Thanks to easy recipes like this Spicy Salmon Recipe, all that I (and you!) need to make a gorgeous meal is a few ingredients, a big piece of foil, and a baking sheet.
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This healthy baked salmon recipe is a riff on my everlasting, always reliable Baked Salmon in Foil.
TIP!
Wrapping the salmon in foil then baking it in the oven seals in the salmon’s juices, resulting in marvelously moist fish! This Teriyaki Salmon is exactly that!
After making it (literally) dozens of times (and, all my other healthy salmon recipes), I can tell you it is the best baked salmon recipe in the world.
It’s also incredibly adaptable!
- For today’s sweet and spicy baked salmon twist, I took the same core concept of baking salmon in the oven in a large foil a completely different flavor direction.
- You only need a couple of ingredients to make it, and the resulting spicy baked salmon wow factor will have you returning to the recipe again and again.
Even if you’ve never cooked fish before, this recipe is completely within your reach.
5 Star Review
“My daughters and I agree this is our favorite salmon recipe ever! The flavor is amazing and the cooking instructions were perfect.”
— Gilliane —
How to Make this Spicy Salmon Recipe
This recipe is embarrassingly easy, and it’s going to make you feel like a pro chef.
- I love it for company because I can prep it in advance, it feels special and fancy but isn’t overly showy, and my friends consistently rave.
- I also love spicy baked salmon for weeknight meals. It takes roughly five minutes to throw together, it’s healthy, and I can use the salmon in a variety of ways, as you’ll see in the serving suggestions below.
The Ingredients
- Salmon. Because this recipe is so simple, you can’t hide behind a poorer quality piece of fish. It is always worth it to spend a few dollars more a pound to ensure you have a high-quality fillet. Look for wild caught varieties and avoid farm-raised, fatty Atlantic salmon if you can. These salmon are often fed an artificial diet and are lower in nutrients. They’re also typically more watery.
- Chipotle Chile Powder. A spice that goes well with salmon, it’s deep, smoky, spicy, and will add incredible dimension to any recipe that calls for it. If you are making this recipe for kids or others who are sensitive to spice, use less.
- Lime. A fab combo with chipotle, lime cuts through the heat and adds freshness.
- Brown Sugar. Optional but tasty. I like that it makes this a sweet and spicy salmon recipe (and it tastes spectacular on my Broiled Salmon), so I add 1 tablespoon to the rub.
The Directions
- Let the salmon sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, then pat it dry. Place it on a piece of aluminum foil, set atop a large rimmed baking pan (if your foil isn’t large enough, layer to pieces together).
- Stir the spice rub ingredients together. Brush the salmon with oil and lime juice, then coat it in the spice rub.
- Fold the foil over the salmon and seal it. Bake salmon at 375 degrees F for 12 to 18 minutes. Open the foil. Broil for 3 minutes. The internal temperature should be around 135 degrees F.
- Cut into salmon fillets, serve with cilantro, and DIG IN!
Spicy Salmon Rub Variations
While I’m partial to the original spicy salmon rub used in this recipe, here are a few ideas for how you can add flavor to salmon in other ways:
- Indian Spicy Salmon Recipe. Indian flavors go well with salmon. Instead of the spice rub listed in this recipe, use 1 teaspoon curry powder and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper.
- Spicy Garlic Salmon. Add 1 teaspoon garlic powder to the rub mixture.
- Cajun Salmon Rub. Omit the chipotle chile powder and half of the salt. The lime is optional or swap for lemon and finish with a squeeze of lemon juice. Add 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning.
- Japanese Spicy Salmon Recipe. Inspired by a spicy salmon sushi recipe, you can make this soy sauce Teriyaki Salmon, adding a hot element such as red pepper flakes, sriracha sauce, or another hot sauce of choice to the glaze. Sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds.
- All Purpose Seasoning. My favorite Salmon Seasoning combination hits the spot every time!
How to Serve Spicy Baked Salmon
In addition to serving this spicy baked salmon on its own, I also love it for:
- Spicy Salmon Tacos. Pile inside tortillas and top with the creamy slaw recipe I use in these Shrimp Tacos with Creamy Taco Slaw. Or, give these scrumptious Salmon Tacos a try.
- Spicy Salmon Bowls. Serve over rice or cauliflower rice with lots of avocado and Greek yogurt, chopped cilantro, and diced tomatoes. Chunks of roasted sweet potato would be a tasty add-in too.
- Spicy Salmon Salad. Serve over chopped romaine with chopped fresh tomatoes and the dressing used for this BLT Chopped Salad (feel free to keep the bacon). It would also be delish over this Grilled Corn Salad.
Storage Tips
- To Store. Refrigerate salmon in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- To Reheat. Very gently rewarm leftovers in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F or in the microwave.
- To Freeze. Freeze salmon in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months.
Storage Tips
Frozen and thawed salmon works wonderfully in any recipes where you’d use canned salmon (like pasta dishes, stir fries, egg scrambles, or Salmon Patties).
What to Serve with this Spicy Salmon Recipe
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
- Baking Sheet. Perfect for this spicy salmon recipe.
- Instant Read Thermometer. The best way to tell when your salmon is cooked through.
- Citrus Juicer. The easiest way to juice a lime or lemon.
If you decide to try this spicy baked salmon recipe (or any of the suggested spinoffs!), let me know how it turns out for you in the comments section below. I always love hearing from you!
Frequently Asked Questions
While I recommend marinating salmon for certain recipes like Teriyaki Salmon Bowl, it is not necessary to make a spicy salmon marinade for this recipe.
For this recipe, I recommend baking the salmon at 375 degrees F for 12 to 18 minutes. Then, it will be broiled for 3 minutes more. For more tips, see this Baked Salmon Temperature Guide.
Certainly! Season the salmon as directed in the recipe, then follow the cooking instructions from my Grilled Salmon in Foil recipe.
Spicy Salmon Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 ¾ pounds side of salmon wild caught if at all possible (skin on or off; if I’m not in a hurry, I ask the seafood counter to remove the skin, but both work well)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar optional; omit for Paleo or Whole30
- 1 ½ teaspoons chipotle chile powder
- 1 medium lime zest and 1 tablespoon juice
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or melted unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Remove the salmon from the refrigerator and let it stand at room temperature for 10 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large baking dish or rimmed baking sheet with a piece of aluminum foil large enough to easily wrap all the way around the salmon and seal it. Lightly coat the foil with nonstick spray. With paper towels, lightly pat the salmon dry. Place the salmon in the center.
- In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, chipotle chile powder, lime zest, and salt. Brush the salmon with the olive oil (or melted butter) and lime juice. Sprinkle with the chipotle seasoning mixture, rubbing if needed to coat the salmon evenly.
- Fold the sides of the aluminum foil up and over the top of the salmon until it is completely enclosed. If your piece of foil is not large enough, place a second piece on top and fold the edges under so that it forms a sealed packet. Leave a little room inside the foil for air to circulate.
- Bake the salmon for 12 to 18 minutes, until the salmon is almost completely cooked through at the thickest part. The cooking time will vary based on the thickness of your salmon. If your side is thinner (around 1 inch thick) check early to ensure your salmon does not overcook. If your piece is very thick (1 1/2 inches or more), it may need longer.
- Remove the salmon from the oven and carefully open the foil so that the top of the fish is completely uncovered (be careful of hot steam). Change the oven setting to broil, then return the fish to the oven and broil for 3 minutes, until the top of the salmon is slightly golden and the fish is cooked through. Watch the salmon closely as it broils to make sure it doesn’t overcook. Remove the salmon from the oven. If it still appears a bit underdone, you can wrap the foil back over the top and let it rest for a few minutes. Do not let it sit too long—salmon can progress from not done to overdone very quickly. As soon as it flakes easily with a fork, it's ready. Alternatively, you can check the salmon's temperature with an instant-read thermometer. At 145 degrees F, it is done.
- To serve, cut the salmon into portions. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro or top with an extra squeeze of lime juice as desired.
Notes
- TO STORE: Refrigerate salmon in an airtight storage container for up to 2 days.
- TO REHEAT: Very gently rewarm leftovers in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F or in the microwave.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze salmon in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
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Hi Erin, I am goin g to try salmon recipe. I just joined your blog and was wondering why in the nutrition info you do not mention salt amount as this is important with high blood pressure. I noticed in another recipe you do don mention salt content. Just an observation.
Good question, Margot! I don’t include sodium because the number varies dramatically depending upon the brands of ingredients you use. If precise sodium content is important, I’d recommend using a calculator like MyFitnessPal and choose your specific brands of ingredients to calculate a nutrition estimate. I hope that can be a helpful resource for you!
Clean-up is beyond simple with this recipe! Love that.
It’s a big perk, Gaby!
Erin, This recipe is FANTASTIC! It has joined my file of recipes well worth repeating. Thank you from everyone in our house!
Deborah
Deborah, I am SO happy to hear it, thank you!
The salmon recipe was so easy and so good. Will absolutely make it again.
Thanks for sharing this review, Sheila! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for sharing this. I’ve bookmarked it for the next salmon recipe to try. My hubby will be happy with the spice, and I’ll be happy with the easy cleanup! Win-win!
Oh my gosh this was so, so, SO delicious!!!
Hooray! I’m glad it was a hit, Margaret, and I so appreciate your taking the time to leave this review.
Even better, it’s only 1 Freestyle point on Weight Watchers. :D :D Thanks for the delicious, healthy meal!
Nice! Thanks for reporting back.
Just joined this blog and already have printed out two recipes the Slow Cooker Curry and the baked Salmon cannot wait to make them. Thanks for sharing as I am currently on a healthy heart program and need food that is good and nutrious to eat. These recipes seem to satisfy what my Dietition tells me. I will let her know about them as well.
Thank You.
Bob.
I hope you love the recipes, Bob! Thank you so much for reading!
Delicious! I made this for lunch today and substituted Swerve Brown Sugar to keep it low-carb. I think this has become my go-to way to cook Salmon!
Gretchen, I’m glad it’s a winner! Thanks for taking the time to report back.
My daughters and I agree this is our favorite salmon recipe ever! The flavor is amazing and the cooking instructions were perfect. I loved the foil baked technique. Thanks for the wonderful recipe.
I’m SO happy to hear this, Gilliane! Thank you for sharing this wonderful review!
Flaky perfection! Salmon is our go-to protein but I was looking for a new twist. Wowza! Loved this recipe. Fantastic flavors and the foil method was awesome!
YAY! I’m so happy to hear that this was a hit, Paula! Thank you for sharing this kind comment!
Hello! I am planning to make this along with your shrimp tacos this week and am concerned they might be similar tasting?! Just wondering if I could add any other spices or toppings to make it a super unique taste?!
Hi Kate! Both of these have spicy profiles, but the presentation is quite different and the slaw will make the tacos stand out. If you want something totally different, you might like my baked Lemon Pepper Salmon: https://www.wellplated.com/lemon-pepper-salmon/
I admit, I didn’t follow your recipe exactly the first time. I didn’t have lime, so used I used lemon instead. I didn’t have Chipotle chili poder, but I used regular chili powder and a little smoked paprika. It was excellent. I am making it tonight with lime. Yum! Great recipe!!
Thank you for sharing this kind review, Kathi! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
I fixed this tonight for my husband and he loved it. Will fix it again.
I’m so happy that it was a hit, Kaye! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Hey Erin, I was looking for a new way to bake a fillet of salmon and came across this recipe. I followed your instructions for the spice rub but served it over brown rice, topped with Greek yogurt, a tangy corn salsa I made, and slices of avocado. Delish!!!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Gary! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
These recipes look the business. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing this kind comment, Christine! I hope you enjoy the recipe if you try it!
This is not only a delicious recipe but so easy as well. It is a real crowd pleaser and is now my favorite way to cook salmon ‼️
Best news, thank you!
We LOVE this! Salmon is frequently on our protein list and this recipe tingles our taste buds with it’s spicy and sweet notes. A new favorite!
Whooo hooo! So happy to hear it, thank you!
Came out extremely bitter and sour. Not a fan
I’m sorry to hear that this wasn’t to your tastes, Casey. Did you make any adjustments to the recipe? I (and many other readers) have truly enjoyed it, so I wish it would’ve been a hit for you too!
Great technique! So easy – and fast cleanup too. Will definitely use again w a variety of spices/flavors. The 3 min under the broiler was key! Pulled from oven when salmon was at 120 degrees, then broiled to about 130 (2-3 min) and it was perfect. Thank you!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Dee! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
This was so delicious and so easy! I am diabetic so I skipped the brown sugar but didn’t miss it. My husband even liked it…and that says A LOT. Thank you for the great recipe!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Stephanie! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Made this simple salmon recipe for my wife and I tonight and it was delicious. Used a Cajun seasoning (Tony Chacheres) instead of chipotle chili but it was amazing. Can’t wait for the tacos tomorrow with the leftovers.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
This is absolutely awesome and everything you say it is!
Thanks!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Jody! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Another 10/10 recipe! Thanks for sharing
Hi Jess! So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for this kind review!
Probably the best tasting and easiest salmon I’ve ever tasted. Coudos to the recipe maker.
Hi Ronnie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Can you put this on the grill
Hi Sandra! I haven’t tried this salmon recipe on the grill but I make something similar. Here is that recipe to give you guidance on cooking time and temperature. https://www.wellplated.com/grilled-salmon-in-foil/ Let me know if you decide to experiment!
How would I adjust the cooking time if I had several smaller pre-portioned filets vs one large filet?
Hi Stephanie, this is hard to say because I’ve only made this recipe using a larger filet. I would start checking the internal temperature at around 9 minutes. Hope this helps!
We have salmon at least once a week, and I’m always looking for new recipes – this is one of the best I’ve come across and will be added to my standard lineup! My husband doesn’t usually like things very spicy, but I do – this one had the kick I crave, but the sugar and lime balanced it out for him. Delicious!!!
Hi Rebecca! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Thank you . Best Salmon recipe I tried the spicy salmon . Family enjoyed and shared with my neighbor.
Hi SG! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Amazing!… best salmon ever!
I did use the brown sugar, as well as sesame oil….. I didn’t have chipotle spice, so I used chili powder.
Still amazing!!!
Our new favorite!
Hi Tami! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This recipe is a new favorite! I made rice and asparagus to go with it, and my partner and I all but licked our bowls clean. The marinade is easily the best I’ve tried, and salmon cooked perfectly.
Thank you!
Hi Kara! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I made this for Valentine’s Day and it was a HIT! My boyfriend said if he ever found himself on death row, he would request this as one of his meals. I added in some cumin and substituted a little of the brown sugar with honey for a thicker consistency to brush on.
I’m trying it again tonight, but with chicken. :)
Hi Jules! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I’m looking forward to making this recipe. It is a challenge because an ad shows up in the middle of the directions, especially over the oven temp and prints–there is no way to close the ad. I have spent more time than I care to trying to get a clear recipe and probably won’t bother in the future. This may not be in your control but it certainly affects using your recipe.
I’m truly sorry for any inconvenience the ads caused you, Rose! I will certainly keep paying close attention to the number of ads and how they load, as I never want them to hinder your ability to view the recipe or the blog post. I do truly appreciate your feedback and apologize again for the inconvenience! Also, there is a quick and convenient “jump to recipe” button that will help you get to the recipe faster and a print button to have the recipe quickly at your fingertips. Hope this helps!
This is a delicious and simple recipe! I might personally add some more spice or old bay, but it was very good as is. I look forward to making it again!
Awesome, thanks Chris!!
Pregnant fiance said this was exactly what she wanted. Thanks for the great, easy recipe. Definitely going into the rotation.
Love it! Thank you!