Sweet Chili Salmon

Glazed with an easy, homemade Thai chili sauce, this spicy sweet chili salmon recipe is full of flavor and made in under 30 minutes. Serve it with this easy garlic rice recipe and crispy brussels sprouts for a delicious, healthy meal.

5 from 1 vote
overhead view of sweet chili salmon on a plate with a side of rice and brussel sprouts

Why I love this sweet chili salmon

This sweet chili salmon recipe is so simple, and you can make it with ingredients from your pantry. You don’t even need sweet chili sauce because we’re making it from scratch and it’s super easy.

The homemade chili sauce is made in a skillet on the stove and then the salmon gets coated in it and broiled until it’s flaky and tender. While it’s cooking, the sauce thickens just a little bit more and creates a beautiful caramelization that makes the sauce even better.

It pairs perfectly with a serving on of jasmine rice and honey Brussels sprouts, but you can serve it with whatever sides you prefer.

overhead view of sweet chili salmon baking in a skillet

Here’s what you’ll need to make it

If you don’t have an oven proof skillet, you can make the sauce in a saucepan and then broil the salmon on a baking sheet.

How to broil salmon

Make the sauce. Mix the sauce ingredients together until smooth. Add them to a preheated cast iron skillet oven medium high heat and cook until thickened.

Glaze the salmon. Push the sauce to the side and add the salmon fillets to the pan. Use a spoon to spread the sauce on top of the salmon.

Broil the salmon. Transfer the skillet to the oven and broil for 8 – 10 minutes, depending on the size of your salmon fillets. Cook until the salmon reaches 145˚F. It should be flaky and tender, but not dried out.

close up of sweet chili salmon baking in a skillet

FAQs and tips for making the best salmon

Is salmon better baked or broiled?

I think salmon is better when it’s broiled rather than baked, but if done correctly, both methods can produce really great tasting salmon. It’s all about not over-cooking the salmon and keeping it tender and juicy. I think this is easier to accomplish with broiling.

Do you need to flip salmon when broiling?

No. You don’t need to flip salmon when broiling it. As long as the pan you’re using has been preheated, you can simply leave it under the broiler until it’s cooked through.

Should I wash salmon before cooking it?

No. You should never wash raw salmon (or any other type of raw seafood or meat) before cooking. This will spread germs in your kitchen and it’s completely unnecessary to make salmon. I do recommend drying the salmon by patting it with paper towels to remove any excess liquid before cooking.

What is sweet chili sauce made of?

Sweet chili sauce is made from a combination of vinegar, sugar and chili flakes, along with seasonings like ginger and garlic. It’s often thickened with cornstarch to create a thick condiment style sauce.

close up of sweet chili salmon

This recipe would be great with:

More salmon recipes you’ll love

overhead image of sweet chili salmon on a black plate with brussels sprouts and riec

Sweet Chili Salmon

5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Glazed with an easy, homemade Thai chili sauce, this spicy sweet chili salmon recipe is full of flavor and made in under 30 minutes. Serve it with recipe and crispy brussels sprouts for a delicious, healthy meal. 

Ingredients

  • 4 – 6 salmon fillets
  • Salt & pepper
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 2 – 3 teaspoons red pepper flakes
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons fresh ginger
  • 2 teaspoons dry mustard
  • 1/2 – 1 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 4 – 6 tablespoons water

Instructions

  • Preheat oven broiler (550˚F), and liberally season salmon fillets with salt & pepper. Set aside.
  • In a mixing bowl, whisk brown sugar, cornstarch, red pepper flakes, garlic, ginger and mustard with vinegar and water until smooth.
  • Heat a large oven proof skillet to medium-high heat. Add sauce mixture and allow it to cook, stirring frequently, until it starts to thicken.
  • Push the sauce the the side and add the salmon fillets to the pan. Spoon the sauce mixture over the salmon until nicely coated.
  • Transfer pan to the oven and broil for 8 – 10 minutes, or until salmon is cooked through (145˚F) and flakes easily.

Nutrition

Calories: 315kcal Carbohydrates: 17g Protein: 34g Fat: 11g Cholesterol: 94mg Sodium: 678mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 14g Vitamin C: 1mg

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7 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This looks SO good! Raita is pretty much amazing on everything and a spice rubbed salmon sounds like perfect summer food. Mmmm. And no it’s not weird to be envying the bears’ salmon!

  2. The url and comments refer to Moroccan Salmon Cucumber Raita, but the recipe is for Sweet Chile Salmon. Could you please update? I would like to read the reviews and comments for the chile salmon.

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