Pan-Seared Rainbow Trout with Lemon-Chive Butter

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-25 · Updated 2026-06-25

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

Fresh rainbow trout pan-seared to golden perfection and topped with a bright lemon-chive butter sauce reminiscent of Colorado’s mountain streams. This American-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 15 minutes, pairs rainbow trout fillets, salt, black pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 2, 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.

Prep: 5 min Cook: 10 min Serves 2 American cuisine 320 cal/serving

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Ingredients

2 fillets (6 oz each) rainbow trout fillets
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp chopped fresh chives
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest

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Instructions

Step 1: Pat dry 2 rainbow trout 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.
Step 2: Place trout fillets skin-side down in the hot skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes until the skin is crisp and golden. Carefully flip and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
Step 3: Reduce heat to low and add 4 tbsp unsalted butter to the pan. Once melted, stir in 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives, 1 tbsp lemon juice, and 1 tsp lemon zest. Spoon the lemon-chive butter over the trout fillets for 1 minute to coat and serve immediately.