Smoky Chipotle Salmon with Citrus Salsa & Creamy Green Sauce

My Husband Says This Is the Best Salmon He’s Ever Tasted.

The moment I coated the salmon with that chipotle brown sugar rub, I had a feeling it would be a hit.

As if that buttery, flaky, smoky-sweet salmon weren’t enough—add a bright, colorful salsa on top and a garlicky aji verde on the bottom (for the green sauce lover in our house—me), and we had a total showstopper that instantly earned a spot in our “best salmon recipes” file.

One of my daughters enjoyed the salmon and green sauce (a win!), another went back for seconds on the full bowl, and both Bjork and I kept commenting throughout the meal on how much we loved the flavors and textures.

(I know this photo doesn’t look like much, but I was standing there eating that juicy orange salsa straight from the bowl while waiting for the salmon to bake. For this batch, I ran the cabbage through the food processor, making it tender and extra shreddy. It’s SO good.)

The ingredient list may look long, but many items overlap. And it’s very straightforward:

• Bake the salmon.
• Blend the sauce.
• Toss the salsa (or salad—it’s kind of both).

Pile everything into a bowl, and you’ll feel like you’re dining out. Hope you love this one. It’s a vibrant, fresh bowl I’ve been craving lately.

Here’s What the Ingredients Look Like:

These flavors are impossible to go wrong with.

In a nutshell: salmon, spices, cilantro, lime, garlic, jalapeño, oranges.

Happy colors, happy flavors.

Let’s Make This:

1

Prepare Your Salsa.

It’s shown here with oranges in the bowl—but wait to add them until just before serving so they don’t turn pink. 🙂

2

Blend Your Aji Verde.

I absolutely adore this sauce.

3

Bake Your Salmon.

Spice rub + oil, then bake for 10 minutes.

4

Plate It Up Kinda Fancy.

Rice and sauce on the bottom of the dish, then chunks of salmon + the salsa on top.

If You Love This, You’ll Love These

Our family definitely has a “type” when it comes to favorite recipes—the spicy-sweet combo is what we’re loving these days. Others we’re enjoying right now:

• these sweet potatoes with chipotle sauce (our hyper-fixation for the past few months)
• the BBQ salmon with mango salsa
• this air fryer salmon or air fryer chicken
• these gochujang noodles
• the bang bang salmon

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Chipotle Salmon with Orange Salsa and Aji Verde

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Lindsay
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings

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Description

Sweet-and-smoky chipotle salmon topped with fresh orange salsa and creamy aji verde! An easy, delicious, restaurant-level salmon dinner.

Ingredients

Units USM

Chipotle Salmon

• 1 1/2 pounds salmon filet (I have used both skinless and skin-on; either works)
• 2 tablespoons taco seasoning (I use Siete)
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder, depending on spice preference
• spritz of avocado oil

Orange Salsa

• 3 large navel oranges, cut into chunks (peeled with a knife, pith removed)
• a small wedge of purple cabbage, finely shredded or pulsed in a food processor (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• a small wedge of red onion, minced (about 1/4 cup)
• 1–2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
• juice of 2 limes (2–3 tablespoons)
• half of a jalapeño (ribs and seeds removed)
• 1 tablespoon sugar + 1/2 teaspoon salt (more to taste)

Aji Verde

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup mayo
• 1 cup cilantro leaves and stems
• half of a jalapeño pepper (ribs and seeds removed)
• 1 clove garlic
• juice of 1 lime
• a pinch of salt, to taste

Other

• Rice for serving

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Instructions

1. Make Orange Salsa: Toss all ingredients together except oranges; massage with your hands to soften the cabbage a bit. (You’ll add the oranges until right before serving, so they don’t turn pink.)
2. Make Aji Verde: Blend the aji verde sauce until smooth.
3. Prep Salmon: Preheat oven to 450 degrees; place a rack near the top. Pat salmon dry with paper towels. Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment (I just leave the filets in one whole piece). Mix seasoning for salmon; coat salmon filets with seasoning. Spritz with a light coating avocado oil.
4. Bake Salmon: Bake for 5 minutes near the top of the oven. Then broil another 4-6 minutes until cooked to your liking (I like it to be medium, about 135 degrees).
5. Serve: Add oranges to the slaw mixture. Put rice and aji verde side by side on the bottom of a plate or shallow bowl. Then flake a few chunks of salmon on top, and finish with a scoop of the salsa. Chef’s kiss!

Notes

If your salmon has skin, place it skin side down on the baking sheet.

In the ingredient photo above, you’ll see cotija cheese which I do often add to my aji verde – however, for the final version, I felt like the sauce was more harmonious for this dish without the cotija, which is why it’s not in the final written ingredient list.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American

Keywords: salmon recipe, sheet pan salmon, orange salsa, aji verde

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