Air Fryer Bang Bang Salmon Bites are a delicious, healthy, and unique dinner idea that takes just 20 minutes to make. Seasoned with a smoky, garlicky blend of seasoning and then topped with a healthy homemade Bang Bang Sauce, this recipe is sure to impress.
Serve it with my 3 Ingredient Teriyaki Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Roasted Asian Green Beans, or Roasted Asian Broccoli.
Air Fryer Bang Bang Salmon Bites
I just love these Air Fryer Bang Bang Salmon Bites. If you are looking for a unique and different dinner that's still quick and healthy, this is it. Made with just a few ingredients, in less than 20 minutes, this dinner is sure to have everyone asking for seconds.
This dish starts with fresh salmon, cut into cubes. They are then seasoned with a simple blend of seasoning, including garlic and smoked paprika. They air fry in just a few minutes! I use this air fryer, but I've also included instructions below on how to bake these in the oven.
What makes this dish so special, though, is my homemade Bang Bang Sauce, which is a play-off of the popular Bonefish Grill appetizer. Their version uses fried shrimp and a mayo-based sauce, so I've made my version a bit healthier using Greek yogurt instead of mayo. The other flavors that bring this sauce alive are Thai Chili Sauce, Sriracha, Honey, and lime. It's so simple, but the flavors are legit delicious. The "Bang Bang" refers to the sauce's powerful punch with a mix of flavors.
Serve the Air Fryer Bang Bang Salmon Bites as shown, over a bed of white rice and sesame seeds, or as an appetizer with chopsticks. Either way, everyone will love it.
Air Fryer Bang Bang Salmon Bites - 20 minute dinner! Share on X
Why You'll Love this Air Fryer Bang Bang Salmon Bites...
- Bang Bang Salmon Bites make a healthy dinner with simple ingredients and just 20 minutes.
- The salmon and sauce are just 200 calories with 25 grams of protein.
- This dinner is flavorful and unique, perfect for when you are in a dinner rut.
- It's kid-approved!
- You can customize how spicy you want your bang bang sauce.
- It's healthy! Salmon is great for you and my version doesn't use mayo.
Ingredients:
Here's an overview of what you'll need to make these Air Fryer Bang Bang Salmon Bites, but keep scrolling for the full recipe amounts.
For the Salmon Bites:
- Salmon: You'll need about a pound of salmon to make these. You can easily add more if your family loves fish. I like to use Atlantic Salmon for this because it holds up well in an air fryer and is generally thick enough. To prepare the bites, cut them into 1-inch pieces and remove any skin.
- Olive Oil: A touch of olive oil gives the seasonings something to stick on.
- Garlic Powder & Onion Powder: This blend of seasoning brings out the flavors in the fish.
- Smoked Paprika: This smoky ingredient adds flavor and a nice red color. You could also use Blackening Seasoning instead of the three spices I listed.
- Salt and Pepper
- Toppings: Sesame Seeds
For the Bang Bang Sauce:
- Plain Greek Yogurt: I swapped out Greek yogurt for mayo in this sauce to keep it healthier and lighter. You can also use mayo.
- Thai Chili Sauce: Thai Chili Sauce has a fabulous sweet and spicy flavor that is necessary in this sauce to give it the flavors you recognize from Bonefish Grill.
- Sriracha: Sriracha gives the sauce a bit of a kick. You can add more if you'd like.
- Honey: Honey balances out the spicy flavors with a bit of sweetness.
- Lime Juice: Lime gives it all a fresh citrus punch.
Instructions:
This is an overview of the instructions to make this Air Fryer Bang Bang Salmon Bites, but the full detailed printable recipe is below in the recipe card.
Step One: Prep the Fish
- Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees. Spray the cooking tray with cooking spray.
- Put your salmon bites dry with paper towels.
- Toss the salmon bites in olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and salt and pepper.
- Put the seasoned salmon bites in the air fryer, making sure they have plenty of space between them. If they are too close together, they will not get crispy.
Step Two: Mix the Bang Bang Sauce
- While the salmon is cooking, mix the Greek yogurt, Thai chili sauce, sriracha, honey, and lime to make the bang bang sauce.
- Taste and add any additional Thai chili sauce or sriracha if needed.
Step Three: Cook and Plate Bang Bang Salmon Bites:
- Cook the salmon bites for 8-10 minutes. They will be done when they are flaky and opaque.
- Remove the salmon bites from the fryer.
- Serve plain or over a bed of white rice. Finish the Bang Bang Salmon Bites by drizzling the sauce over the top. Put extra Bang Bang sauce in a bowl for dipping.
- Sprinkle the sesame seeds as shown below.
Bang Bang Salmon Bites Variations
I love this Air Fryer Bang Bang Salmon Bites as written, but here are some fun variations.
- Make it in the Oven: You can also bake the salmon bites in the oven. Bake at 425 for 6-7 minutes.
- Make it into Lettuce Wraps: Instead of serving over rice, serve the Bang Bang Salmon Bites with large lettuce leaves.
- Make it into a Salad: Use the salmon bites and sauce as a topping for a salad.
- Mix up the Fish: You can use other thick fish for this, including Steelhead Trout, Mahi Mahi, or Grouper. You could also use shrimp.
FAQ
Storage & Leftovers
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat in the air fryer. I would not freeze the recipe because the cooked salmon would not thaw out well.
What is bang bang sauce?
Bang Bang Sauce is a spicy sauce that has been made popular by Bonefish Grill. It is traditionally made with mayo, sweet Thai chili sauce, hot sauce, honey, and lime. My version is healthier and made with Greek yogurt instead of mayo.
Bang Bang Salmon Bites
These Bang Bang Salmon Bites are made in the air fryer and are simply perfect. They make a creative, unique, and tasty dinner that my kids love. I love how this Bang Bang Sauce doesn't have mayo too, but still tastes just like the restaurant version. Make it a meal with a few of the sides below.
Serving Suggestions:
- Roasted Asian Broccoli
- Roasted Asian Cauliflower
- 5 Ingredient Roasted Asian Green Beans
- Asian Edamame Quinoa
More Air Fryer Fish Recipes:
If you make this Air Fryer Bang Bang Salmon Bites, I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a comment and a star rating ★ below. Make sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook too!
Air Fryer Bang Bang Salmon Bites
Ingredients
For the Salmon:
- 1 pound salmon, skin removed and diced into 1 inch chunks
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- salt & pepper
For the Bang Bang Sauce?
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup Thai chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- garnish: sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees. Spray the cooking tray with cooking spray.
- Put your salmon bites dry with paper towels. Toss the salmon bites in the olive oil , garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika and salt and pepper.
- Put the seasoned salmon bites in the air fryer, making sure they have plenty of space between them.
- While the salmon is cooking, mix together the Greek yogurt, Thai chili sauce, sriracha, honey and lime together to make the bang bang sauce.
- Cook the salmon bites for 8-10 minutes of until they are flaky and opaque.
- Remove the salmon bites from the fryer serve with the sauce drizzled over the top. Sprinkle the sesame seeds.
Notes
Nutrition
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