Skip the boring baked salmon routine and enjoy juicy, flavorful salmon fillets made easy in your air fryer instead. Air frying locks in moisture while giving the salmon a crispy exterior with no added oil required. Thanks to the convection heating, you’ll have tender salmon in just 15 minutes with little hands-on effort.
1. Air Fryer Salmon Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 6-oz wild-caught salmon fillets (1 inch thick), skin removed
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1⁄4 tsp paprika
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels and arrange in the air fry basket in a single layer, making sure not to overcrowd.
In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, chili powder, paprika, salt, and pepper until combined. Evenly sprinkle the rub all over the tops of salmon fillets.
Set the air fryer to 380°F and cook for 5 minutes. Remove basket and carefully flip fillets. Sprinkle any remaining rub evenly over the flipped side.
Return basket to air fryer and cook for 5-7 minutes more until the salmon is just cooked through with an internal temperature of 145°F.
Transfer salmon to a serving platter and let rest for 2-3 minutes before serving with lemon wedges. You can serve with rice or greens for a complete, healthy meal.
Tips
- Brush a thin layer of oil or cooking spray on the basket’s interior to prevent salmon from sticking.
- If air fryer basket is too small, work in batches to avoid overcrowding.
- Broil for 1-2 mins at the end if you want darker crisping on the top.
With just a simple spice rub and 15 minutes cook time, you can enjoy restaurant-quality salmon from the comfort of your home whenever a seafood craving strikes. Ditch the boring baked salmon routine and give this easy yet flavor-packed air fryer salmon recipe a try tonight!
