Bang Bang Salmon is smothered in a sweet and spicy sauce and then coated in crispy panko bread crumbs. It's crunchy, spicy, sweet, and savory. You can cook it in the air fryer or bake it in the oven.
You can cook this in the air fryer or bake it in the oven. I think an air fryer is the way to go, though. The panko breadcrumbs cook better in the air fryer and are extra crunchy and tasty.
Why you will love Bang Bang Salmon
- Easy 30-minute dinner with 9 ingredients
- It is versatile. Eat it with veggies, make it into a bowl, serve it over a salad, turn it into a lettuce wrap
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🥘 Ingredients
Panko Breadcrumbs: This adds a little crunch to the salmon. You'll love it! The breadcrumbs toast up really nicely in the air fryer. FYI: they don't get as toasty in the oven.
Olive Oil: Oil helps the panko to get crispy and brown.
Salt: You need to season the salmon and the breadcrumbs to ensure all the yummy flavors are brought out.
Mayonnaise: The base of the bang bang sauce.
Sweet Chili Sauce: This is a sweet sauce that is super addictive.
Sriracha: Siracha adds a little spice. Adjust to your liking.
Rice Vinegar: Gives the bang bang sauce a little tang and helps to thin it out.
Salmon Filets: You will need 4 6oz salmon filets. They can be with or without skin.
Green Onions: They make a nice garnish and add more flavor.
🔪 How to Make Bang Bang Salmon
1. Make Panko Topping: In a small bowl, mix together panko, olive oil, and salt.
2. Make Bang Bang Sauce: In a medium bowl, mix together mayo, sweet chili sauce, siracha, and rice vinegar.
3. Prep Salmon: Pat salmon dry and season it with salt. Spread a tablespoon of bang bang sauce on top of the salmon. Make sure not to contaminate the bang bang sauce. You will use the rest later.
4. Top Salmon: Then, top the salmon with panko.
5. Cook: Cook salmon in the air fryer at 375F for 7-9 minutes or in the oven at 400F for 11-14 minutes.
6. Garnish: When the salmon is done, top with more bang bang sauce and green onions.
🥡 How to Store
If you don't think a piece of salmon will be eaten that night (maybe it's lunch tomorrow), leave off the panko bread crumbs and just cook it with the bang bang sauce. Let it cool and store it in an air-tight container for up to 4 days.
You can eat your leftovers cold or warm them up. Add the salmon to rice, a salad, or to lettuce cups.
🥗 Sides
- Plain Rice
- Steamed Veggies
- Coconut rice
- Asian Salad
- Cucumber salad
🙋♀️ FAQ
Bang Bang sauce combines mayo, sweet chili sauce, siracha, and rice vinegar. It's a creamy sauce that is sweet and spicy.
👩🍳Tips
It can be hard to get salmon out of the air fryer basket once it's done. If a spatula doesn't work for you, try this hack I saw on Instagram.
Place a strip of foil in the air fryer basket, don't completely cover the bottom. You still want the air to circulate. Fold the foil over the edge of the foil to keep it in place.
Another tip, thin out the extra bang bang sauce with 1-2 teaspoons of water, so it's easier to drizzle at the end.
❤ Recipe
Bang Bang Salmon (Air Fry or Oven)
Ingredients
- ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 2 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 4 6 oz salmon filets
- Green onions garnish
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together panko, olive oil, and salt.
- In a medium bowl, make the bang bang sauce by mixing together mayo, sweet chili sauce, siracha, and rice vinegar.
- Preheat your air fryer to 375F ( if you're using the oven, preheat it to 400F).
- Pat salmon dry and season it with salt. Spread a tablespoon of bang bang sauce on top of the salmon. (make sure not to contaminate the bang bang sauce, you will use the rest later).
- Top the salmon with panko.
- Carefully place salmon in the air fryer and cook for 7-9 min (if you're baking it, bake it for 11-14 minutes).
- When the salmon is done, top it with more bang bang sauce and green onions.
- Serving suggestions: you can serve this over rice with stir-fried veggies, in a lettuce wrap, or on top of a salad.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!