Air Fryer Salmon Bites with Spicy Bang Bang Sauce Recipe
Delicious and crispy Air Fryer Salmon Bites marinated in a flavorful blend of lemon, honey, garlic, and smoked paprika, then served with a spicy and sweet bang bang sauce. This quick and easy recipe makes a perfect appetizer or light meal with minimal cleanup and an unbeatable taste.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Air Frying
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Salmon Bites
- 1 ½-2 lb center cut salmon filets (skin removed and cut into approx. 1 inch pieces)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce (tamari for gluten free)
- 3-4 garlic cloves (minced)
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ¾ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp sea salt
Bang Bang Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 3 Tbsp sweet chili sauce
- ½ - 1 Tbsp sriracha (adjust to desired spice level)
- 2 tsp honey
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
Instructions
- Prepare the Salmon: Cut the salmon into approximately 1 inch cubes, ensuring they are as uniform in size as possible for even cooking. Place the salmon pieces in a medium bowl.
- Make Marinade: In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, honey, soy sauce, minced garlic, onion powder, smoked paprika, pepper, and sea salt to create the marinade.
- Marinate Salmon: Toss the salmon pieces in the marinade until fully coated. Allow to marinate for up to 30 minutes, but do not exceed this time to prevent the lemon acid from making the salmon mushy.
- Arrange in Air Fryer: Place the marinated salmon bites in a single layer in the air fryer basket. If necessary, cook in batches to avoid overcrowding. Preheating the air fryer is optional.
- Cook Salmon: Set the air fryer to 400°F and cook the salmon bites for 7-10 minutes. You may shake or turn them halfway through cooking. The salmon is done when the outside is browned and crisp and the internal temperature reaches 145°F or your preferred doneness.
- Prepare Bang Bang Sauce: While the salmon cooks, whisk together mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, honey, and rice vinegar in a small bowl. Adjust the spiciness according to your taste.
- Rest and Serve: Once cooked, allow the salmon bites to rest for 3-5 minutes. Drizzle generously with the bang bang sauce before serving. Enjoy your crispy and flavorful salmon bites!
Notes
- Do not marinate the salmon for longer than 30 minutes to avoid mushy texture from the lemon juice.
- Cook salmon in batches if needed to prevent overcrowding which can affect crispiness.
- Preheating the air fryer is optional and may slightly reduce cooking time.
- Adjust sriracha in the bang bang sauce to control the spice level.
- Internal temperature of cooked salmon should reach 145°F for safe consumption.
