25-Minute Salmon Tikka (Fish Tikka)
A surprisingly easy Salmon Tikka recipe that’s quick-to-make, mess-free, and so flavorful! Fresh salmon (or your choice of fish) is coated in a luscious tandoori marinade and broiled in the oven until it’s tender on the inside and slightly charred on the outside. No broil function? No problem! I’ve included instructions for baking, pan-frying, or using the air-fryer!
Salmon Tikka Recipe Inspiration
Several years ago, I tried my friend Sana’s Broiled Moroccan Salmon recipe (also featured in my tried & tested Salmon recipes roundup) and fell in love.
- One – The spice-infused yogurt marinade (a nod to Tandoori fish) appealed to my bold-flavor loving taste buds.
- And two – I particularly enjoyed the broiling technique, which gave lightly charred yet moist salmon with the perks of being hands-off and mess-free.
Over the years, I’ve tried many riffs on her recipe, and it’s since evolved and settled into this kebab or Salmon Tikka-style recipe, in which bite sized pieces of fish are broiled in a Tandoori-inspired marinade.
Ingredients
Most of the ingredients are ones you’re likely to have on hand:
- Salmon: My fish of choice here, specifically farm-raised (vs. wild-caught) because it’s less likely to dry out. You can use any thick, firm fish that won’t dry out easily.
- Yogurt: South Asian fish recipes often called for ‘hung’ or strained yogurt, essentially Greek yogurt. The thicker yogurt coats the fish better (not as runny) and has a stronger flavor.
- Olive oil: Helps keep it tender and buttery. I’ve never found olive oil to smoke in the oven, but if you’re concerned, feel free to use an oil with a higher smoke point.
- Lemon or lime juice: Essential acidic element.
- Garlic: Use a garlic press, mortar & pestle, or knife to finely chop.
- Ground spices:
- Paprika or Kashmiri Chili powder for color and mild flavor.
- Coriander powder, cumin powder, & black pepper to add depth and flavor.
- Red chili powder or cayenne pepper for heat.
- Salt: I use fine sea salt (equivalent of table salt). If using kosher salt, you’ll need slightly less than 1 tsp.
- Minced parsley: I love the flavor of parsley here though I’m more likely to have cilantro on hand. Luckily, they both work perfectly. Chop very finely (mince) so you don’t have flakey herbs in the marinade.
- Mint Coriander Raita: Optional, for serving. I always crave a sauce component & this is the perfect accompaniment for kebabs.
How to make Salmon Tikka
Here’s the quick step-by-step:
- Remove skin – If you can, ask your fishmonger or butcher to remove the skin. Or you can remove skin yourself. This video on Youtube shows an easy method to remove skin off salmon by pouring boiled water on the skin. I tried it and noticed that it slightly cooks the salmon, but it’s worth trying if you’re in a hurry!
- Cut into pieces. I like smaller pieces (more caramelization!) but it’s important that they’re thick enough not to get too charred/burnt.
- Whisk all the ingredients together and toss in the salmon. Allow to marinate for at least 10 minutes (while you’re waiting for the broiler to preheat). If marinating longer than an hour, refrigerate until ready to use.
- Preheat your oven’s broiler to high (550°F / 289°C) for 10 minutes.
- Place the salmon on the lined baking sheet. Brush excess marinade on the salmon. If you have quite a bit of excess marinade (more likely if plain yogurt), you can discard.
- Broil for 7-8 minutes, until golden brown and slightly charred on top (internal temperature 145°F). Oven times vary greatly, so keep an eye on the salmon to prevent overcooking.
- If you find some smaller pieces cooking too quickly, remove them while allowing the others to finish cooking.
- Feel free to rotate the pan as needed to encourage even browning.
Alternative Cooking Methods
No broil function? No problem – here are a few more cooking methods:
- Bake – Preheat to 500°F, or the highest heat. Bake for about 10 minutes, until lightly golden.
- Pan-Fry – Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom. Pan-fry for 2-3 minutes per side.
- Air-Fry – Preheat air-fryer to 400°F for 4-5 minutes. Arrange the salmon in a single layer and air-fry at 400°F for 6-7 minutes.
- Charcoal or Gas Grill – Though I haven’t tried it myself, recipe would be ideal for grilling. Thread the salmon onto skewers if you’d like.
- Serve hot, right out of the oven.
How to Serve
Though it’s flavorful as-is, I recommend serving this the way Fish Tikka would be served at restaurants. Usually with:
- Mint raita, or use any mild sauce or vegetable raita.
- Red onion slices, to add crunch and bite.
- Lemon wedges, to brighten flavors.
This can be served as an appetizer or Iftar recipe, but I usually serve as a main dish completed with basmati rice and a side of veggies. Kachumber salad would be great with this and I imagine it’d be well-suited with roti or naan.
Leftovers? Use them to make the most flavorful viral salmon & rice bowl. I like to mash the Salmon Tikka with a fork and mix with rice, soy sauce, mayo, and sriracha. Top with furikake flakes and diced cucumber and/or carrots.
More Pakistani & Indian Oven Recipes
Tried this recipe? If you have a minute, please consider leaving a comment telling me how it was! If you’re on Instagram, please tag me so I can see your creations. I truly love hearing from you. Thank you!
25-Minute Salmon Tikka (Fish Tikka)
Video
Ingredients
- 1 -1.25 lb (16-20 oz) salmon, rinsed and patted dry – have Butcher remove skin, if possible
- 1/3 cup ( ~75 g) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt, sub plain whole-milk yogurt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 ½ tbsp lemon or lime juice
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp paprika or Kashmiri chili powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne
- 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tbsp minced parsley or cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish
- Mint Coriander Raita, optional, for serving
- Red or yellow onions, sliced into rings, for serving (optional)
Equipment
- Standard Sheet Pan
Instructions
- Remove the skin from the salmon and cut into 1 1/2-inch/4 cm pieces.
- Place all the ingredients except the salmon in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Add salmon and toss to coat. Allow to marinate for at least 10 minutes, up to an hour.
- When you’re ready to cook the salmon, preheat oven broiler to high (550°F / 289°C) for 10 minutes. Place your oven rack on the top shelf so it’s close to the heat source. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
- Place the salmon on the lined baking sheet 1” apart. Brush the excess marinade over the salmon pieces.
- Transfer the baking sheet to the top rack of the oven and broil for 7-8 minutes, until golden brown and slightly charred on top (internal temperature 145°F). Keep an eye on the salmon because it goes from charred to burnt within seconds, and you want to make sure not to overcook. (See Note) I find I need to rotate my pan midway for even browning.
- Garnish with more parsley/cilantro if you’d like. Serve immediately with mint raita, sliced red onions, lemon wedges, and choice of sides.
Notes
- Try not to be distracted by anything else while you’re broiling, especially past the 5-minute mark.
- If you find some smaller pieces cooking too quickly, remove them while allowing the others to finish cooking.
- When in doubt, stop cooking. Ultimately, the tenderness is more important than the slight char.
- Lastly, if it does get a little overcooked, it’ll still be fine. The flavorful marinade is enough to keep anyone from noticing. 😉
14 Comments on “25-Minute Salmon Tikka (Fish Tikka)”
Thank you for posting this recipe. This is now my favorite salmon recipe of all time! Don’t forget the Raita sauce and raw onions for serving.
Thrilled to hear that, Kathleen. Thank you so much for sharing!
This is absolutely delicious, it’s healthy and so quick! It’s become something I make weekly, Thankyou so much.
Yes, it’s all-in-one! So glad it’s on rotation. Thanks for sharing, Iffah!
Great recipe thank you for writing it up! Perfect weeknight dinner
Thank you, Jimmy! So glad you thought so.
I made this recipe using 500g of salmon. So easy to follow and all ingredients are something we would have in our pantry. That’s what I love about these recipes.
Anyhoo I used the baking option as I didn’t have (or couldn’t figure out) the broil option on my oven.
My husband loved this so much that he ate the entire 1/2kg of salmon!!!! It’s soooo yummy!!!!
So glad to hear it. Thank you, Rabs!
The salmon was soo good! Easy to make on a weeknight.
Glad to hear it. Thank you, Melanie!
Delicious and healthy! Kids loved it!
Yay! Always glad when the kids eat well. Thank you, Tina!
This was so good. Our new salmon recipe. Just simply follow the recipe and you can not go wrong. So yummy.
Ah first reviews! So happy to hear that. Thanks for sharing, Tonya!