This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.

Cilantro Lime Salmon with Mango Salsa. One word, delicious. This one-skillet salmon is for those nights when you’re craving something super flavorful, but need to keep things quick and easy too. It’s all made in one skillet with garden bell peppers, chili seasoned salmon, and a cilantro garlic lime butter pan sauce. Serve each piece of salmon over steamed rice and top with mango salsa…then drizzle over a little of that garlicky cilantro lime butter. Not only is this salmon easy and delicious, it’s also a great way to use up late summer produce. Best part? It comes together in just about 30 minutes.

overhead photo of Cilantro Lime Salmon with Mango Salsa with rice on platter

First, if you hate cilantro and think it tastes like soap…while I don’t understand that, and probably never will…please don’t click away. You can use basil in place of the cilantro. OK? Great, moving on.

I listened to a podcast the other day that was talking about how you have to learn to let creative procrastination happen. I was a little confused at first, but then it all made sense and resonated with me so much. Often times we want to get everything right the first time around, but the truth is, that’s almost always impossible. At least for me anyway.

I can often be my most creative self when I continue to chip away at ideas, slowly letting the idea develop over time. Apparently, I’m what’s known as (or maybe not known as) a “creative procrastinator”. Here’s what I tend to do with recipes. I’ll test them out once, sort of love it, but maybe not feel 100% happy with it. I might try again the next day. But if I still don’t love it, I normally take a break for a day or longer. Sometimes I forget about the idea altogether, but then sometimes I will keep pushing it forward. Making the dish multiple times, doing something different each time, until I land on something I really love and feel so excited to share.

That’s called procrastination, but I think it’s the good kind, and I am happy I allow myself the time to “procrastinate”. It’s how I created this recipe and so many other favorite recipes too!

I just never knew it…

overhead photo of Cilantro Lime Salmon before cooking

Which brings me to this easy as can be, one skillet salmon, that truly has so much going on.

And is SO delicious!

Originally this recipe started out as just cilantro lime salmon. As in salmon + cilantro + lime and a little sauce. It was good, but I mean, I was kind of bored. I needed to give you guys a full dinner. There needed to be vegetables, there needed to be color. The dish just needed more.

So I tried again, but something still wasn’t right, so I gave up…for a few days anyway. And then somehow on the third attempt, I created this recipe. It’s complete with vegetables, salmon, sauce, and salsa. And here is how you make it…

overhead close up photo of Cilantro Lime Salmon with Mango Salsa on serving platter

Season the salmon with a mix of chili powder and smoked paprika. Then rub with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. That’s that.

Now, grab your skillet and get it real hot. Cook up some bell peppers and onions until charred, kind of in a fajita style. Next add the salmon and sear until crisp on the bottom and the flesh is almost blackened. Things should be smelling very good at this point.

Remove the salmon from the skillet, add butter and honey…yes, butter and honey, just trust me here. Then add garlic (plenty of garlic), lime juice and cilantro. If you hate cilantro, you can use basil, promise it will be just as delicious. Simmer the butter sauce for a minute or so and then slide the salmon back into the sauce. And that’s it…dinner is done.

overhead photo of Cilantro Lime Salmon with Mango Salsa with chili lime butter being drizzled over top salmon

Well almost…

Make the mango salsa, and then dinner is done.

And yes, the salsa might seem like an unimportant extra step, but I do think you need it. It’s just too good to not include and adds a really fresh finish to each plate of salmon.

In just about 30 minutes you’ll have cilantro lime salmon, with fajita-style bell peppers, mango salsa, and a really delicious, perfectly buttery, garlic, cilantro, lime, pan sauce.

Not sure there’s a better skillet dinner on HBH at the moment. This one is not only GOOD, it’s PRETTY, and it is SO FLAVORFUL. Enough said. Hope you all make this dish and love it as much as I do!

Oh, and don’t forget to let yourself procrastinate a little today, you never know what you might think up!

side angled photo of Cilantro Lime Salmon with Mango Salsa with fork in bowl and bite taken out

If you make these cilantro lime salmon with mango salsa, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

Cilantro Lime Salmon with Mango Salsa.

Author: Tieghan Gerard
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 611 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

SavePrintEmail

Ingredients

Mango Salsa

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • 1. Place the salmon on a plate. Add the chili powder, paprika, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, rubbing the seasonings and oil evenly into flesh.
    2. Heat the 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the peppers, onion, and season with salt end pepper. Cook until charred on the edges, 3-5 minutes. Remove from the skillet.
    3. To the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the salmon skin-side down, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the salmon is crisp. Gently flip, and continue cooking the salmon for another 2-3 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked to your liking. Remove from the skillet. If desired, peel away the skin and discard. 
    4. To the same skillet, add the butter and garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the lime juice, zest, honey, cilantro, and basil. Bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat and slide the salmon back into the sauce. 
    5. To make the salsa. In a small bowl, combine the mango, jalapeño, lime zest, and lime juice.
    6. To serve plate each piece of salmon over the rice or quinoa. Top with peppers and salsa, then spoon the sauce over top. Serve with additional herbs and lime.  
View Recipe Comments

overhead photo Cilantro Lime Salmon with Mango Salsa in bowls of rice

Add a Comment

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

    1. Hey Melissa,
      Yes, I think pineapple salsa would be fantastic! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan

      Reply

    1. Hi Seann, add the basil with the cilantro. Recipe is all fixed! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan

      Reply

  4. 5 stars
    This recipe was INCREDIBLE. I appreciate when I have everything in the cupboard and don’t need to buy a spice I’ll never use again. We made Jasmin rice as an accompaniment and the fragrant flavour of that rice complimented this dish perfectly. Love the one pan cleanup too!!

    Reply

  5. 5 stars
    So flavorful. I served the salmon dish with green beans and grilled vegetables instead of a starch which made for a fresh, summer meal. The mango and lime juice flavors complemented one another so amazingly well. I added chili powder for heat. Definitely will be added to the rotation!! Thank you….

    Reply

  6. Teighan I use your recipes quite a lot and have given both my daughter and daughter-in-law the HBH cookbook. Made this tonight for my husband and myself, and think it could be my favourite so far! The variety of flavours made you just want to keep taking another bite, and I loved the smokiness of the paprika and chilli contrasting with the smooth flavour of the salmon and the sweet fruitiness of mango and honey beautifully finished with fresh herbs – wonderful! Can’t wait til lockdown ends here in Scotland in the UK and I can invite friends to come and enjoy this. Thank you and keep safe! Xx

    Reply

    1. Hi Georgie! It is so amazing to hear that you have all been enjoying my book and recipes! Hopefully the lockdown ends soon so you and your friends can have a great time with this recipe! Thank you so much for trying it! xTieghan

      Reply

  9. 5 stars
    I have made this 3 times now. I CANNOT STRESS enough how FREAKING DELICIOUS this is…it is legit one of my top 5 things to eat OF ALL TIME. Bless you for this amazing recipe! I share it with EVERYONE!!!!!!!! Make this!!!!!! Y’all will NOT regret it.

    Reply

  11. Hello, I am planing to make this dish tommorw for our friends who are coming out of country… and was wondering what appetizer and salad will go good with this recepie? Thank you in advance 😉 I tried bunch of your recepies, and there were always on point!!!!

    Best,
    Nata_zas

    Reply

  12. 5 stars
    OMG. I made this last week and it was out of this world delicious. Me and my husband both love salmon so I make a salmon dish probably once a week and let me tell you this one moved instantly to the top of the list as one of our faves! I will most definitely be making it again. Not only is it incredibly tasty but its was also simply and quick to make! Thank you so much for another incredible recipe <3

    Reply

  13. 5 stars
    This recipe is absolutely AMAZING. My first half baked harvest attempt and I am addicted. We subbed out rice/quinoa and sautéed peppers&onions for a bed of spring greens with sliced almonds, scallions, and avocado. Halved the recipe for 2 salmon servings but made sauce for 4 so we would have enough to dress our salads. You’re my hero, Tieghan. Wowowowowow. Can’t wait to try another recipe from you. Thank you!

    Reply