10-Minute Crispy Air Fryer Salmon Bites

These Crispy Air Fryer Salmon Bites strike the perfect balance between crispy, juicy, and downright delicious! Seasoned with a smoky-spicy dry rub and cooked quickly in the air fryer, they’re always a popular snack to serve at parties or a protein to top on grain bowls, salads, and tacos.

Just like my favorite air fryer salmon recipe, this easy Air Fryer Salmon Bites recipe transforms bite-sized salmon nuggets into a spicy and smoky party snack or protein to top on a salad! 

To begin, the bites are coated in a well-balanced and slightly spicy salmon dry rub. Then the air fryer takes care of the rest! In less than 10 minutes, the bites are crispy and flaky with tender and juicy meat in the middle

I paired these air fried salmon bites with a creamy, slightly spicy chipotle crema. This addictive dipping sauce perfectly complements the salmon while also bringing bold flavors to the overall dish.

Did you end up with extras?

Good!

Because the crema is also fantastic with shrimp, burrito bowls, hamburgers, and more!

Ingredients needed

For the salmon: 

• Salmon – You can make salmon bites with both skinless or skin-on salmon filets. Just know that if you use skin-on salmon, you’ll have to remove the skin before cutting the filets into bite-sized pieces.
• Olive oil spray
• Salmon dry rub – A blend of paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin (or, try one of these cumin substitutes), cayenne, salt, and black pepper infuses the salmon with a nice balance of smoky, sweet, savory, and subtly spicy flavors. If you don’t like spicy food, this mild Salmon Dry Rub uses mustard powder instead of cayenne. 

For the chipotle crema sauce:

• Sour cream – You can use regular, fat free, or dairy free sour cream. Or, try Greek yogurt. 
• Mayonnaise – Again, you can use regular or fat free. 
• Chipotle pepper in adobo sauce – Blending a chipotle pepper and a few spoonfuls of adobo sauce adds bold smoky, spicy, and tangy flavors to the crema!
• Lime juice and zest
• Garlic clove
• Cumin
• Salt

How to make them

Whisk the salmon dry rub ingredients together in a small bowl. 

Pat the salmon filets dry with paper towels before cutting them into 1-inch cubes. Next, toss the salmon bites in the spice mixture.

Lay the salmon pieces in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Air fry until they’re cooked through. 

While you wait, add the chipotle crema ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Serve the crispy salmon bites with the crema on the side for dipping, and enjoy! 

Tips and tricks

• For even and fast cooking, carefully slice the salmon filets into evenly sized 1-inch cubes. 
• Cook the salmon bites in batches if needed. The pieces should be in a single layer in the air fryer basket with space in between each one so they crisp up and cook evenly.
• You’ll know the salmon bites are done cooking when the meat flakes easily when a fork is run over them.

Variations

• Miso: Instead of the dry rub, coat the salmon bites in a mixture of mirin, miso, soy sauce, brown sugar, and grated ginger, like in this Baked Miso Salmon recipe. 
• Hot honey: Omit the dry rub and coat the salmon bites in the hot honey sauce from my Honey Sriracha Salmon recipe. 
• Everything: Coat the salmon bites in everything bagel seasoning and serve with creamy chive dressing à la Everything Bagel Salmon.  
• Garlic butter: Season with salt and pepper, then toss the bites in seafood boil sauce before air frying.   
• Swap the dry rub: Coat the salmon pieces in Cajun, Creole, or Blackened seasoning, this Chicken Wing Rub, or my mild Salmon Dry Rub before air frying. Serve with remoulade sauce on the side and enjoy.  

Serving suggestions

Dipping sauces are a must when serving salmon bites as a snack! Luckily, they pair well with all kinds of sauces, including these 15 Sauces for Salmon and 30+ Classic Sauces for Fish.

For parties, pair them with other snacks and sides, like crispy brussels sprouts, zucchini fries, shoestring fries, and green bean fries. 

Want to make this a meal? Pair the salmon bites with any of these 45 Sides for Salmon or 45+ Side Dishes for Fish. Or use them as a topping on a sushi bowl, taco bowl, poke bowl, or any salad or grain bowl you love. They’re even great for salmon tacos or on top of this crispy rice salad!

FAQs

Storing

Let the leftover salmon cool to room temperature, then place it in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days or in the freezer for 2 to 3 months. 

Wine pairings for salmon bites

• A buttery, oaked Chardonnay, a crisp and acidic Sauvignon Blanc, or a slightly off-dry Riesling will complement the rich dry rub seasonings and crispy texture of the salmon.
• A light-bodied and fruit-forward Pinot Noir is also a good choice if you prefer red wine. 
• For more wine recommendations, check out these 8 Wine Pairings for Salmon.

More salmon recipes

• Air Fryer Salmon Filets
• 5-Ingredient Sheet Pan Salmon
• Grilled Salmon with Lemon Butter
• Salmon with Ginger Sauce
• Spicy Salmon Sushi Bites
• Smoked Salmon Dip

More air fryer recipes

• Air Fryer Halibut
• Air Fryer Artichoke Hearts
• Air Fryer Chicken Bites
• Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
• Air Fryer Chicken Breasts
• Air Fryer Buffalo Wings
• Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks
• Air Fryer Toasted Ravioli
• Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
• Air Fried Chicken Tenders
• Air Fryer Meatloaf
• Air Fryer Chinese Chicken Wings
• More → 40+ Air Fryer Appetizers

Did you try this air fryer salmon bites recipe?

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Note: This recipe will also work with trout or steelhead. Learn more about trout vs. salmon and steelhead vs. salmon here.