This quick and easy 5-ingredient Brown Sugar Chipotle Salmon is seasoned with a sweet and spicy dry rub and ready in under 30 minutes. This is a seafood dish even self-proclaimed fish haters would love!
Complete this healthy meal by serving with some roasted broccoli and brown rice!
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Homemade Brown Sugar Chipotle Salmon
It’s no secret that I love salmon. Up until now I’ve made salmon every way you can prepare it — as a fish cake, for a salad, with Asian-inspired sauces, grilled, even in a sushi bowl. It is hands down my favorite protein! So it should come as no surprise I found another delicious way to serve it up. This recipe is the perfect combination of sweet, spicy, and smokey. It’s also super easy to make — only requiring 20 minutes from start to finish and 5 pantry staple ingredients.
The key to this dish is in the dry rub. Salmon is naturally a little oily thanks to those Omega-3 fatty acids, so this rub is the perfect way to thoroughly season the fillets without adding too much unnecessary liquid. I use a combination of cumin, brown sugar, salt and chipotle powder to make an easy spice rub for the salmon. Believe me when I tell you that even people who claim to hate fish would love this recipe!
Key Ingredients
You only need five ingredients — yes, 5! — to throw together this Brown Sugar Chipotle Salmon dish:
- 4 salmon filets, skin on (leaving the skin attached helps to not overcook the fish)
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder
How To Make Brown Sugar Chipotle Salmon
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
- Pat down the salmon with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. Aside while you make the dry rub.
- Combine brown sugar, cumin, salt and chipotle powder in a small bowl.
- Sprinkle the dry rub onto the salmon, and place in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove the salmon skin if left on, and serve immediately with a sprinkle of parsley for garnish, if desired. enjoy!
Tips for Success
- I like to leave the skin on the salmon during cooking. This helps the salmon stay together, and keeps it extra moist (and prevents it from drying out).
- Always pat down your salmon with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. This helps to give the skin a nice crispiness on the outside.
- Before serving, squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the fillets to make the flavors pop!
How To Store and Reheat
It’s best to not freeze cooked fish, as it can dry out the fillets and make them taste chalky. But you can store the leftovers! Just place the cooled salmon fillets in an airtight container and store in the fridge for 1-2 days. Eat later cold, or reheat by zapping in the microwave or warming in the oven at a low temperature. But fair warning, you house will smell fishy! Not recommended for reheating in your break room at work.
What To Serve with the Salmon
- Cilantro Lime Rice
- Creamy Confetti Corn
- Easy Enchilada Rice
- Side Salad
- Roasted Veggies, like Broccoli or Cauliflower
- Loaded Mexican Sweet Potatoes
More Salmon Recipes To Try
- Sweet and Sour Salmon
- Hoisin Glazed Salmon and Veggies in foil
- Easy Teriyaki Salmon
- Super Easy Thai Salmon
- Coconut Curry Salmon
- Blackened Salmon with Lime Butter Sauce
- Sweet and Spicy Honey Sriracha Salmon
Brown Sugar Chipotle Salmon
Ingredients
- 4 salmon filets, skin on
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a small bowl combine brown sugar, cumin, salt and chipotle powder.
- Pat down salmon filets with a paper towel.
- Sprinkle the spice rub on the salmon. Place the salmon filets on the prepared baking dish and bake for 12-15 minutes or until fully cooked.
- Once the salmon cools down a bit peel of skin and serve immediately!
Nutrition Information
Did you make this?
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Ann
If I have a choice between meat and fish, I always choose fish. Of course, everyone chooses what to believe in, but I believe that fish is healthier than meat, and especially if properly cooked. I must also admit that this recipe has already wowed me. I have never tried to cook salmon exactly this way. Salmon is always a good idea. And in combination with other ingredients it promises a real masterpiece on my dinner table tomorrow. I can already imagine what this brown sugar crust tastes like, mmm … Thank you for the detailed and original recipe, I will definitely try to cook this dish and be sure to enjoy it! I like your blog, keep it up.
Nathan
Hi Ann,
I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Thank you for trying it and for commenting!
Nathan
Kathy
Fast, healthy, and delicious!