Spicy Chili Lime Salmon

This spicy salmon recipe creates a fish dinner that bursts with southwest chili lime flavor! Marinate and air fry salmon in only 40 minutes!

Prep Time10

Marinating Time30

Total Time40

Servings: servings

Calories: 341kcal

Add all ingredients except salmon to a small nonreactive bowl. *see Note 1. Whisk well to combine.
Note: You can do this up to a day in advance. Cover and store the marinade in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it.

Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels. Transfer to a glass baking dish or heavy-duty zip top storage bag.
Pour the marinade over the fish, then turn it over to fully coat both sides.
Marinate in the container at room temperature for 30 minutes, or set the covered or sealed container in the refrigerator to marinate for up to an hour.
Alternatively, you can seal the bag or container and freeze the salmon in the marinade for 3-4 months.

Preheat the air fryer to 400℉ (204℃). Meanwhile, remove the salmon from the chili lime marinade, shaking off any excess.
Immediately discard any remaining marinade- do not reuse! *see Note 2
Spray or drizzle the air fryer basket with oil. Place salmon fillets in a single layer, skin side down, in the air fryer.
Spray or drizzle the fish with a little extra oil for extra crispiness. Close the air fryer and cook for 7 minutes.
When the fish is flaky and cooked through to an internal temperature of 145°F., use a spatula to carefully remove and transfer to a serving platter.

A nonreactive bowl is made from a material that won’t react with acidic foods like citrus juice and tomatoes. Nonreactive materials include stainless steel, ceramic, or glass. Acids will corrode and cause damage to reactive materials.
Reusing the salmon marinade is not recommended. Uncooked fish, meat, and poultry contain bacteria that transfer to the marinade. Per USDA recommendations, it is not considered safe to reuse for any purpose without boiling it for several minutes first.

Tips for Success

Don’t overlap the fish fillets in the air fryer. The hot air needs to be able to circulate around the food to cook it evenly. If necessary, cook the food in batches.
Don’t flip the fish halfway through cooking.
Exact cook time will vary, depending on the thickness of the fish fillets and your individual air fryer. You may need to adjust the cooking time +/- 1 to 3 minutes.
Stop cooking the salmon when it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C), to avoid overcooking it. The fish will be flaky when it’s cooked through. It's best to check for doneness using an instant-read digital cooking thermometer.
To keep the fish from sticking, remember to spray the basket with olive oil spray or another cooking spray before each batch of fish is cooked.