In this easy, healthy recipe for grilled salmon, the fillets marinate quickly with chili powder, garlic, lime, and olive oil. After grilling, the salmon is served with a sauce of Mexican crema or sour cream, lime, cilantro, and green onions. Serve alongside rice pilaf or sautéed zucchini for an easy, healthy dinner.

What to buy: Look for wild or sustainably farmed salmon—check out the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch for salmon recommendations and find a market or fishmonger you can trust. And see our guide to types of salmon for more about different varieties of the fish.

  • Yield:4 servings
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Total: 25 mins, plus 20 mins marinating and resting time 
  • Active: 20 mins

Ingredients (12)

For the fish:

  • 4 (6-ounce) skin-on salmon fillets, pin bones removed
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 1/2 medium lime)

For the sauce:

  • 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves
  • 2 green onions, finely sliced
  • 1/2 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
  • Finely grated zest and juice from 1 medium lime, plus more as needed
  • Kosher salt, to taste

For cooking the fish:

  • Vegetable oil

Instructions

  1. Dry the salmon well with paper towels and season it all over with salt. In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, garlic, olive oil, and lime juice; stir to form a paste. Spread the paste all over the salmon fillets in a thin layer, distributing it evenly. Set aside at room temperature for 15 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Stir together the cilantro, green onions, crema, lime zest and juice, and a pinch of salt. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more lime juice or salt as needed. Transfer to a small serving bowl and set aside.
  3. Set a large nonstick or well-seasoned grill pan over medium-high heat and wait for it to get hot, about 5 minutes. Brush the surface with vegetable oil and add the salmon fillets skin-side down. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, pressing down on the fillets with a spatula to make sure the skin is making contact with the pan. Cook until the skin is crisp, about 6 minutes. Turn the salmon and cook on the flesh side until the salmon is done to your liking (about 1 minute longer for medium-rare). Transfer the fish to a warmed serving platter and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving with the sauce.