Baked Salmon with Sweet Chili Sauce
The spicy-sweet chili glazed salmon is loaded with so many layers of incredible flavors thanks to a sweet chili sauce, an Asian chili garlic sauce which adds some heat and garlic, Dijon mustard, and honey. It’s a flavor bomb powerhouse that gives the salmon fabulous flavor and it’s as easy drizzling 4 key ingredients over the salmon. The salmon is very lightly crisped on the outside and rarer on the inside because a softer and really tender center is how I enjoy my salmon the most. The contrast of the exterior versus the interior of the salmon is great. This recipe is perfect for busy weeknight dinners and since the salmon is made on one sheet pan, it makes clean up a breeze. It’s elegant-tasting yet fuss-free so you can serve it when you’re entertaining.
What’s in the Sweet Chili Salmon?
For this awesomely flavorful salmon recipe, you’ll need 5 key ingredients (the final 3 are optional):
Salmon Olive Oil Sweet Chili Sauce Chili Garlic Sauce Honey Lemon Juice, optional for garnishing Basil, cilantro, or parsley, optional for garnishing Salt and pepper, optional (rarely do I not use either but did not here because the sauces have enough salt and heat for us)
What Kind Of Salmon Should I Use?
I used one large skin-on piece weighing 1.75 pounds. Anything from 1.50 to 2 pounds is perfect. You can use pre-portioned center-cut salmon filets, they’re usually about 6 to 8 ounces each (so you’d want 3 to 4 for the amount of sauce called for in this recipe), but they are more expensive ounce-for-ounce so I generally tend to purchase larger pieces. I buy farm-raised salmon because it’s more cost effective but if you want to splurge and get wild salmon or Alaskan river salmon, which has a much deeper more red color, it would be incredible here.
How to Make Sweet Chili Salmon
Simply place the salmon on the sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, stir together the sweet chili sauce, chili garlic sauce, and honey and spoon that over the salmon. Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes, then broil for 5 to 8 minutes, and you’re set to dig in.
A Note About Cooking Times
Baking times will vary based on the thickness of your salmon. Cook until it’s done, and be careful not to overcook it. Salmon is done when it flakes easily with a fork. Unless it’s really pink/reddish in the center, it’s done. When in doubt, I opt for slightly undercooked than overcooked. Overcooked fish is dry and terrible. This particular piece of salmon had a fairly small footprint, but it was very thick on one edge. Place the thick edge towards the back of your oven. You would never guess that something so ‘small’ looking overall weighed 1.75 pounds. Bake your salmon first at 375F for about 10 to 15 minutes, and if you have a convection oven, use it. Then, broil it for 5 to 8 minutes, or until it’s done.
Why Bother Broiling the Salmon?
You could bake it the whole time and skip the broiling but I really love the tiny bit of charred edges the broiler lends. It is natural that the sauce that falls off the salmon and pools around the edges will get a little bit black around the edges. This is normal and easily removed with a spoon or blotted away with a paper towel. Anytime you are broiling, keep an extremely watchful eye on it because it can go from a little underdone looking to burnt in less than a minute.
What to Serve with Sweet Chili Salmon
This salmon with sweet chili sauce pairs nicely with the following:
Steamed rice Cauliflower rice Roasted broccoli Sautéed green beans Simple green side salad
Tips for Making Sweet Chili Glazed Salmon
My salmon had a slight bit of a kick because I used 2 heaping tablespoons of chili garlic sauce which packs a punch. If you’re sensitive to heat, use less or omit it all together. Be sure to buy salmon with the skin on. The skin adds lots of flavor to the dish, and you can eat it! If you wind up with leftover salmon, I prefer enjoying it cold atop salads rather than reheating it. Reheating seafood never tastes quite right!
Favorite Salmon Recipes:
Chile Lime Salmon with Mango Avocado Salsa – Tender and INCREDIBLE salmon with mango salsa that’s bursting with Mexican FLAVORS to complement the fish!! So EASY and ready in 15 minutes!! Tried this recipe? Leave a review! Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes!
Sheet Pan Orange Chili Salmon – Make restaurant-quality salmon at home in 30 minutes! Easy and packed with so much flavor from orange juice, honey, and chili seasoning!
10-Minute Sheet Pan Dijon Lemon Salmon and Vegetables – Juicy salmon and crisp-tender vegetables coated with a buttery Dijon honey lemon sauce for an explosion of FLAVOR!! So EASY and ready so FAST!!
Honey Dijon Salmon – Easy, ready in 20 minutes, juicy, tender, and so flavorful from the honey, Dijon, and lemon juice! If you’re trying to incorporate more fish in your diet, this is the recipe to make!
Sheet Pan Lemon Dijon Baked Salmon and Potatoes – This baked salmon and potatoes recipe is ready in 25 minutes, the lemon butter and Dijon mustard add so much FLAVOR, and it’s made on ONE sheet pan!! EASY comfort food for busy weeknights!!
Grilled Honey Lemon Butter Salmon – EASY, ready in 10 minutes, and a FOOLPROOF way to make grilled salmon!! Wonderfully tender, so juicy, just melts in your mouth, and has FABULOUS flavor!!
Sheet Pan Honey Lemon Salmon – Make salmon at home in 30 minutes that tastes better than from a restaurant! Easy, tender, and packed with flavor from the honey and lemon butter!
Foil Pack Lime Cilantro Salmon – EASY, ready in 10 minutes, and a FOOLPROOF way to make grilled salmon!! Tender, juicy, and bursting with Mexican-inspired flavors that everyone loves!
Foil Pack Orange Molasses Salmon – Easy, ready in 10 minutes, and a foolproof way to make grilled salmon! Tender, juicy, and bursting with layers of fabulous flavors!
Sheet Pan Garlic Lemon Butter Salmon – Juicy salmon at home in 30 minutes that’s easy and tastes better than from a restaurant! The butter is infused with lemon and garlic and adds so much flavor!
