Sweet Chili Garlic Salmon

This Baked Sweet Chili Garlic Salmon is my ultimate go to for a weeknight or cozy weekend meal when I want big flavor but no fuss. The fish turns out flaky and juicy every time with a glossy sweet tangy garlicky sauce that feels restaurant worthy. If you love Asian inspired dinners that do not take much effort you will fall for this one.

I first pulled this together after a long day when I barely had the energy to cook. The combination of chili garlic sauce honey and ginger totally revived my spirits and made the meal feel special even though it was unbelievably simple.

Ingredients

• Sockeye salmon: wild caught brings rich color and deep flavor plus high omega 3s choose a piece with vibrant color and glossy skin
• Sweet chili sauce: gives saucy sweetness and mild heat look for a thick glossy bottle with no artificial dyes
• Soy sauce: low sodium variety keeps the sodium in check and lets other flavors shine
• Rice vinegar: adds brightness and a subtle tang opt for a clear golden variety and check for no sharp aftertaste
• Garlic: freshly minced gives punchy aromatic depth and rounds out the sauce avoid any that is dry or sprouting
• Ginger root: fresh and grated delivers a lively zing peel with a spoon for the most flavor
• Honey: balances the heat and acid for a silky glaze try to use local honey for more complexity
• Chili garlic sauce: boosts the heat and offers that essential kick go gently or boldly based on your spice tolerance
• Sesame seeds: optional add a final nutty crunch choose seeds that look pale and unbroken for best effect
• Green onions: sliced optional give a fresh herbal finish look for crisp firm stalks

Step by Step Instructions

Prepare the Salmon:

Line a baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup and set your oven to four hundred twenty five degrees Fahrenheit. Place the salmon skin side down on the sheet. Pat the fish dry with a paper towel to help the sauce stick and season lightly with salt if you are using low sodium soy sauce.

Mix the Sauce:

In a medium bowl whisk together sweet chili sauce soy sauce rice vinegar minced garlic grated ginger honey and chili garlic sauce. Stir until smooth and fully combined. This is your flavor packed base do not skip whisking well so everything melds.

Sauce the Fish:

Pour about one third of the sauce over the salmon filet and use a brush to spread it uniformly covering every bit of the surface. Do not let your brush or spoon touch the raw fish and go back into the rest of the sauce. Reserve the remaining sauce for later use.

Bake the Salmon:

Slide your tray into the hot oven and bake for ten minutes. The heat will start to caramelize the sauce around the edges and the fish will begin to turn opaque.

Glaze Again:

Take the salmon from the oven and spoon or brush half of the remaining sauce over it making sure to hit any dry spots. Return the pan to the oven and bake for two to five minutes longer until the salmon flakes easily with a fork and reaches an internal temp of one hundred forty five degrees Fahrenheit.

Finish and Serve:

Remove the fish from the oven and drizzle with your last bit of reserved sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions for a pop of crunch and color. Serve with lime wedges if desired for a little extra zing.

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I cannot get enough of the sauce on this salmon. The mix of chili garlic honey and ginger is honestly good enough to lick off the plate. One time my little niece decided to use the sauce for dipping chicken nuggets and she has asked for “the salmon sauce” ever since.

How to Store Leftovers

If you have extra salmon cool it down then seal it in an airtight container and pop it in the fridge. Warm gently in the oven at low heat or enjoy cold flaked over salads. The sweet chili glaze keeps the fish from drying out which makes it a lunchbox favorite the next day.

Best Swaps If You Are Out of Ingredients

No sockeye salmon Use any fresh salmon filet you like even frozen works as long as it is thawed and dried well before cooking. If you need to skip honey try a little brown sugar or maple syrup. You can swap rice vinegar for apple cider vinegar in a pinch. Chili garlic sauce can be replaced with a dash of sriracha or a tiny bit of crushed red pepper.

Ways to Serve This Salmon

This salmon is irresistible over steamed jasmine rice with simple stir fried broccoli. For a lighter plate try laying it atop crunchy salad greens with cucumber and radish slices. Sometimes I cut the fillets into chunks and serve as bite size appetizers with toothpicks for parties.

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A Little History of This Style

Sweet chili and garlic sauces are mainstays in many Thai and Southeast Asian homes prized for how they mix sweet savor and a touch of heat. Baking fish with these flavors is a modern American twist that keeps cleanup easy while letting those classic bold notes shine through.

Recipe FAQs

→ How do I know when salmon is fully cooked?

Salmon flakes easily with a fork and registers an internal temperature of 145°F when done. The flesh will look opaque and moist.

→ Can I use farmed salmon instead of wild-caught?

Yes, both types work. Wild-caught has a richer flavor, but farmed is suitable if that’s what you have on hand.

→ Is the glaze spicy?

The chili garlic sauce adds a mild kick, but spice level can be adjusted by increasing or reducing it to your taste.

→ Should the skin be left on the salmon?

Leaving the skin on helps keep the fillet moist during baking and can be easily removed after cooking if desired.

→ What sides pair well with this dish?

Steamed rice, sautéed greens, or roasted vegetables complement the sweet-spicy salmon flavors perfectly.