Chile Baked Salmon with Lime Butter
Chile Baked Salmon with Lime Butter

Chile Baked Salmon with Lime Butter

5 from 1 reviews
Chile Baked Salmon with Lime Butter
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
This is an absolutely delicious recipe that's pretty enough for company but simple enough to be a weeknight dinner! The lime butter is a game-changer; this recipe will make extra so that you can keep some in your freezer! I always use farm-raised salmon for this recipe because it's fattier and juicier.
Author:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
Lime Butter Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • zest of 1 lime (about 4 heaping teaspoons)
Salmon Ingredients:
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 1-pound filets of salmon
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Instructions
  1. Make the lime butter: Mix the ingredients together until the zest is evenly distributed throughout the butter. Scoop the butter out onto a sheet of wax paper. Cover with another sheet and lightly roll it out to a uniform thickness of about 1/2 inch. Place it in the fridge to firm up.
  2. Make the salmon: Whisk together the cumin, chili powder, brown sugar, and salt. Rub the spice mix on the salmon filets (on both sides if it's skinless, but on just the exposed side if it's skin-on.) I then cook each filet separately so as not to crowd the pan. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Place the fish in skin side down and cook without disturbing for 4-5 minutes before turning over and cooking for 4 minutes on the other side (thicker cuts might need 6-7 minutes per side -- mine was about 1 inch thick at its thickest point -- but keep in mind the fish will continue to cook when you tent it with foil). Remove the fish from the heat, tent it with foil, and allow it to rest for 10 minutes as you repeat the process with the other filet. The fish will flake apart easily when done. Remove the firmed up lime butter from the fridge and cut out shapes that are about 1- to 2-inches in diameter (if you want to be cutesy -- otherwise, regular pats are fine). Place a pat on each serving of fish. Serve hot with lime wedges for spritzing over the fish. Reserve excess lime butter in the freezer for other uses.

11 Comments on Chile Baked Salmon with Lime Butter

  1. Kelly
    July 2, 2015 at 1:58 am (9 years ago)

    This is so me. “Did I say my name clearly?” I probably didn’t. “What should I be listening for?”

    Reply
  2. Nutmeg Nanny
    July 2, 2015 at 8:30 am (9 years ago)

    I feel you on living with social anxiety. I once broke down in a busy deli because I was overwhelmed with all the people and I wasn’t sure of the deli protocol for paying and waiting for your sandwich. Do I pay first and wait? Do I wait and then pay? Why are there so many people in here. I can’t hear, I can’t think, why so many people? Don’t they have jobs? Why are they here while I’m here. I shouldn’t have come. I’m so dumb for coming here and not knowing what to do.

    Ok that was lengthy but I get it and I wanted you to know you are not alone. Anxiety is debilitating and even with help it’s hard to fix.

    On a lighter note I love the look of this salmon. It looks delicious and that lime butter is calling my name…yum!

    Reply
  3. Julie | Small Green Kitchen
    July 2, 2015 at 9:19 am (9 years ago)

    I can relate to what you experience as I’ve dealt with social anxiety since I was around the age of 13. I was always sort of shy but I would still talk with people with no issue. But when I reached my teens, that changed. I went through some awkward stuff (that had to do with my appearance) that people noticed because it had to do with my skin and hair, and, well let’s just say, I found out who my real friends were. Teenagers can be pretty mean. Sitting in class, going to school every day right through high school was dreadful. Fast forward to today, I still deal with anxiety. I’m fine if I’m around people I know; I can be the life of the party. But out in public, at parties with tons of people I don’t know, I feel just like you did during your afternoon at the coffee shop.

    Now I have to say that your salmon recipe is quite delightful! Salmon is my favorite fish and I usually devour it within minutes of sitting down to eat it. 🙂

    Reply
  4. allie @ Through Her Looking Glass
    July 2, 2015 at 11:06 am (9 years ago)

    I have a very dear cousin who deals with social anxiety. She shares the challenges with me, and I really feel for her and all who deal with this on a daily basis. As if life isn’t enough already. Your salmon is gorgeous and I really must try this very soon! Lime butter sounds so delicious and summer!

    Reply
  5. Debra Worth
    July 2, 2015 at 10:33 pm (9 years ago)

    That sounds like my life. I struggle very badly with anxiety. It gets pretty ridiculous at times!

    Reply
  6. TamTam
    July 3, 2015 at 12:48 am (9 years ago)

    Yes! I deal with social anxiety too, and I could have written this post. I hate ordering food and listening for my name. 9 times out of 10, at Starbucks they somehow hear “Tom” or “Pam” when I say “Tam”

    Reply
  7. Terry
    July 4, 2015 at 6:02 am (9 years ago)

    Oiy, I totally get it! Heading to my company’s national convention in a week or so and I have been stressing for a couple of months and no one seems to understand why I feel so anxious. There’s the whole what do I talk about with all the others at conference anxiety, I’m lousy at small talk.

    Reply
  8. Rachel
    July 6, 2015 at 5:27 pm (9 years ago)

    OMG I love you!!! I thankfully haven’t had that exact situation, but I do HATE asking anyone for anything that might in the slightest be putting them out, and I hate being in situations where I’m not sure exactly what I’m supposed to be doing and OMG am I doing it wrong? But I’m much better in person than I am on the phone… OH THE PHONE. I just bought a house (yay!!) but it has some things that need professional fixes and also just some general maintenance stuff that I need to call a pro for, and calling people to get quotes when I have no idea what I need or am talking about and just AAAAHHHHH…. I can get myself SO worked up before those phone calls! And I have to make SO many of them! At least I’ll hopefully improve with time/when it’s not the FIRST TIME for everything, haha.

    Reply
  9. Kay
    August 25, 2015 at 1:32 am (9 years ago)

    Do you think this will be okay if I delete the brown sugar? I’m not eating sugar these days, but this looks so good!

    Reply
    • Julie Ruble
      August 29, 2015 at 8:47 pm (9 years ago)

      Yes, I think it will still be great!

      Reply

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