Salmon fillets are brushed with a sweet & smoky chipotle maple sauce then air fried until tender & crispy! This chipotle maple salmon is quick & easy dinner that’s perfect for Fall!
First off I just have to say – where has air fried salmon been all my life?! (I realize I’m so late to the “air fryer salmon party”, but OH MY GOSH is it delicious!) And this chipotle maple salmon is so tasty! Sweet, smoky, spicy – this recipe has it all! It’s an easy and healthy dinner that’s perfect for the weeknights and couldn’t be easier too! Plus I love the crispy caramelized bits on the salmon, they’re soo good!
Ingredients For Chipotle Maple Salmon
- Salmon fillets: Use fillets that are similar in size to make sure they cook evenly.
- Chipotle peppers in adobo: We’ll be using 1 chipotle pepper and some of the adobo sauce for this recipe.
- Garlic: Every recipe needs a little bit of garlic!😉 You’ll only need 1 clove for the sauce.
- Maple syrup: Use pure maple syrup for the best results!
- Spices: Salt and paprika are needed to season your chipotle maple sauce.
How To Make Chipotle Maple Salmon In The Air Fryer
1. Preheat your air fryer. Turn your air fryer on to 390 degrees.
2. Make the sauce. Whisk your maple syrup, chopped chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, garlic, salt and paprika together. Then spoon a small amount of sauce into a separate container and set it aside. (We’ll use this to brush over your salmon fillets in a minute.)
3. Prep your salmon. Pat your salmon fillets dry with a paper towel and brush some of the reserved sauce over each fillet.
4. Air fry! Once the air fryer is ready, place your salmon in the basket and add a little more sauce to each fillet (if desired). Then air fry for 7-9 minutes or until your salmon is cooked through and the sides are slightly crispy.
5. Serve. Serve immediately with your remaining sauce and enjoy! (Try it with a squeeze of lime too!)
Note: Every air fryer is different so I’d suggest checking the salmon at 7 minutes to determine whether it needs to cook longer or not. (Cooking time will depend on the size of your salmon fillets too!)
No air fryer? No problem – bake your salmon instead! Follow the same directions as above and bake at 400 degrees for 10-11 minutes!
Spice Levels!
Chipotles peppers can be very spicy – luckily you can make this salmon recipe as spicy or as tame as you want it! (Squeezing a little bit of lime/lemon juice over the fillets after they’re done cooking helps lessen the heat too!)
- Mild heat: Replace the chipotle chili pepper with 2 tablespoons of the adobo sauce instead.
- Medium heat: Use a small chipotle pepper and remove all the seeds before adding it to your sauce. (We use this one for ours!)
- Hot hot heat: Use a small chipotle pepper and keep the seeds.
Sides To Serve With Your Chipotle Maple Salmon
We’ll usually serve side dishes that help counter the heat. Salads, roasted veggies/potatoes or rice side dishes are all great options! Here are a few of our favorites:
- Citrus Pomegranate Kale Salad with Honey-Lemon Vinaigrette
- Summer Corn Salad with Avocado
- Apple Bacon & Cranberry Chopped Kale Salad
- Summer Peach & Blueberry Kale Salad
FAQ’s
- How do I know when my salmon is done cooking? Your salmon should be pink all the way through and flake easily with a fork.
- Should I use salmon fillets with or without the skin? This is a personal preference. I personally prefer fillets without the skin because I’ve had the skin stick to the air fryer basket. (It’s a nightmare to clean!😬)
- Where do I find chipotle peppers in adobo? Most grocery stores will have it in the “International aisle” in the Mexican section. (It’s usually near the salsas and other canned peppers.) Some stores may have it in the condiment aisle near the canned tomatoes too.
Why you’ll love this chipotle maple glazed salmon recipe!
- An easy weeknight dinner! Only 7 minutes in the air fryer & dinner is done!
- Crispy edges! The syrup from your sauce caramelizes in the air fryer giving your salmon the yummiest crispy edges!
- Incredibly flavorful! Smoky chipotles peppers + sweet maple syrup + a touch of garlic & salt! This recipe is a sweet & spicy lover’s dream!
More salmon recipes you might like:
- Baked Sugar Spiced Salmon
- Roasted Chipotle Salmon with Peach Salsa
- Roasted Salmon with Maple Mustard Glaze
- Pan Seared Salmon with Lemon-Dijon Sauce
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Chipotle Maple Air Fried Salmon
Ingredients
- 2 salmon fillets
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo, chopped (discard as many seeds as possible)*
- 1 Tbsp chipotle in adobo sauce
- 2½ Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp paprika
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 390 degrees.
- Then mix the rest of your ingredients together in a small bowl and set it aside.
- Pat your salmon dry with a paper towel and brush some of your sauce over each fillet. (It's best to spoon a small amount of sauce into a different container for brushing so you don't contaminate the rest. We'll use the remaining sauce later!)
- Once your air fryer it ready, place your salmon in the basket and brush a little more sauce over each fillet (if desired). Cook for 7-9 minutes or until your salmon is cooked through and the sides are slightly crispy.
- Once done, brush your reserved sauce over each salmon fillet and serve with any remaining sauce. Enjoy!
