Honey Chili Crunch Air Fryer Salmon Bites
Published 12/27/2023 • Updated 2/6/2024
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
In just 30 minutes, you can make the most incredible air fryer salmon bites flavored with a delicious honey chili crunch marinade. We turned ours into bowls with a simple edamame salad and rice.
What really sets this recipe for air fryer salmon bites apart from the rest is its incredible fusion of flavors and textures. The salmon is marinated in a zesty honey chili crunch glaze, offering a delightful blend of spicy and sweet.
If you’ve never made salmon bites before, your life is about to change! The use of salmon in the air fryer not only speeds up the cooking process but also gives each bite a slightly crispy edge — it’s so delish. Pair that with the nutty, textured edamame salad and creamy avocado cubes, and you’ve got a bowl that’s not just a meal, but an experience. Yum!
Simply marinate your salmon bites and then air fry them at 400ºF for around 6-8 minutes. This will get them perfectly crispy on the outside and so tender and flakey on the inside.
What You Need to Make These Air Fryer Salmon Bites
- Chili crunch – we used the Momofuku brand chili crunch, but you can also get it pretty much anywhere, even Trader Joe’s!
- Salmon – we prefer to buy our salmon from the butcher or from Surrender Salmon in one large filet. Then, we remove the skin and dice it up.
- Rice vinegar: rice vinegar helps brighten all of the flavors.
- Honey: honey balances out the spiciness from the chili crunch and offers a glaze-like marinade.
How long do you air fry salmon bites?
While it all depends on how big your salmon chunks are, we recommend air frying 400ºF for 6-8 minutes to get perfectly cooked salmon.
How We Served these Air Fryer Salmon Bites
We loved eating these salmon bites in bowl form — is there any way else to do it?!
- Edamame Salad: The nutty and slightly sweet edamame salad, brightened with a touch of lime and sesame oil, offers a refreshing contrast to the spiciness of the salmon.
- Rice: The fluffy rice soaks up the diverse flavors of the salmon and edamame, and pulling the whole dish together.
- Toppings: Fresh avocado cubes add creaminess, cilantro brings a burst of herbal freshness, and additional chili crunch (if you’re feeling sassy) can amplify the heat 😀
Substitutions & Variations
- Swap Chili Crunch for Sriracha or Chili Flakes: If you can’t find chili crunch, you can use Sriracha sauce or chili flakes to bring in the spice. You may miss out on the crunch, but you’ll still get the heat.
- Use Quinoa or Cauliflower Rice Instead of White Rice: For a gluten-free option, you can replace the white rice with quinoa or cauliflower rice. Both will absorb the flavors well and offer a different texture.
- Replace Edamame with Chickpeas or Lentils: If you’re not a fan of edamame or just want to try something different, chickpeas or cooked lentils can serve as a good alternative. They’ll bring a different sort of nuttiness and texture to the dish but will still work well with the other flavors.
Salmon Bites –> Oven Instructions
Don’t have an air fryer? No worries! You can easily adapt this recipe for the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F and place the marinated salmon cubes on a lined baking sheet. Bake for about 10-12 minutes or until the salmon is cooked through.
Best
Air Fryer
On the hunt for the best air fryer? Our favorite is the Ninja Kitchen Air Fryer. It’s reliable and moderately priced.
FAQs
Yes, you can use frozen salmon, but make sure to thaw it completely before marinating and cooking to ensure even cooking and flavor absorption.
The components of this dish can be prepared ahead of time, but it’s best to air fry the salmon just before serving to maintain its freshness and texture. The edamame salad can be made a day in advance, and the rice can also be pre-cooked.
Check the label of your chili crunch and other sauces to make sure they’re gluten-free. If all your ingredients are gluten-free, then the dish will be as well.
Air fry your salmon bites on 400ºF for 6-8 minutes.
Storage
To store these chili crunch honey salmon bite bowls, you should ideally separate the components to make for the freshest tasting leftovers. Here’s how:
- Salmon: Place any leftover salmon in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Edamame Salad: Store the edamame salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Rice: Store cooked rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-6 days.
- Toppings: Avocado and fresh cilantro are best used fresh, but you can store chopped cilantro in an airtight container in the fridge for a short period, usually up to 5 days.
Air Fryer Salmon Bites with Honey Chili Crunch
Ingredients
Salmon
- 3 tablespoons chili crunch, we’ve tried the Momofuku brand and Trader Joe’s
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1.5 lbs. raw salmon, deboned and skin removed
- 1.5 tablespoons avocado oil
Edamame
- 4 cups shelled, raw edamame
- 8-10 green onions, sliced diagonally
- 3 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1.5 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 3 teaspoons black or white sesame seeds
- Squeeze of fresh lime juice
Other Ingredients
- 2 large avocados, cubed or quartered
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 4 cups cooked rice
- Kewpie Mayo, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400ºF.
- Add the chili crunch, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and salt to a large bowl and whisk the ingredients together.
- Next, slice the salmon into 1-1.5 inch cubes and transfer them to the bowl. Toss the salmon with the sauce until coated.
- Oil the bottom of the air fryer and transfer the salmon into the air fryer. Do not layer the salmon. If the air fryer is not large enough to fit all of the salmon, cook the salmon in batches. Drizzle 1.5 tablespoons of avocado oil over the salmon.
- Cook the salmon for 6-8 minutes or until the outside of the salmon starts to brown and the internal temperature reaches 145ºF (per the USDA guidelines).
- While the salmon is cooking, add the edamame, green onions, sesame oil, rice vinegar, salt, sesame seeds, and lime juice to a bowl and mix. Set aside.
- Remove the salmon from the air fryer and set aside.
- Assemble the bowls. Serve the salmon and edamame over white rice and top with avocado, fresh cilantro, and extra chili crunch if you’re feeling sassy.
Tips & Notes
- How long the salmon cooks in the air fryer varies by what type of air fryer you use.
Option to add more vegetables to this bowl. - To make this an easy weeknight meal, use already-cooked rice from Trader Joe’s (or any other grocer). You can also make a batch of white rice.
- You can find shelled, raw edamame in the freezer section at most grocery stores. Just thaw the edamame by letting the edamame soak in cool water. If you soak the edamame in warm water it may become slimy so be careful.
Watch It
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Don’t forget to tag your posts on social media with the hashtag #fitfoodiefinds, we’d love to see what you’re up to!
Photography: photos taken in this post are by Ashley McGlaughlin from The Edible Perspective.
Wow! We are adding this to our rotation of meals. There’s so much you could change up and add to make it yummy. The salmon bites were out of this world and so easy to do! Seven minutes in the airfryer & they were perfection!
Right!? Salmon in the air fryer is 💯
This was delicious! Thanks so much for the recipe. Will make it again soon 👌
Wow this was insanely good! I was pleasantly shocked at how easy it was and how much flavor it packed. I’m allergic to edamame so subbed in cucumber + whipped up a spicy mayo with Kewpie mayo. What a delight. It’ll be part of my regular rotation.
Yummmmmm!
Wow! This recipe has amazing flavor for how easy it is. This is one of my new favorite recipes. I especially loved the edamame salad! It reminded me of a poke bowl, but with everything cooked. I was pleasantly surprised by how great the salmon turned out in the air fryer too. Overall, this one was a win and will be going in the regular rotation!
So happy to hear it, Nicole!
So delicious. I already have plans to make a tofu version 😋
Ohhhh LOVE that idea!