Thai Salmon with easy homemade Thai sweet chili sauce cooked until caramelized on top and juicy inside. The best salmon recipe ever!
Just one of my very popular Thai inspired recipes including Thai chicken curry, Thai chicken salad, and Thai meatballs!
Table of Contents
This broiled Thai salmon is the best way to get a perfect caramelization on your salmon. The sugar from the maple syrup in the homemade Thai sweet chili sauce caramelizes to form a mouthwatering texture.
It’s a perfect balance of sweet and subtle heat, which is great for kids. And anyone who is picky with their spices.
It’s one of those sauces that makes you keep eating when you’re full just to keep tasting the sauce. It’s the best! That and the sauce on my baked teriyaki salmon, which my kids can’t get enough of!
We all need a ‘pop in the oven’ recipe for busy weeknights. This sweet chili salmon is that dinner! Only quicker is my favorite 15 minute shrimp tacos recipe.
In the summer, we make cedar plank salmon on the grill using this recipe. It gives it an extra smoky flavor which is unbelievable as healthy grill recipes go.
I’ve also shared flavor packed honey garlic glazed salmon and air fryer salmon. All these salmon recipes result in amazing flavors your whole family will love.
Need more dinner time inspiration? Browse 65 easy healthy dinner ideas!
Ingredients You Will Need
- Salmon fillets: Skin on or off, your choice. I buy wild salmon like sockeye, coho, spring, or even pink salmon. It’s more expensive, but I like to avoid farmed or Atlantic salmon.
- Thai sweet chili sauce: This sauce is super simple to make at home. It’s also a healthier version than store bought. However, I have to admit that Thai Kitchen sweet chili sauce ingredients have improved greatly since I first published this recipe in 2014. So, if you don’t have the extra 15 minutes to make it from scratch, buy it!
- Seasonings and garnishes: Salt, green onions, cooking spray (I use Misto).
How to Cook Thai Salmon
I much prefer broiling this Thai salmon over baking it because it is a delicate meat. Unless it is baked salmon in foil. Wild salmon is less fatty (and healthier) than farmed, so it can easily be overcooked.
To broil it, I like to use slices of salmon vs. the whole fillet for maximum flavour penetration. Then a blast of heat on the outside is enough. You want the fish to retain its natural juices and moisture.
- Prep: In a large baking dish, add salmon in a single layer. Sprinkle each fillet with a pinch of salt and top with 1 tbsp of sweet chili sauce. Then using your fingers or a brush, rub to coat evenly on top.
- Marinate: Cover and let your fish marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight is best. This is a great make ahead dish, you can just pop in the oven the next day!
- Set broiler: Turn oven’s broiler on High and position top oven rack 5″ – 6″ below the heat source. Line a large baking sheet with foil or silicone mat. Spray with cooking spray and place salmon fillets skin side down (if any). Coat with any remaining marinade from the dish.
- Broil to caramelize: Once in the oven, broil for 8 minutes, rotating baking sheet once. Remove from the oven and brush top of each salmon fillet with 2 tsp of sauce. Return to oven and broil for 5 minutes or until salmon has caramelized. Doesn’t it look gorgeous?!
Recipe Tip
If using parchment paper be sure to cut it to the exact size of the bottom of the sheet. Don’t allow any part of it to hang over the sides as that will be prone to burning. Also be sure you don’t use wax paper. There is always a big question Is wax paper the same as parchment paper? and this post explains the difference very well.
How to Make Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
- Combine: Combine maple syrup, water, white or rice vinegar, cornstarch, garlic clove, salt, and red chili pepper flakes in a sauce pot on the stove.
- Cook: Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 7-10 minutes or until thickened.
- Store: You can refrigerate the sauce for weeks and use it with chicken recipes and for dipping anything and everything. One of our favorites is this crock pot chicken thighs recipe!
What Is the Best Temperature to Broil At?
As we know, ovens vary. Some ovens have different temperature options for the broiler and some do not. You can broil using the default temperature of your brand of oven broil setting.
Most are set at 500-550 degrees F. If your broiler is set at 450 degrees F maximum, this Thai salmon recipe will work just as well. You might just have to broil a little longer. So, keep an eye out!
How Do You Know When Salmon Is Done?
The best way to check is with a fork. If Thai salmon flakes easily when poked and its flesh is opaque, it is ready to eat.
I would check as soon as cooking time has elapsed as per the recipe and a nice caramelized crust has formed on top. You’ll know whether or not to keep it in a bit longer. Watch for burning!
FAQs
Whether you eat the skin is a personal preference. The skin does have massive amounts of nutrients in it.
It also helps keep the moisture in the salmon itself throughout the cooking process. If you don’t like skin or the “fishy” taste, remove it after cooking.
There are different types that are suitable for varying degrees. Normally, it’s only good for up to 450 degrees F.
If you are worried, better safe than sorry, so just avoid it. Use a silicone baking mat or foil instead. I have been broiling sweet chili salmon on a sheet lined with parchment paper for years without an issue.
Yes! In fact, a full 24 hours will give you awesome flavor! Because there is no citrus in the sauce we don’t need to worry about it starting to cook the fish.
You can and you should! You can cook fillets directly on the grill by following this grilled salmon recipe or follow cedar plank salmon instructions.
When making this sauce homemade it’s much easier to adjust the spice. Add as little or as much of the red pepper flakes as to your liking. More flakes equal more heat!
How to Serve
Serve Thai salmon with Instant Pot mashed potatoes or here is how to make cauliflower mashed potatoes recipe or cauliflower fried rice. This will give you a completely satisfying meal.
For a lighter option, especially during the warmer months, serve with a side of spinach salad, creamy healthy broccoli salad, or a garden salad.
For a burst of flavour, sprinkle a bit of lime juice on your sweet chili salmon just before serving. Next level awesome!
How to Store Leftovers
Refrigerate salmon in an airtight container up to 3 days. Leftover sauce will stay great stored separately in the refrigerator for a few weeks!
Reheating Sweet Chili Salmon
To be honest, cold Thai salmon is actually pretty good! Especially on top of a salad. If you do want to reheat it, try not to overdo it. It will quickly dry out. Try the microwave for a minute.
More Thai Inspired Recipes
- Thai crockpot chicken thighs
- Thai chicken butternut squash soup
- Instant Pot Thai chicken soup
- Thai cauliflower rice
More Salmon Recipes to Try
- Healthy salmon burgers
- Salmon sushi bake
- Salmon stir fry
- Smoked salmon salad
- Cilantro tomato salmon soup
- One pan salmon and veggies
- Sheet pan lemon pepper salmon
You may also love to browse all my healthy grill recipes!
Broiled Thai Sweet Chili Salmon
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 x 6 oz wild salmon fillets skin on or off
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp Thai sweet chili sauce divided
- 2 – 3 tbsp green onions finely chopped
- Cooking spray I use Misto
Instructions
- Make Thai sweet chili sauce or use store-bought (I like Thai Kitchen brand).
- In a large baking dish, add salmon in a single layer. Each fillet: sprinkle with a pinch of salt and top with 1 tbsp of Thai sweet chili sauce. Brush or rub with your fingers to coat fish with sauce evenly on top, bottom and sides. Cover and let marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight is the best (up to 24 hours).
- Turn on oven's broiler on High and position top oven rack 5" – 6" below the heat source. Line large baking sheet with foil or silicone mat, spray with cooking spray and place salmon fillets skin side down (if any). Coat with remaining marinade from the dish (if any).
- Broil for 8 minutes, rotating baking sheet once. Remove from the oven and brush top of each fillet with 2 tsp of Thai sweet chili sauce. Return to the oven and broil for another 5 minutes or until salmon has caramelized.
- Serve hot garnished with green onions, extra sauce (if desired) and brown rice or quinoa + any salad.
Video
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in microwave.
- Can I eat the skin? It also helps keep the moisture in the salmon itself throughout the cooking process. If you don’t like skin or the “fishy” taste, remove it after cooking.
- Avoid parchment paper: If worried about burning, use a silicone baking mat or foil instead.
- Allow the sauce to cool: Before brushing the sauce onto the salmon pieces, allow it to come to room temperature first.
- Can I marinate salmon overnight? Yes! In fact, a full 24 hours will give you awesome flavour!
- Can I grill it? You can cook fillets directly on the grill by following this grilled salmon recipe or cedar plank salmon.
This was delicious!! The only issue I had was the parchment paper burning. Thought it was going to start an oven fire, but it didn’t.
Hi Sue. Parchment paper will turn brown, maybe even dark brown but it shouldn’t set on fire. Mine doesn’t.
great recipe, great article! I only have one thing I need to point out, in your article it stated:
“we must understand that wild seafood, game meat and fair trade dried fruits and teas from countries like Combodia do not necessarily have to be certified organic to be pesticide and yucky stuff free”, having grown up in a 3rd world country in that region till my early 20s, the pollution and the condition ANYTHING grows is horrendous and horrifying!!! if you’ve seen human waste floating on major rivers where so called “wild” fish grow, raw human and animal waste used for fertilizing plants/trees/veggies, you’ll NEVER make this statement again!!! Also America and along with other Industrialized world have the most strict food safety guard in place. I lived both worlds, so I know 🙂
I’m sorry, I meant Colombia. And I talked about fair trade certified plants. And wild seafood and game meat I meant local. Fish sold from developing countries is farmed in its majority. The entire point is in a context of “organic salmon” being not better option than wild salmon that sometimes not organic stuff, if you know where it came from (good brands do tell you), are better than some USDA certified organic.
The picture for the recipe looks like farm raised salmon. Wild filets are redder and thinner.
Which wild salmon? There are tens of species! It is wild sockeye salmon from Pacific Ocean straight into my freezer. Are you trying to say that after a 500 word essay and hours of research about farmed fish I’m cooking it and lying about it? I don’t understand what is your agenda?! Just having a bad Sunday morning?!
I’m cooking this tonight. For people with dry fish, the white stuff coming out the side of the fish is the fat. Fat from salmon is good for you and that’s where a lot of the omega 3’s are. It is also what makes the fish juicy, so as soon as you see it, the fish is usually done. NEVER go strictly by time in a broiler, because it cooks too fast and you risk burning. Many chefs won’t tell you how long it takes, because they want you to just watch it. I hope this helps the people that are having trouble. I’ll let you know how the salmon turns out. The sauce tastes good.
I just tried this tonight. LOVE the chili sauce recipe! Thank you for that! It is delicious.
My oven must run hot. I ended up with dry salmon but now I know and I will definitely try it again.
The parchment paper was getting very dark it was making me nervous! Next time I’ll use foil.
Hi Monique. Yes, your oven must run hot or try to move the rack lower from the broiler. Can you control broiler T? I know some ovens can. I only have High and Low. Yes, you can use aluminum however keep in mind it is leaching chemicals in your food when heated.
That’s probably a better idea – keep the rack further from the element and I’ll continue with parchment. I prefer parchment anyway.
Last night I used the chili sauce on some chicken wings – they were to die for! And tomorrow I’ll be using it in a stir fry.
Seriously good! Thanks again!!
I suspected the sauce would make killer wings. You are welcome.:)
Tasty. My husband and I love salmon… I was looking around for a new-to-me method of cooking/serving it, and BINGO! This is it.
However, next time I’ll definitely stay away from using parchment — the direct heat was too much for it. Despite the burnt paper, the broiled filets not only came out very well, but beautiful too!
Awesome! Really burnt paper for so many readers?! I have gas stove so I wonder if that is why my paper doesn’t burn. I swear we always broil salmon on High with parchment paper and no problem with burning. Oh well, use aluminum or I was thinking a narrower parchment paper piece.
I made this tonight and it was delicious! Both my husband and I loved it!!! I used wild sockeye salmon for the first time and it was worth the few extra bucks! Thank you!
You are welcome, Heather. Yep it is worth it. It is definitely a treat.
Just made it! The only thing-I put it in a baking dish because the parchment paper burnt. Also, had to cook it longer-was not done.
This salmon recipe looks delicious, can’t wait to try it. You are so on point regarding “atlantic salmon” We dred farm bred.
This was the easiest and best recipe I have made from Pinterest so far! I have never broiled my fish but it turned out amazing! Thanks for sharing!
Oh, Mandi. Haha. I’m glad I redeemed Pinterest in your books.:)