Bang Bang Salmon (Printable)

Crispy salmon with creamy spicy-sweet Bang Bang sauce ready in 25 minutes

# Ingredient List:

→ For the Salmon

01 - 4 salmon fillets (6 oz each, skin-on or skinless)
02 - 1 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 tsp garlic powder
04 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
05 - ½ tsp salt
06 - ½ tsp black pepper

→ For the Bang Bang Sauce

07 - ½ cup mayonnaise
08 - 2 tbsp sweet chili sauce
09 - 1 tbsp sriracha (adjust to taste)
10 - 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup (optional)
11 - 1 tsp rice vinegar or lime juice

→ Optional Garnishes

12 - Chopped green onions
13 - Sesame seeds
14 - Fresh lime wedges

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F for baking, or preheat a grill or skillet to medium-high heat as desired.
02 - Pat salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Brush each fillet with olive oil, then season evenly with garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
03 - Choose your cooking method: Bake at 400°F for 12-15 minutes until internal temperature reaches 145°F, grill for 4-5 minutes per side, or pan-sear skin-side down for 4-5 minutes then flip and cook 3-4 minutes more.
04 - While salmon cooks, whisk together mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, honey or maple syrup if using, and rice vinegar or lime juice in a small bowl. Adjust spice and sweetness to taste.
05 - Transfer cooked salmon to serving plates. Drizzle generously with Bang Bang sauce. Garnish with chopped green onions, sesame seeds, and lime wedges if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The Bang Bang sauce comes together in two minutes and keeps for days, so you can drizzle it over everything from roasted vegetables to grilled chicken
  • You get restaurant-quality flavor with exactly twenty-five minutes from start to finish, making it perfect for those weeknights when takeout feels tempting
02 -
  • Overcooking salmon is the one mistake I made repeatedly until I started checking at twelve minutes, because fish continues cooking after it leaves the heat
  • The sauce tastes infinitely better after sitting for ten minutes, so make it first and let the flavors meld while the salmon cooks
03 -
  • If your salmon has a white albumin that seeps out during cooking, don't worry, it's completely normal and doesn't affect the flavor
  • Room-temperature salmon cooks more evenly, so take it out of the fridge fifteen minutes before you start cooking
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