25-Minute Salmon Tikka (Fish Tikka)

Top view of a partially eaten plate of Salmon Tikka with rice, vegetables, onion and lemon.

25-Minute Salmon Tikka (Fish Tikka)

A quick, easy, and mess-free Salmon Tikka recipe that's surprisingly delicious. Salmon (or your choice of fish) is coated in a flavorful marinade, then oven-broiled until it's moist and tender on the inside and slightly charred on the outside. Includes baking, pan-frying, and air-fryer instructions.

Cuisine American, Indian, Pakistani

Diet Gluten Free, Halal

Keyword fish tikka, salmon tikka, tandoori fish tikka

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Total Time 25

Servings

Calories 243

Author Izzah Cheema

Equipment

Standard Sheet Pan

Ingredients

1 -1.25 lb skinless salmon (see Note 1) rinsed and patted dry
1/3 cup 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)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Cut the salmon into 1 1/2-inch/4 cm pieces.
Place all the ingredients except the salmon in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Add the salmon pieces and toss to coat. Marinate for at least 10 minutes, up to 1 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 pieces on the lined baking sheet 1” apart. Brush the excess marinade over the salmon.
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 onions, lemon wedges, and choice of sides.

Video

Notes

Note 1: Have fishmonger remove skin if possible. See post for methods on removing salmon skin.

Note: This is such an easy recipe that not much can go wrong. The only thing to watch out for is over-cooking the salmon. More tips to prevent over-cooking:

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. 😉

See post for Alternative Cooking Methods!

Nutrition