Summary
If you’ve ever been to the restaurant Bonefish Grill, there’s a chance you’ve had their bang-bang shrimp appetizer. Fried shrimp drizzled with a sauce made from mayonnaise, Thai sweet chili sauce, sriracha, and honey. The sauce is creamy with just enough spice to keep things interesting. The recipe below uses salmon instead of shrimp and skips the battered frying step in favor of pan-seared or baked salmon, but the flavor is just as bold. This dish is a perfect appetizer or entree and will impress anyone lucky enough to try it.
Your grocery list
Meat/Seafood
- Fresh, skinless salmon fillets (or a whole side of salmon with the skin removed)
Pantry Items + Seasonings
- Sea salt
- Fresh ground black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Smoked paprika
- Mayonnaise
- Thai sweet chili sauce
- Sriracha
- Honey
Produce
- Green onions, for garnish
Equipment/tools you’ll need
- Cutting board and knife
- Mixing bowls
- Cast-iron or non-stick pan (if searing)
- Baking sheet (if baking, lined with foil or parchment paper for easy clean up)
- Tongs or spatula for handling salmon bites during cooking
- Squeeze bottle (optional, for drizzling sauce on finished salmon bites)
Baking vs. Pan-searing the salmon
Whether you choose to pan-sear or bake the salmon, the end result will be delicious. Here are a few pros and cons to consider for each method.
Pros for baking:
- Cook more salmon at a time
- No need to stand over the stove and watch them cook
- Healthier because there’s less oil involved
Cons for baking:
- It’s very easy to overcook them because they are out of sight – remember to use a timer!
Pros for pan-searing:
- The char/flavor developed in a cast-iron pan is hard to beat
- You can keep an eye on them and avoid overcooking
Cons for pan-searing:
- Depending on the size of the pan being used, you may have to cook the salmon in batches which will take more time
Bang Bang Salmon Bites
Servings 8 servings
Cost $40
Ingredients
- 2½ to 3 lbs of fresh salmon a whole side or cut into fillets with the skin removed
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup sweet chili sauce
- 2 tablespoons sriracha
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- Sliced green onions for garnish
Instructions
- Cut salmon into 2-inch pieces and season all sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
- In one mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, honey, and rice vinegar. In another bowl, add half of this sauce and all of the salmon pieces and gently stir to coat each piece in the sauce.
- Heat skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Cook salmon for 2-3 minutes on both sides (cook in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan).
- Remove from the pan, and drain on a paper towel to remove excess oil.
- Drizzle with extra sauce and top with green onions before serving.
Notes
- To bake instead: preheat the oven to 425º F. Cut salmon into pieces then coat in oil, seasonings, and sauce. Bake on a lined baking sheet for 10 minutes then broil for 5 minutes for more crispiness.
- The same recipe can be used for shrimp and chicken. Just adjust cooking times to make sure the proteins are safe for eating.
- You can also use this recipe for whole salmon fillets instead of cutting them into bite-sized pieces
