Chili Crisp Salmon | foodiecrush.com

A simple marinade makes this Chili Crisp Salmon silky and buttery with a caramelized crust for a main dish that cooks in under 10 minutes.

No longer seen as an exotic ingredient, chili crisp has been having its day over the past few years. This spunky, crunchy condiment is typically spooned over just about any Asian dish to spice things up with a balanced bite of chili garlic flavor. In my Chili Crisp Salmon recipe, I mix bottled chili crisp (you can find it at nearly any grocery store) with honey, soy sauce, and mirin to make a flavorful marinade for mild-flavored salmon filets. Like my miso cod recipe, the marinated salmon steeps in the fridge anywhere from 3 hours to 48 hours, infusing flavor the longer it sits. The result? Tender, succulent bites of caramelized salmon that are hard to overcook and ready to eat in under 10 minutes.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• The recipe needs just 4 pantry staple ingredients to add tons of flavor to fresh or frozen salmon filets and is equally delicious served warm, chilled, or at room temperature.
• This chili crisp salmon recipe takes just minutes to prep and pop in the fridge for 3 hours up to 48, patiently waiting until you’re ready to cook it.
• The recipe can easily be doubled, tripled, or even quadrupled for large groups or made as is for intimate parties of two.
• Use this recipe in weekly meal prep for serving warm or chilled over salads, noodles, or mixed with Japanese mayo as a spread.

What’s in Chili Crisp Salmon

• Salmon filets—I’ve used skinless and skin-on salmon filets for this recipe and both work equally well. Atlantic, coho, or sockeye salmon pair well with this marinade.
• Honey—Adding sweetness that contributes to the caramelization of the salmon when cooked, honey helps create a candied character to the finished dish.
• Spicy chili crisp—The name says “spicy” but according to my heat meter, the heat is more flavorful than hot. Chili crisp and chili crunch are essentially the same: Chili peppers steeped in oil with aromatics like garlic, onion, fermented soybeans, and sometimes peanuts. I like this authentic brand of chili crisp best because the pepper flakes blend in the oil better than others I’ve tried.
• Soy sauce—Soy sauce adds saltiness and umami. Choose a good-quality brand and check the expiration date if you have it on hand. If using Maggi seasoning sauce, start with 1 tablespoon and taste before deciding on adding more.
• Mirin—Similar to sake but a little sweeter and easily found at the grocery store, mirin helps tenderize this fish and balance soy’s salted flavor.
• Toasted sesame seeds or furikake rice seasoning—Used as a garnish, these two add a little something extra

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

How to Make Chili Crisp Salmon

• Prepare the salmon and place it snugly in a baking dish or bowl. So that the salmon cooks evenly, you may need to trim the thinner end of the salmon from the fatter part. Trim off the flat part and cut into two 6-ounce portions. Or, if there’s no thin part, cut the filet into two 8-ounce portions. Place the salmon in a small baking dish.
• Prepare the chili crisp marinade. Heat the honey, chili crisp, soy sauce, and mirin in a small saucepan and cook until the honey is loose and syrupy, for 1-2 minutes. Pour the marinade into a bowl or measuring cup to cool before adding to the salmon.

• Pour the marinade over the salmon and refrigerate for 3 hours up to 48 hours. Make sure the marinade gets under the salmon filet and also on top. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate. I’ve found the longer it sits, the better it gets.
• Flip the salmon halfway through marinating time. You want both sides to get maximum exposure to the liquid. Don’t worry if the liquid becomes a bit watery over time, it’s just the marinade doing its job of expelling moisture from the fish.
• Bake the fish for 5-8 minutes on the top rack of a 425°F oven. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment (for easy clean-up) and place on a rack closest to the broiler. This helps caramelize the outside of the fish.
• Finish with toasted sesame seeds or furikake rice seasoning. Serve the salmon, warm, cold, or at room temperature with sprinkles of sesame or rice seasoning.

FAQ and Recipe Tips

• If you’re one who likes extra saucey bites, double the marinade recipe and save the extra for serving with the cooked salmon.
• I like marinating my salmon for at least 24 hours and up to 48 hours for the best flavor. Plus, a long soak makes the fish nearly impossible to overcook.
• Bake the salmon on the top rack closest to the broiler for a roasted, caramelized outside crisp.

How to Air Fry the Salmon

To air fry the salmon, line the basket with parchment paper. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F then cook for 5 minutes or until caramelized and cooked through.

Ingredient Substitutions

• This marinade works well for a variety of fleshy fishes like cod or halibut.
• Add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil for added richness.
• Use agave syrup instead of honey.

Storage Tips

Regrigerate the salmon in an airtight container for up to 4 days or wrapping tightly with plastic wrap and storing in a freezer bag for up to 1 month.

What to Serve With Chili Crisp Salmon

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.