Guys, I was eating this baked chili lime salmon straight off of the baking pan before I could even get it to the table. It's just that good. When dreaming up new salmon recipes they MUST meet two requirements. 1. They have to be simple (duh) and 2. they have to be totally delicious. No plain salmon around here.
This recipe was totally inspired by my love of getting inspiration from Trader Joes seasonings and my obsession with this Mexican street corn casserole. It's just as easy to make as my super popular 2-ingredient baked BBQ salmon and can be on the table in about 20 minutes! Best part, just one small bowl to clean up.
It's a super easy dinner recipe with big punches of flavor that everyone from kiddos to adults are gonna love!
Ingredients
- Salmon: This recipe is for 1 pound of salmon, but can easily be doubled or tripled depending on the size piece of fish you are cooking and number of people you are serving. I like to cook the salmon without cutting it first. You can also use pre-cut filets and season each one accordingly.
- Chile lime seasoning: Mix up your own with the recipe below, or just add the lime and honey to the Trader Joe's Chile Lime seasoning. Either blend is delicious! The same seasoning blend is also amazing on grilled chicken or corn ribs.
Step by step directions
Preheat the oven to 350℉ and place a piece of parchment paper on your baking tray. Then, to a small bowl, add the lime juice and zest, honey, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin and salt. Mix together well with a fork.
Pat the salmon dry and lay on the parchment paper, then using a small basting brush (or the back of a spoon) cover the top of the salmon with the chili lime marinade.
Put the baking tray in the oven and bake about 12-14 minutes. Remove from the oven and enjoy!
Perfectly cook your salmon: Use a thermometer check your salmon at the 10 minute mark. You want to get it to 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Don't go over it, because no one wants over cooked salmon, trust me 🙂
Make it chili lime salmon sheet pan dinner
I find the easiest way to make a meal quick is to pop everything into the oven at the same time. In order to turn the baked chili lime salmon into a sheet pan dinner, you are going to need to start the veggies before you cook the salmon. Here's how:
- In a 400℉ oven, roast a mix of red onion wedges, cauliflower and brussels sprouts tossed in olive oil and kosher salt until they soft, but not yet charred.
- Then take the pan out of the oven, move the veggies to the perimeter of the sheet pan, add the seasoned salmon to the baking sheet (skin side or unseasoned side down) and reduce the heat of the oven to 350℉.
- Bake the fish until it's perfectly done, then take the whole tray to the table and serve with corn salsa.
More serving suggestions
Baked salmon is so versatile and served in so many ways. Here are a few of my favorite ways to serve it that maximizes flavors and minimizes effort.
- Over cilantro, coconut rice or easy roasted cauliflower
- Alongside Mexican street corn casserole
- With a big taco salad
- On a bed of garlic butter pasta
- With chips and dips (think salsa and homemade guacamole)
Repurpose the leftovers
If you have any leftovers, pop them into an airtight container and either eat it straight from the fridge the next day or repurpose the leftovers with these three easy meal ideas.
- Chile Lime Salmon Tacos: Char up a few street size tortillas right on your stove's burner, then fill with the salmon, corn salsa, a handful of cabbage and your favorite crema.
- Flatbreads: Grab a frozen naan or your favorite flatbread. Flake the salmon over the top and add some crumbled cotija cheese and cilantro leaves.
- Crunchy Salad: Toss a shredded coleslaw mix with some homemade spicy mayo (I like the Chipotle Chiloula) and flake the salmon on top. Toss together and enjoy.
More easy dinner ideas you'll love
Did you try this recipe and and love it? 😍 Let me know by leaving a comment below or 5 ⭐ rating!
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📖 Recipe
20-Minute Baked Chile Lime Salmon
Ingredients
- 16 oz filet of salmon (whole or portion into 4 pieces)
- 2 limes, juiced and zested (for 2 TB lime juice and about 1 TB lime zest)
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and place a piece of parchment paper on your baking tray.
- To a small bowl, add the lime juice and zest, honey, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin and salt. Mix together well with a fork.
- Pat the salmon dry and lay on the parchment paper, then using a small basting brush (or the back of a spoon) cover the top of the salmon with the chili lime marinade.
- Put the baking tray in the oven and bake until the fish is cooked to about 145 degrees Fahrenheit, 12-14 minutes. Remove from the oven and enjoy!
Notes
- Grilling instructions: Preheat your grill to about 350 degrees and place the salmon skin-side down on a piece of heavy-duty foil or directly on the grates if you're feeling confident. Brush with the chili lime seasoning mix and close the lid, letting it cook for about 10-12 minutes until the salmon is flaky and cooked through.
- Avoid overcooking your salmon: Use a thermometer checking the internal temp as the salmon cooks, checking thinner pieces before the thicker ones. If you have different sized pieces of fish, you may need to take them out of the oven at different times. The smaller/thinner pieces will cook faster. Keep your serving dish at the ready.
Marni Katz says
I love the kick of lime in this recipe. I served it with my mexican corn casserole and everyone loved it! I just added it to my meal plan for next month too!