This Sweet Chili Salmon is a fan favorite, a true tastebud pleaser.
I feel like Salmon is a chameleon of a fish. It can do so much with so little because it is ever adaptable. It is both delicious and one of the healthiest fish you can eat. Not only is it rich in nutrients, it can transport you places with its flavor. It’s like that one jacket you can wear with almost anything. Or the color black. Salmon goes well with a lot of things.
I grew up with all types of Salmon dishes. Like Blackened Salmon, Salmon Patties, and Lemon Salmon. For me salmon is good for any time of day, who doesn’t love to start the day with a nice bagel and lox? As delicious as all these salmon dishes can be, there is nothing quite like the incredible taste of Sweet Chili Salmon. It is everything you could want it to be zesty, sweet, spicy, tender, and tangy. A true delight for your tastebuds.
This Sweet Chili Salmon puts a fun kick into my day. With the salmon swimming in Thai chili sauce. I feel transported to Thailand’s floating market but without the jetlag, and will be ready quicker than it takes to get through TSA. Hop aboard this culinary flight to a culturally rich island, Thailand. This is one international trip you can take day or night, without a passport, and on a budget.
Thai Chili Sauce vs Chili Sauce
Thai chili sauce is sweet and spicy making it different from a traditional chili sauce. A standard chili sauce’s main ingredient is a tomato base making it more directly spicy due to the added acidity. Like a ketchup paste with a hefty kick. Whereas Thai chili sauce is founded on chili peppers and sugar allowing the heat to be married with a delightful sweetness, an explosion of varying flavors in every bite. Another way to spot the difference is color. Thai chili sauce is orange with red flakes that add a vibrancy to the sauce. Chili sauce is usually one solid color ranging from red to brown. One word makes a word of difference in the two sauces.
Should the salmon be baked or fried?
In this recipe, you bake it in the oven using broil. If you fried the salmon I’m sure it would still be delicious, but it would yield different results due to the added oils needed to fry the fish. Baking allows the flavors of the fish to pop while frying add an additional element that will definitely change the taste.
What do you do with Thai sweet chili sauce?
It is a great marinade or dipping sauce. For this recipe you will marinade but also save some to top the dish. If you make too much, no you didn’t, you can store some for later. It’s great on chicken too.
Serving Suggestions
The versatile Sweet Chili Salmon pairs well with a lot of dishes. Some of my favorites are Grilled Corn Salad, Lemon Orzo Salad, Cucumber Tomato Salad, Baked Rice, Mango and Arugula Salad, Diced Potatoes, and Fried Wontons. The great thing about Sweet Chili Salmon is that you will never be left out in the cold when it comes to options for side dishes or appetizers. Let your imagination run wild, my personal preference is to include something sweet to the sides to help the sauce stand out. If you want to keep it simple I suggest baked rice because it will let the Sweet Chili Salmon be the star of the meal. Without further ado here is the recipe!
Sweet Chili Salmon
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds salmon four 6-ounce pieces, skin on or off
- 6 tablespoons Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 2 scallions green parts only, finely sliced
Instructions
- Mix the Thai Sweet Chili Sauce, soy sauce, and grated ginger in a dish to create the marinade. Reserve 1/4 cup for later use and marinate the salmon in the remaining mixture for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
- Preheat the broiler with the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source.
- Prepare a baking sheet with foil and nonstick spray. Place marinated salmon on the sheet, skin side down, and lightly drizzle with marinade.
- Broil the salmon for 6-10 minutes until it’s browned and almost fully cooked in the center. Serve with the reserved sauce and garnish with scallions.
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