Air Fryer Salmon Fillet with Crispy Skin
Crispy, golden skin and a juicy, flaky center in about 10 minutes. The trick is drying the skin well, keeping the spices on the flesh, and cooking it skin side up with no flipping. Each fillet has 34g protein.
Ingredients
- 4 skin-on salmon fillets, (5 to 6 oz each)
- 1 Tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika, (I prefer regular, not smoked)
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Lemon slices, for serving
- Fresh dill or parsley, for serving
Instructions
- Dry the salmon: Pat the fillets really dry with paper towels, especially the skin. This is THE most important step for crispy skin! If you have time, let them sit uncovered in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Preheat: Heat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Mix the seasoning: Stir together the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, pepper, and all but ⅛ teaspoon of the salt.
- Season the flesh: Brush 2 teaspoons of the oil over the flesh side and press the seasoning on.
- Oil and salt the skin: Flip the fillets, brush the skin with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil, and sprinkle with the remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt. Keep the spices off the skin so they don’t burn!
- Air fry: Place the salmon skin side up in the basket, leaving space between each fillet. Air fry for 6 to 10 minutes without flipping, until the skin is crispy and the thickest part reaches 130°F for medium or 145°F for well done.
- Serve: I love this with a squeeze of fresh lemon and fresh herbs, but you can also serve it with tzatziki, garlic yogurt sauce, or your favorite herb sauce like Gotham Greens pesto!
Notes
Wild vs. farm-raised: Wild salmon is thinner and leaner, so I start checking it at 6 to 7 minutes. Thicker farm-raised fillets usually need 8 to 10 minutes.
Skinless fillets: These totally work! Just start checking a minute or two early.
Sauces: I love this with healthy tzatziki, garlic yogurt sauce, or pesto. Add sauces after cooking so they don’t stick to the basket.
Storage: Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 350°F for 3 to 4 minutes. Heads up: the skin won’t be as crispy as fresh.
Nutrition: Calculated with wild salmon. Farm-raised fillets will be a little higher in calories and fat.
Nutrition
Calories: 276kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 366mg | Potassium: 848mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 88IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg
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