Golden pan-seared Chilean sea bass with a glossy citrus-chili sauce. Impressive without making dinner complicated.
In a small saucepan, combine ½ cup fresh orange juice, 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice, 1½ Tbsp honey, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 1½ tsp sambal or chili-garlic sauce and 1 finely grated garlic clove. Simmer over medium heat for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced and glossy. Remove from the heat and whisk in 1 Tbsp unsalted butter. Keep warm.
Pat 2 Chilean sea bass fillets (about 6 oz each) completely dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with ¾ tsp kosher salt and ¼ tsp black pepper total. Dry fish gives you the crust. Wet fish gives you steam.
Set a heavy skillet over medium-high heat and preheat for about 2 minutes. Add 1 Tbsp avocado oil or another high-heat oil. When it shimmers, carefully place the fish in the pan, leaving room between fillets.
Sear without moving for 4–5 minutes until golden and the fish releases easily. Flip carefully, lower the heat to medium-low, and cook another 3–5 minutes, depending on thickness. For a food-safety target, check the thickest part for 145°F. If the outside browns before the center cooks through, transfer an oven-safe skillet to a 425°F oven for 2–4 minutes.
If needed, gently rewarm the citrus-chili sauce over low heat, stirring. Avoid a hard boil after adding the butter so the sauce stays smooth.
Place one golden sea bass fillet on each plate. Spoon a little warm citrus-chili sauce over and around the fish without covering the entire crisp surface. Serve immediately.
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