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.
Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!
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.
Des says
Awesome recipe I absolutely love it ๐
Denys R. says
Girl, you did that! I didnโt think my son(8) was gonna like it, but he asked for seconds! I had some left so I put the broccoli and salmon in some aluminum foil and poured the sauce on top and sealed it, omg, better than the first day! You are my hero for this one!
Patty says
Amazing. I cut down the honey in half and add an extra garlic clove. My air fryer broiler I had to broil for 13 mins. Taste is amazing.
Alby says
Easy and delicious. Just like I like it.
Bonnie says
Made this recipe as directed & it was delicious! Definitely saving it!
Debi Alpert says
Hi. Thanks for this recipe! It was easy to prepare and the glaze was delicious. I did not have any lemon so I added a splash of rice vinegar which balanced out the flavors. I also sprinkled some sesame seeds on the top before broiling. Will definitely make again.
Gregory P Whitehouse says
Definitely delicious.
Scott V says
Great recipe, only thing I did different was replaced the sriracha with BBQ sauce. Fantastic and so easy.
Robyn says
Amanda – you are my new favorite person! This recipe was off the hook amazing. I wanted to put the left over sauce in a glass and drink it. The salmon cooked perfectly based on the cooking times you provided. I want this for dinner every night. Thank you.
Rockin Robin says
So so good thanks for this!!
Diane says
Hello Amanda! Your Honey Garlic Salmon is one of the, no, THE best recipe for salmon I’ve ever made. I was looking for something uncomplicated with ingredients I already had. Just the right amount of heat from the sriracha, balanced by the honey; delicious!!! Looking forward to making this for dinner guests. Many thanks!
Steve says
WINNER. WINNER. SALMON DINNER! Huge success with the family. The soy, sriracha and honey (we use Blue Agave in lieu of honey) combo gives the glaze so much flavor. Easy. Quick. An absolute keeper. Thanks for sharing!
Jessica Peter says
Amazing thank you
Theresa says
This was so good! It was so easy to follow the recipe. My husband literally said he only wants salmon cooked this way from now on. I didnโt make any changes to the recipe. Iโll be cooking this in the future.
Caro Brown says
Love this recipe. Quick, easy and so so tasty.
Natasha Carpenter says
We loved this!!Thanks for creating such an awesome dish!
Lea Key says
I don’t have any lemons or limes, do you have any suggestions for substitute?
Amanda says
You’ll want an acidic ingredient, so perhaps a vinegar? I’ve only made this recipe as written, so I can’t guarantee the result.
Laura Cox says
This recipe is awesome! My son and husband LOVED it, and my husband isn’t always a fan of overly-flavored dishes. I skinned our salmon side, then cut into more manageable fillets. I didn’t have any blackening seasoning on hand, but we were able to whip some up in minutes- which I think really helps build the flavor of this dish. The glaze, at first, I was afraid would be a little thin and lackluster, but it starts to concentrate in the broiler. 10/10 definitely making this again! Didn’t take a picture because it got devoured so fast!
Lisa says
The Honey Garlic Salmon was fantastic! I was wanting to cook salmon, but wanted to cook it a different way! What an excellent choice and fast and easy.
Thank you so much! I will be checking out your other recipes!
Peyton says
I was looking for a new way to prepare salmon (which can be boring). I stumbled across this recipe. It was so easy, fast and so delicious. This is now my favorite way to prepare salmon.
Jenny says
I did this one. It was soo good! We will cook this next time. And add to my menu at homeโบ๏ธMy son liked it too!
Jodi says
An amazing and easy dinner!
I had a good amount of liquid after broiling so I let the mixture reduce down allowing to thicken a bit.