Enjoy my take on Chili’s flavor-packed ancho salmon! The flaky salmon fillets broil with an ancho aioli coating and finished with homemade cilantro pesto and crumbled cotija cheese. Serve the fish with Mexican rice and steamed broccoli like they do in the restaurant.
Key Ingredients
- Ancho Aioli: Prepare homemade ancho aioli with mayonnaise (I like Duke’s or Hellman’s), fresh lime juice, honey, garlic cloves, kosher salt, and ancho chili powder made from dried and ground ancho chili peppers to give the sauce its signature flavor.
- Spices: Season the fish with kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper.
- Salmon: I use frozen salmon from Costco. Defrost the fillets in the fridge overnight for easy preparation the next day. If you are using salmon with the skin on, that’s fine! Cook the salmon skin side down on the baking sheet.
- Cilantro Pesto: Combine packed cilantro leaves, hulled sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds, garlic, lime juice, olive oil, and salt to make a tasty finishing dressing for the broiled fish.
- Cotija Cheese: Garnish the ancho salmon fillets with freshly crumbled Cotija cheese.
Additions and Substitutions
- Sweeten the ancho sauce. If you prefer a sweeter ancho aioli, use brown sugar, agave nectar, or maple syrup instead of honey to balance the smoky spice mixture in the sauce.
- Swap out the topping. Use BBQ aioli, Cajun aioli, or a simple ancho chile paste instead of ancho aioli.
- Try a different garnish. Replace the cilantro pesto with pistachio pesto, avocado lime crema, jalapeño lime vinaigrette, or avocado green goddess dressing.
Tools You’ll Need
You will need a small bowl and a whisk to make the aioli and dressing for the recipe. If you don’t feel like preparing the sauces by hand, use a small food processor or a small blender like a Magic Bullet. Broil the chile-rubbed salmon on a rimmed baking sheet.
How to Make Ancho Salmon
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Combine the ingredients for ancho aioli in a small bowl.
Step 2: Line the salmon fillets onto a towel and pat them dry to remove excess moisture.
Step 3: Set the oven to broil and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Arrange the salmon fillets onto it and generously season with kosher salt and black pepper.
Step 4: Spread the ancho aioli mixture evenly onto the fillets. Broil uncovered on low for 7-10 minutes.
How do I know when the salmon is done cooking?
Continue boiling until the salmon fillets turn golden brown and have an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C). The best way to know when the fish is done cooking is to insert a food thermometer into the thickest part of the fish to monitor the temperature.
Step 6: Meanwhile, add the ingredients for cilantro pesto (apart from olive oil) to a food processor or small blender and process until smooth. Then, whisk in the olive oil.
Step 7: Remove the salmon from the oven, drizzle with cilantro pesto, and crumble cotija cheese over the top.
Expert Tips
- Broil the salmon. If your oven has more than one broil setting, use the low broil setting for the best results.
- Dry the fish. Pat the salmon dry before coating the fillets since the excess moisture causes the fish to steam rather than broil.
- How do I know when the salmon is done cooking? Overcooked salmon can be dry and tough, so keep a close eye on it as it cooks. Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature, cooking the fillets until they reach 145°F (63°C).
If you enjoy juicy salmon fillets, try one of these dinner recipes!
Serving Suggestions
Chili’s serves their signature ancho salmon with steamed broccoli and Mexican rice, but you can mix things up. Try pairing it with broccoletti, grilled zucchini, or buttery corn on the cob. Replace Mexican rice with cilantro lime rice, white, or brown rice. And the salmon tastes delicious with black beans or refried beans with melted cheese
What To Do With Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store the leftover fish in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
- Reheat: Warm the leftovers in the oven or cook them in the microwave in 30-40 second increments.
- Repurpose: Add the leftover fish to Mexican rice or cauliflower rice to make an ancho salmon bowl. Or you can cut the fillets and toss them into a corn tortilla with homemade coleslaw for fish tacos. The salmon is a perfect addition to sliders with guacamole, shredded cabbage, and leftover cilantro pesto. Yum!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen salmon?
Did you forget to pull the salmon for dinner? You are in good company; I have been there many times.
Go ahead and use frozen fillets. Broil the fillets without the ancho aioli for 10-15 minutes, and discard water if there is any. Remove the salmon from the oven. Spoon the mixture over the fillets and broil for 5 minutes.
More Salmon Recipes:
Ancho Salmon
- Large Bowl
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- lime juice, 2 limes
- ½ teaspoon honey
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
- ½ cup ancho aioli
- kosher salt, to taste
- black pepper, coarse ground
- 6 salmon fillets
- 1 cup packed cilantro
- ⅓ cup hulled sunflower seeds or pepitas
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed
- lime juice, ½ lime
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- kosher salt, to taste
- cotijia cheese, to garnish
- Combine the ingredients for ancho aioli in a small bowl. Then, arrange the salmon fillets onto a towel and pat them dry to remove excess moisture.
- Set the oven to broil and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Arrange the salmon fillets onto it and generously season with kosher salt and black pepper.
- Spread the ancho aioli mixture evenly onto the fillets. Broil uncovered on low for 7-10 minutes.Tip: Continue boiling until the salmon fillets turn golden brown and have an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C). The best way to know when the fish is done cooking is to insert a food thermometer into the thickest part of the fish to monitor the temperature.
- Meanwhile, add the ingredients for cilantro pesto (apart from olive oil) to a food processor or small blender and process until smooth. Then, whisk in the olive oil.
- Remove the salmon from the oven, drizzle with cilantro pesto, and crumble cotija cheese over the top.
- Broil the salmon. If your oven has more than one broil setting, use the low broil setting for the best results.
- Dry the fish. Pat the salmon dry before coating the fillets since the excess moisture causes the fish to steam rather than broil.
- How do I know when the salmon is done cooking? Overcooked salmon can be dry and tough, so keep a close eye on it as it cooks. Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature, cooking the fillets until they reach 145°F (63°C).
Rick
Monday 29th of April 2024
Great pick for an easy and healthy meal for the whole family!