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    Home » Air Fryer Recipes » Air Fryer Main Dish Recipes

    Air Fryer Salmon with Skin

    By Emmeline Kemperyd updated March 7, 2024 · Published March 3, 2024 · Leave a Comment

    Total time: 25 minutes minutes
    Prep time: 2 minutes minutes
    5 from 2 votes
    Jump to Recipe Add us as a Preferred Source
    Air fryer salmon with skin.

    20 minutes is all you need to cook delicious skin-on salmon in your air fryer for a quick, tasty meal any night of the week. Heavily seasoned with lemon juice & lemon pepper it's so full of flavor and a crowd pleaser every time.

    Air fryer salmon with skin.
    Photo credit: Emmeline Kemperyd.
    Jump to:
    • Why You Will Love This Recipe
    • Ingredient Notes
    • Make This Recipe In 2 Simple Steps
    • Expert Tips
    • What To Do With Leftovers
    • What To Serve With Your Salmon
    • More Quick & Easy Salmon Recipes
    • Recipe
    • Reviews

    If you like my lemon pepper salmon and air fryer salmon bites - you are in for a treat! This is the air fryer, whole filet, skin-on version. Just as tasty as the oven-baked kind, but even easier to make, and you don't need to get the oven going.

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    Why You Will Love This Recipe

    • It's quick and cooks in under 20 minutes
    • It's easy - just season and cook!
    • Packed with spicy lemon flavor from lemon juice & lemon pepper, so you won't even need a sauce!
    • Everyone loves it whether they like fish or not - it doesn't taste fishy, just awesome

    Ingredient Notes

    Ingredients needed to make air fryer salmon with skin.
    Photo credit: Emmeline Kemperyd.
    • Salmon: I used a whole filet, but you can also make this with individual filets. They will cook in 10-12 minutes.
    • Skin on or off: I like salmon with the skin on, as this helps stop it from sticking to the air fryer basket. But you can use salmon without skin as well. Just season the salmon on all sides, brush the air fryer basket with oil before cooking, and flip the salmon halfway.
    • Lemon pepper: Any type of citrusy seasoning works well for this, as do other fish seasonings. I love lemon pepper for the spicy, fresh, taste - but feel free to try other seasonings as well. You can use half the amount of lemon pepper to make it less spicy.
    • Lemon juice: I recommend using fresh lemon juice, but you can also use bottled.

    Make This Recipe In 2 Simple Steps

    Collage showing how to make air fryer salmon with skin.
    Photo credit: Emmeline Kemperyd.
    1. Place salmon skin-side down in the air fryer basket and season.
    2. Air fry until done, and serve!

    Expert Tips

    • You don't need any oil if cooking the salmon with the skin on. The skin might stick to the basket, but it won't impact the salmon.
    • Use a meat thermometer to know when the salmon is done. The internal temperature should reach 145℉ (63℃).
    • Some people prefer their salmon underdone. If this is you, make sure this is a safe way to prepare the specific salmon you're using.
    • You can make this with frozen salmon without thawing it. A whole filet will cook in 25-30 minutes, and individual filets will cook in 12-15 minutes.
    Air fryer salmon with skin.
    Photo credit: Emmeline Kemperyd.

    What To Do With Leftovers

    This dish is best finished straight away, but you can save leftovers. I like eating them cold, as I don't like the taste fish gets after reheating. However, you can also reheat them, and this is also the safest way to consume the leftovers.

    Storing

    Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

    Freezing

    I don't recommend freezing leftovers.

    Reheating

    Reheating in air fryer: Air fry 4-5 minutes at 360℉ (180℃) until well heated throughout.

    Reheating in microwave: Reheat leftovers in the microwave in 30-second increments.

    Air fryer salmon with skin.
    Photo credit: Emmeline Kemperyd.

    What To Serve With Your Salmon

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    More Quick & Easy Salmon Recipes

    • Air fryer salmon patties.
      Air Fryer Salmon Patties
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    • Salmon stew.
      Salmon Stew
      Cook Time30 Minutes
    • Air fryer salmon bites.
      Lemon Pepper Air Fryer Salmon Bites
      Cook Time10 Minutes
    • A bowl of thai salmon curry with rice.
      Thai Salmon Curry
      Cook Time30 Minutes

    Did you love this recipe? Rate it five stars!
    ...and let me know what you loved about it in the comments.

    Recipe

    Air fryer salmon with skin.

    Air Fryer Salmon with Skin

    5 from 2 votes
    Print Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: North American
    Diet: Gluten Free, Low Lactose
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 248kcal
    Prep time: 2 minutes mins
    Cook time: 18 minutes mins
    Preheating 5 minutes minutes
    Total time: 25 minutes minutes
    Author: Emmeline Kemperyd
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    Ingredients

    • 1.5 lb salmon filet with skin
    • 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice bottled also works
    • 2 tablespoon lemon pepper use half to make it less spicy
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Preheat air fryer by running it at 360°F (180°C) for 5 minutes.
    • Place the salmon in the air fryer basket skin-side down. Squeeze over lemon juice and season with lemon pepper.
      1.5 lb salmon filet, 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, 2 Tbsp lemon pepper
    • Air fry 18-20 minutes at 360°F (180°C) until cooked through and the internal temperature has reached 145℉ (63℃).

    Video

    Notes

    This recipe was tested in a Philips HD9252/90 Air Fryer* and a Ninja DZ401 DualZone XL Air Fryer*. Cook time can vary with your air fryer model.
    • Salmon: I used a whole filet, but you can also make this with individual filets. They will cook in 10-12 minutes.
    • Skin on or off: I like salmon with the skin on, as this helps stop it from sticking to the air fryer basket. But you can use salmon without skin as well. Just season the salmon on all sides, brush the air fryer basket with oil before cooking, and flip the salmon halfway.
    • Seasoning: Any type of citrusy seasoning works well for this, as do other fish seasonings. I love lemon pepper for the spicy, fresh, taste - but feel free to try other seasonings as well.
    • Some people prefer their salmon underdone. If this is you, make sure this is a safe way to prepare the specific salmon you're using.
    • You can make this with frozen salmon without thawing it. A whole filet will cook in 25-30 minutes, and individual filets will cook in 12-15 minutes.
    • This dish is best eaten straight away, but you can save leftovers. I like eating them cold, as I don't like the taste fish gets after reheating. However, you can also reheat them, and this is also the safest way to consume the leftovers.
    • Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. I don't recommend freezing leftovers.
    • Reheating in air fryer: Air fry 4-5 minutes at 360℉ (180℃) until well heated throughout.
    • Reheating in microwave: Reheat leftovers in the microwave in 30-second increments

    Nutrition

    Calories: 248kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 75mg | Potassium: 869mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 81IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 2mg

    Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.

    Did you make this? Tag me today!Tag @alwaysusebutter and use the hashtag #alwaysusebutter!

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    About Emmeline Kemperyd

    Emmeline Kemperyd is a writer, food blogger, recipe creator and food photographer and the founder of alwaysusebutter.com. She has 20+ years experience creating and simplifying recipes so they taste good, and are quick, easy, and approachable. She is a regular contributor to MSN and her work has been featured by The Guardian, Well+Good, Vulture, SheKnows, Good Men Project, and The Feed Feed, among others.

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    Hi, I'm Emmeline! I love tasty food, but I'm always in a hurry. And I have the quick and easy recipes to prove it!

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