Chili Lime Salmon Bowls

These baked chili lime salmon bowls are a quick & easy weeknight dinner recipe. They’re naturally gluten free and can be made paleo. This baked salmon is full of flavor and ready in just 30 minutes!

It’s no secret I love all types of burrito and buddha bowl style meals. They’re quick, easy, healthy and you get a variety of flavors and textures all in one bowl.

These spicy chili lime baked salmon bowls are up there on my list of favorites! The flavors were inspired by my popular sweet potato burrito bowls, but of course made with salmon instead!

The rest of the bowl has my homemade cilantro lime rice, sauteed veggies, avocado and finished with a spicy tahini dressing. Easy, delicious and perfect for meal prep!

If you love this recipe, try my air fryer salmon or orange salmon bowls next!

Before we get started…

• While you certainly can eat salmon skin, I’m not a huge fan! You definitely want to bake the salmon with the skin on as it prevents it from drying out, but then I suggest removing the skin after they bake.
• You know salmon is done when it easily flakes off the fork! Some people like salmon more well done than others, so check it early to prevent it from drying out.
• You can make this recipe in the air fryer or oven baked, cubed or cut into regular fillets. Lots of options here!

How to make baked salmon bowls

MAKE MARINADE. Whisk together all of the ingredients for the salmon marinade in a small bowl.

Add the salmon fillets to a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and pour the marinade on top. use a brush to ensure it is even on all pieces.

Preheat the oven to 375 and let the salmon marinate while the oven heats up.

BAKE. Once it’s ready, bake for 12-15 minutes, depending on preference.

Once it’s almost done, turn the oven to broil and broil for about 2-3 minutes to let the tops crisp up. This is optional, but it gives the salmon a crispy top which I love!

PREP VEGGIES. While the salmon is baking, add the sliced peppers and onion to a skillet with the oil. Saute for about 5-10 minutes or until they start to brown slightly.

When the salmon is done, slice a knife under each piece to remove the skin, it should slide right off.

SERVE. Assemble the bowls with a base of cilantro lime rice, then add on top the sauteed veggies, salmon, avocado and drizzle with tahini dressing.

Air fryer instructions

You can easily make these chili lime salmon bowls in the air fryer! You’ll want to follow all of the same steps as usual with the salmon, marinating for at least 15 minutes.

Add the cubed or filleted salmon to an air fryer at 380 Fahrenheit. If the salmon was cubed, air fry for just 8-10 minutes, depending on preference. If it’s filleted, cook for a bit longer, about 10-14 minutes.

Make it paleo/low carb

You can easily make these salmon bowls paleo by swapping the cilantro lime rice for cauliflower rice.

I usually buy frozen riced cauliflower and heat it up with some olive oil on the stove, then add in the cilantro, lime, salt and pepper. You can also do half rice half cauliflower for a lighter but still hearty option!

How to store

Once prepared, cooked salmon is generally good in the fridge for about 2 days, but definitely best when served fresh.

I don’t recommend making too much more than you can eat in a day or two, so if you’re cooking for yourself, I would halve the recipe and you have dinner (or lunch) for two nights!

Can you cook salmon from frozen?

You can, and to be honest I do sometimes if I forget to take it out of the freezer or I’m just feeling impatient, but I highly recommend cooking the salmon from fresh or letting it defrost in the fridge overnight (or throughout the day).

Cooking it from frozen will prevent the marinade from actually getting into the salmon, so it kind of just rests on top and won’t be quite as flavorful.

If you do cook it from frozen, it is best to let it thaw, but if you forget or don’t have time, just add a few minutes of cook time to account for the frozen fish!

What sauces pair well with salmon?

I often go the asian route when cooking salmon and go for things like orange or teriyaki sauce, but for these salmon bowls, I love using my homemade chipotle aioli on top if you aren’t interested in the sriracha mayo!

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