honey chipotle chili lime salmon bowls

Bowl full of fabulous.

I wonder if all the SEO bots out there hate my dumbass post introductions. I never write anyting productive: it’s usually just whatever stupid shit comes to mind, whether a joke or a pun or something I think is vaguely funny but probably isn’t.

Ah well. I don’t do this for the SEO. I do this for the two or three of you who are entertained by my idiocy.

I’ve probably beaten this to death, but a big goal for 2024 is to put the fun back in my food photography. Take the pressure off, do what I want, and hope ya’ll can find inspiration and enjoyment from what I post. I tell you what, with this mindset, everything I’ve tested has turned out swell – probably because I truly want to do it, and am not letting algorithms and likes and crap get in the way of my own personal joy.

Anywhozles, soap box moment over. I bring this up again because I had a good time cooking up these Honey Chipotle Chili Lime Salmon Bowls, and a better time eating them. One of the big perks of post-holidays is creating a lot of nice, nourishing bowl meals. The kind of eating I like when I’m not shoveling pizza or tacos.

This multihued dude comes together in 30 minutes and makes a pretty dank meal prep. Trust me, I know. Cos I made it for meal prep. Lots of fresh ingredients, and addicting seasoning blend, and a big payoff for little time. Best kinda food there is.

Fish Bowl

Buy some good-ass salmon, about a pound and a half’s worth, and slice it into 4-6 oz filets.

Then, pat that shit dry with paper towels. Dry salmon = crisper salmon, and the seasoning we use adheres much better to the flesh, yielding more olfactory oomph.

(Yes, I know olfactory wasn’t the accurate word, but you gotta admit, olfactory oomph sounds real good).

For the rub, we’re using a nice hit of olive oil, honey, lime zest, and some spices: smoked paprika, chipotle chili powder, dried oregano, and onion powder. Then, some minced garlic. And salt and pepper. Can’t go without that shit.

Stir all that together in a little bowl, then rub onto the salmon filets. Get into every nook and cranny you can. Lay the salmons onto a baking sheet. I don’t need parchment on mine, because they’re good quality nonstick, but if you don’t plan to broil and need the extra protection, line yours with that paper.

Roast for 10-15 minutes. I err on the 10-12 minute range with my fish, usually, because I like it real tender. If you want a little crisp and something of a blackening effect, pop the broiler on for the final couple minutes of roasting time. Again, don’t do that if you used parchment, or your oven will turn into a furnace en fuego. Not great.

Salsa Dancin’

To pair with our lovely smoky fish, let’s do a simple salsa.

I near always have Persian cucumbers in my fridge, just because I tend to prep random salads for the week and cucumbers are a mainstay in that array. So, I turned a few of those into this delightfully pretty accompaniment that cools the tastebuds after a bite of the spicy seafood.

To make, just chop up some avocado, Persian cucumbers (a regular or hot house cucumber are fine, too), a couple mangos, and cilantro. Throw into a bowl with some lime juice and tequila (don’t need this, but I love me a good fruity tequila salsa) and a good hit of salt. Stir together, and taste to adjust anything you think needs adjusting.

If you want more tequila, I’m not one to judge.

Rice is my favorite vessel for servage, but you can use quinoa or any kind of choice grain. Or cauliflower rice, if you swing that way. Some tortilla chips would be nice, or black beans for extra bulk.

And yep, like I said, this is a fabulous meal prep. Just don’t reheat the salsa – I’d recommend packing separately and just plopping onto the bowl after you’ve warmed up the fish and rice.

Oh shit, it’s the last full week of January. Hope it’s a good one for ya’ll!

Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!

Slammin’ some more salmon:

Ginger Maple Salmon Rice Bowls

Sheet Pan Honey Orange Salmon Bowls with Spicy Mayo

Honey Cilantro Salmon Bowls with Mango Pineapple Salsa

Sesame Crusted Salmon Salad Bowls