Sweet Chili Salmon Salad
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This Sweet Chili Salmon Salad is filled with crunchy vegetables, salmon, and the most delicious salad dressing that is so easy to make!
This sweet chili salmon salad is the best meal to get in protein, fats and veggies!
The salad dressing is just 6 simple ingredients and has the perfect balance of sweet and heat that goes so well with crispy salmon and mixed greens.
This salad is loaded with crunchy carrots, cucumbers, and peanuts that add some extra healthy fats and flavor. Topped with thinly sliced green onions and our delicious salad dressing, this is the best salmon salad that can be meal prepped in advance and enjoyed all week long!
Tyler’s Tip for the Best Sweet Chili Salmon Salad
- Always cook salmon fillets skin side down to start, so you have a chance to develop that flavorful crispy skin. It’s normal to cook the salmon 90% of the way while it’s skin side down, and flip it once you get enough crispy brown skin on your salmon.
Ingredients:
substitutions
Olive Oil: You could use avocado oil, but we really recommend extra virgin olive oil
Salmon: Fresh or frozen salmon filets will work just fine; we tested this recipe using both and they came out nearly identical. The salmon is ideal for this salad, but if needed, you can substitute the salmon for halibut, cod, shrimp, chicken or even steak!
Salad Dressing: The dressing is very easy to make homemade but there are plenty of options in grocery stores for sweet chili style salad dressings. The oils are easily substituted 1:1 if you can’t have the toasted sesame oil, swap this for coconut oil. If you are looking for something without the spice, try this sesame ginger salad dressing! Use fresh lime juice if possible for the tastiest dressing.
Salad: The mixed greens can be swapped for spinach, kale, arugula really any type of lettuce that you prefer. Other vegetables that work great in this honey sriracha salmon salad are: shaved broccoli, tomatoes, sugar snap peas, beets, and baby corn!
Peanuts: The peanuts add some healthy fats and a nice crunch, but they can be omitted or substituted with cashews, almonds, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds! You could even try homemade croutons.
How to Make Sweet Chili Salmon Salad
- Pat salmon filets dry with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook salmon skin side down in oil for 5 minutes. Flip and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Set aside on a plate and brush with a teaspoon of the homemade dressing as it rests.
- Prepare the salad. In a large salad bowl, add all the salad ingredients and mix to combine
- Cut the salmon into bite-size pieces and add to the top of the salad. Top the salad with the rest of the dressing and serve immediately.
What to Serve with this Salad
This is a recipe filled with healthy fats, protein, and carbs, but if you’re looking for some other options, you can easily add quinoa, brown rice, or white rice to the salad and turn it into a delicious sweet chili salmon bowl!
It would also be good with our roasted potatoes or easy farro salad!
storage
Storing: This sweet and spicy salmon salad lasts in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. We recommend storing the salmon, salad and dressing separately.
Sweet Chili Salmon Salad
Ingredients
For Salmon:
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound salmon filets
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For Dressing:
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
For Salad:
- 4 cups mixed greens
- 1 cup diced cucumbers
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- ½ cup chopped peanuts
- ¼ cup chopped green onions
Instructions
- In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium high heat.
- Pat salmon filets dry with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper.
- While the pan is heating up, prepare the dressing. In a small bowl, add all the dressing ingredients. Whisk to combine.
- Lay the seasoned salmon with skin side down. Cook for 5 minutes or until the skin begins to brown.
- Flip the salmon and cook for an additional 2 minutes or until gently browned. Once the salmon has finished cooking, remove from the pan and set aside on a plate. Brush the salmon with a teaspoon of the dressing as it rests.
- Prepare the salad. In a large salad bowl, add all the salad ingredients and mix to combine
- Cut the salmon into bite-size pieces and add to the top of the salad
- Top the salad with the rest of the dressing and serve immediately.
