Sticky sweet and garlicky, this glazed salmon recipe comes together in just 20 minutes, and in one pan. Hands down, the most addicting salmon ever!
This ultra easy salmon recipe is a winner when it comes to weeknight dinners!ย We love easy main dishes, like my Honey Lime Shrimp, and Blackened Tilapia Bowls.ย This is one of myย Dinnerย recipes youโll definitely want in your recipe rotation!
HONEY GARLIC SALMON RECIPE
Have you ever made a recipe that truly surprised you?ย Normally I’m not a huge salmon lover, but after one bite of this ultra tender salmon, I was absolutely in love.ย I literally did a little dance in the kitchen because I finally found a way that I can enjoy salmon!
We all know how nutritious salmon is… loaded with omega 3’s, high in protein and tons of vitamins, so I’m glad I can enjoy those benefits.ย And now, so can you!
You won’t believe how such a simple recipe can pack SO much flavor.ย Each bite is full of sweet and savory flavors and delicate textures.
HOW TO MAKE GLAZED SALMON
I know some people, myself included, worry about pan-searing a salmon filet, going to flip it over, and…. well now your beautiful filet is mangled and in several pieces.
For that reason, I kept this recipe simple… so simple in fact, that there is NO pan-searing.ย No flipping required.
- Pat salmon filets dry and season with spices on all sides.
- Heat butter and oil, then add garlic, water, soy sauce, sriracha, honey and lemon juice.
- When hot, add salmon filets (skin side down if your filets have skin), and cook 3 minutes.
- While salmon cooks, use a spoon to baste the filets.
- Broil for 5-6 minutes, until salmon is sticky sweet, slightly charred, and cooked to desired doneness.
COOKING TIPS FOR SALMON RECIPES
- Buy good salmon – I prefer to buy fresh salmon from the grocery store, instead of frozen filets in bags, since those tend to be very thin.ย Cooking Light has a great article on how to pick the best salmon at the grocery store.
- Use it quickly – Salmon can go “off” or bad pretty quickly, so I prefer to buy my salmon no more than 1 day ahead of time.
- To skin or not to skin – if you decide to pan-sear your salmon, leave the skin on (and sear skin side first).ย The skin provides a layer of protection against the hot pan, and it’s a LOT easier to slide a spatula underneath crispy skin than underneath tender flesh.ย Plus, you’ll get crispy skin!ย To cook this recipe as written, it really doesn’t matter if your filets have skin or not.
- Don’t overcook – Salmon is prone to overcooking, and the line between not done enough and dry and overdone is pretty fine.ย The USDA recommends salmon be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 F degrees.ย ย However, different peopleย prefer their salmon to be more rare or more well-done, like a steak.ย To be on the safe-side, I stick to the USDA’s recommendation.
VARIATIONS OF THIS RECIPE
- Pan-Sear – if you’d prefer, season salmon as directed, then pan sear in the pan.ย Flip over and sear on the other side, then remove to a plate.ย Add sauce ingredients to pan and cook until warmed through.ย Add salmon back to pan and spoon sauce over the salmon.
- Bold Lemonย – feel free to add lemon zest to the sauce, or even add a few slices of lemon to the pan while you cook and broil the salmon for a more bold lemon flavor.
- Try Lime – switch the lemon juice for lime juice for a slightly different flavor.
- Green Onions – I love to top these salmon filets with some sliced green onions for a different flavor twist.
MAKING HONEY GARLIC SALMON AHEAD OF TIME
I think this recipe tastes best when made right before eating, but you can whisk together the sauce ahead of time if you’d like.
However, this salmon recipe also tastes amazing cold, on top of a salad.ย So if that’s your intention, then yes, make it a few hours to a day ahead of time ๐
STORAGE
Any leftover salmon should be refrigerated in an airtight container and consumed within 3 days.
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT FOR THIS RECIPE
- 12โณ wide skilletย โ I love this pan, and love that it’s oven and broiler safe (a must for one pan recipes).
BE SURE TO SCROLL DOWN TO CHECK OUT OTHER READERSโ COMMENTS FOR TIPS AND REVIEWS.
AND DONโT FORGET, IF YOUโVE MADE THIS RECIPE, LEAVE A COMMENT AND PLEASE GIVE IT A STAR RATING LETTING ME KNOW HOW YOU ENJOYED IT!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
SALMON
- 4 (6 oz each) salmon filets
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (or regular paprika)
- 1/4 tsp blackening seasoning (optional)
SAUCE
- 3 Tbsp butter
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup honey
- 3 Tbsp water
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp sriracha sauce
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Pat salmon dry, then season with salt, pepper, paprika and blackening seasoning (if using). Set aside.
- IMPORTANT: Adjust oven rack to middle position, then preheat broiler. If you broil this with the rack up high the sauce will burn.
- Add butter and oil to a large, oven-safe skillet over MED-HIGH heat. Once butter is melted, add garlic, water, soy sauce, sriracha, honey and lemon juice and cook 30 seconds or so, until sauce is heated through.
- Add salmon, skin side down (if using salmon with skin), and cook 3 minutes. While salmon cooks, baste frequently with sauce from the pan by spooning it over the top of the salmon.
- Broil salmon for 5-6 minutes, basting with sauce once during the broil, until salmon is caramelized and cooked to desired doneness.
- Garnish with minced parsley if desired.
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Chef Tips
- If you'd prefer, season salmon as directed, then pan sear in the pan.ย Flip over and sear on the other side, then remove to a plate.ย Add sauce ingredients to pan and cook until warmed through.ย Add salmon back to pan and spoon sauce over the salmon.
- A couple of readers have reported having a watery sauce, which I've never personally encountered during all the testing for this recipe. If you feel the sauce is a bit watery, you could reduce the amount of water used, or simmer the sauce a bit before adding the salmon.
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Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Hannah says
Very good, easy and quick to fix. I improvised some on recipe quantities, cutting ingredient proportion to 1/3 of recipe for 4 as my salmon was a single 8-oz portion.
It was still totally delicious. I did not have Sriracha sauce and did not use blackening. And the salmon was a few days old from the fridge.
Debora Linse says
Kids and hubby licked their plates clean!! Success!! Sauce is perfect and tastes great over the rice. It isnโt as spicy as it sounds by the ingredients. I fixed it exactly as written.
Catherine says
Whats the temperature for the oven to broil ?
Amanda says
My oven doesn’t have a temperature, just low and high. I used high, but feel free to use whatever you’re comfortable with ๐
Christine Gibson says
Gorgeous !
Judy says
The best salmon I ever had !! I doubled the ingredients for the sauce because I had double the salmon. I also used crushed red pepper flakes instead of Sriracha and it was perfect.
Cindy says
LOVE this recipe! Easy and restaurant quality if not over cooked. Making it again tonight.
Janis says
I really enjoyed this recipe it was delicious. I will make again.
Marcus says
I have always loved a good honey glazed salmon and this was awesome! Thanks!
Sandy says
I think fresh grated ginger would be a delicious addition. Will try that next time.
Mrs bias says
Loved it! Saving this one as the go to!
Nicole says
Not sure why this didnโt work for me. The glaze had way too much liquid – I basically poached the salmon. I might try again but not add the water or add it to the pan if and when needed
Nancy Pinckney says
I didnโt have siriachi so I used sweet Thai chili sauce and it was delicious!!!
Lisa Cothran says
I just made this tonight and it looks absolutely delicious ๐
Jennifer Carter says
Excellent, whole family loves this.
Gail Birch says
Absolutely delicious! As good as I have had in any restaurant and so easy
Jill says
The whole family loved this! I am usually skeeved out by fish with skin… but thatโs what the grocery store had. And a google search led me here, cause I also had no idea how to cook it. It was delicious and easy! Itโs a keeper! Thank you!
V. says
Made this for my family the other night and everyone raved about how good it was. I couldn’t believe how easy it was to make. It is definitely going into the dinner rotation. Thanks.
MB says
Yummy
Carolyn says
Everyone in my family loved this salmon. Will definitely keep this in my favourite list. Thanks so much!
Jennifer F. says
Amazing!!! Perfect results, loved the no sear/no flip method. Thanks for sharing!