.

⚠️ TIPS FOR THE BEST PAN SEARED FISH

✔️ Make sure your fish is firm and fresh. Mushy or smelly fish will not taste good.

✔️ Mix your seasonings before coating the fish. This will help ensure your fish gets evenly coated with the seasonings.

✔️ Use fresh lemon. While you can use a bottle of lemon juice and skip the lemon zest, the fish will taste a lot better if you use fresh lemon. When zesting the lemon, make sure to only zest the outer yellow part of the rind, not the white part.

✔️ Do not overcook. Thin fish like tilapia cooks quickly so check the internal temperature or try to flake it with a fork then remove from the heat as soon as it’s cooked through.

STORAGE TIPS

Storing your food properly is important to prevent spoiling or food poisoning.

Refrigerate: Let the pan seared tilapia cool completely. Then store in an airtight container or ziploc bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freeze: Lemon butter tilapia is best eaten fresh. However, you can freeze leftovers in an airtight and freezer safe container or ziploc freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Defrosting: A great way to defrost is in the refrigerator overnight.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH TILAPIA

We enjoy this tilapia recipe with roasted vegetables, over rice or noodles or with some Homemade Dinner Rolls or Lion House Rolls Copycat.

MORE TILAPIA RECIPES

While we love tilapia with lemon butter we also love some of these other recipes and think you will as well.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is compound butter?

Compound butter is softened butter that is creamed together with other ingredients such as herbs, spices, lemon, lime, or garlic.

Can I make compound butter without a food processor?

Of course! Make sure your butter is softened before you start making the flavored butter. Add butter to a mixing bowl and beat with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Add your seasonings and mix until well combined. Then shape and chill your compound butter.
You can even whip up your butter by hand using a spatula or whisk, then stir in the flavorings. Shape and chill.

Can I make this lemon butter white fish recipe is cooking?

Yes, you can!
Prepare tilapia according to skillet instructions. Then cook at 400ºF for 4 minutes on each side in the air fryer. Use an instant read thermometer to make sure the fish reached an internal temperature of 140ºF. Remove from the air fryer and top each filet with 1 tablespoon of lemon parsley butter. Serve.

Pan Seared Tilapia with Lemon Butter

This perfectly seasoned flaky tilapia is topped with fresh lemon and parsley butter and simply tastes amazing.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword easy tilapia recipe, lemon butter tilapia, pan seared tilapia, tilapia with lemon butter

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 5

Servings filets

Calories 402kcal

Author Andrea + Stef

Equipment

Food Processor
spoon or spatula
plastic wrap or parchment paper
mixing bowl
large skillet
cooking spatula

Ingredients

Tilapia Ingredients:

4 tilapia filets 6 ounce
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon coarse salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ tsp paprika
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil

Parsley Lemon Butter:

½ cup salted butter
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped

Garnish:

lemon slices
fresh chopped parsley

Instructions

Prepare Parsley Lemon Butter:

Mix all the ingredients in a food processor. Spoon onto plastic wrap and shape into a cylinder. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to harden.

Prepare Tilapia:

Pat tilapia dry with a paper towel.
Mix garlic powder, salt, pepper, paprika, and lemon zest in a bowl.
Rub tilapia filets with oil.
Then rub seasoning mix onto all sides of the tilapia.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with non-stick cooking spary.
Add the tilapia filets. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the edges turn white (opaque). Turn your filets over and finish cooking the other side for 2-3 minutes until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily. It should reach an internal temperature of 140ºF.
Turn off the heat. Add 1 tablespoon of parsley lemon butter to the top of each filet. Save the rest of the lemon butter for another meal.
Remove from the pan and serve with lemon slices and fresh parsley.

Notes

You can store the rest of the lemon parsley butter in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to a month.

Cooking time may vary depending on the temperature of the pan, the thickness of the fish and the internal temperature of the fish when you started cooking it.

For spicier tilapia, add a pinch or two of chili pepper to the rub.

AIR FRYER INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare tilapia according to skillet instructions.
Cook at 400ºF for 4 minutes on each side in the air fryer.
Use an instant read thermometer to make sure the fish reached an internal temperature of 140ºF.
Remove from the air fryer. Add 1 tablespoon of lemon parsley butter to the top of each filet. Serve.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Serve with butter noodles, rice, baked potatoes, steamed veggies or a salad.

Nutrition

The post Pan Seared Tilapia with Lemon Butter appeared first on Family Dinners.