Pan-Seared Lake Fish with Herb Butter and Wild Rice

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-12 · Updated 2026-05-12

Fresh lake fish fillets pan-seared to golden perfection, served with a nutty wild rice pilaf infused with fresh herbs from the region. This American-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 60 minutes, pairs salt, black pepper, unsalted butter for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 380 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 4 fillets (6 oz each) white fish fillets (e.g. perch, walleye)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
• 1 cup wild rice
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 small, minced shallot
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon zest

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Rinse and drain 1 cup wild rice. In a medium saucepan, sauté 1 minced shallot in 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat for 2 minutes until translucent. Add wild rice and toast for 2 minutes.
2. Step 2: Add 2 1/2 cups chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 40-45 minutes until rice is tender and liquid absorbed.
3. Step 3: Pat dry 4 fish fillets and season both sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish fillets skin-side down and cook for 4-5 minutes until edges are crispy.
4. Step 4: Flip the fillets and add 4 tbsp unsalted butter, 2 tbsp chopped parsley, and 1 tbsp chopped dill to the pan. Spoon melted herb butter over fish while cooking for an additional 3-4 minutes until cooked through.
5. Step 5: Stir 1 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tsp lemon zest into the cooked wild rice. Serve fish atop the wild rice, spooning extra herb butter from the pan over the top.