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Hot honey salmon

By Ami · September 7, 2026 · ★★★★★ 4.9 from 109 reviews · Jump to Recipe · Print

Hot honey salmon is the twenty-minute dinner I make when I want something that feels like an occasion and isn't — salmon fillets brushed in chili honey and run under the broiler until the glaze caramelizes and the edges char. Sweet, spicy, 40g of protein, and it's on the table before the rice finishes.

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The broiler does in four minutes what an oven can't do at all.

• Broiling caramelizes the glaze without overcooking the fish. Intense top heat sets the honey into a sticky lacquer while the inside stays just cooked. Baking at 400°F gets you cooked salmon and a pale, runny glaze.
• Sweet-and-spicy is the flavor of the year. Honey, chili and a splash of vinegar is the combination people are searching for constantly right now, and salmon takes to it better than almost anything — see also hot honey chicken.
• 40g of protein, 18g of carbs. A genuinely well-built plate that tastes like a treat. Worth checking against your own target on the protein calculator.

Here's what you'll need.

Skin-on fillets hold together better under a broiler, and the skin crisps into something worth eating. Center-cut pieces of even thickness cook evenly — thin tail pieces overcook while the thick end is still raw. A little soy sauce in the glaze adds the savory backbone that stops it tasting like dessert.

Here's how it all comes together.

Step 1 — Make the hot honey glaze

Warm the honey, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, garlic, vinegar and butter in a small pan for 2 minutes until glossy and pourable. Taste it — this is where you decide how hot it's going to be, and it's much easier to add chili now than later.

Step 2 — Season and start the salmon

Pat the fillets dry, season with salt, pepper and smoked paprika, and place them on a foil-lined sheet pan. Broil 6 inches from the element for 5 minutes — enough to set the surface before any glaze goes near it.

Step 3 — Glaze and broil again

Brush the fillets generously with the hot honey and broil another 3 to 4 minutes, until the glaze bubbles and darkens at the edges. Watch it constantly — honey goes from caramelized to burnt in under a minute. Finish with lemon and parsley.

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Things I learned while testing this recipe.

• Glaze halfway through, never at the start. Honey under a broiler for nine minutes is charcoal. Set the fish first, glaze second.
• Do not walk away. The last three minutes are the whole recipe. Stand at the oven with the door cracked and watch it.
• Pat the salmon completely dry. Wet fish steams and the glaze slides off instead of clinging. Thirty seconds with paper towels.
• 125°F internal for the best texture. Salmon carries over a few degrees after it leaves the heat. Pulled at 125°F it's silky; at 145°F it's chalky.

Make it ahead, or make it your own.

• Make the glaze in advance. It keeps a month in a jar at room temperature. Warm it slightly to loosen before brushing.
• Air fryer version. 400°F for 7 minutes, glaze, then 3 minutes more. Same result as air fryer salmon bites with a stickier finish.
• Use it on other proteins. Chicken thighs, shrimp (broil 4 minutes total) or firm tofu all take this glaze beautifully.

Here's what I'd serve with this.

• Jasmine rice or coconut rice to soak up the extra glaze.
• Air fryer brussels sprouts, which cook while the salmon broils.
• Roasted cauliflower for a low-carb plate.
• A cucumber and lime salad for something cold and sharp beside it.
• Chocolate cottage cheese mousse to keep the whole meal high protein.

Just in case you have leftovers.

Storing: refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Cooked salmon is at its best within two days; after that the texture firms up noticeably. It's excellent flaked cold into salads or grain bowls, which is often the better use for leftovers.

Reheating: gently, at 275°F in the oven for about 10 minutes, or it dries out fast. The microwave is not kind to salmon. Honestly, cold flaked salmon over greens is a better second meal than reheated fillets.

More healthy recipes...

Crispy air fryer salmon bites — crispy salmon in 12 minutes

Hot honey chicken — sweet, spicy and sticky in 30 minutes

Creamy Tuscan salmon — restaurant dinner in 25 minutes

Air fryer bang bang salmon bites — creamy sweet chili, 20 minutes

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The Ultimate GLP-1 High Protein High Fiber Cookbook for Weight Loss is built on the same idea as this recipe — lean protein, plenty of fiber, real food and portions big enough to keep you full. Simple, tested recipes for anyone eating higher-protein on purpose, on a GLP-1 medication or not.

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FAQ

Why did my honey glaze burn?

It went on too early. Honey caramelizes and then burns very quickly under a broiler, so the salmon needs 5 minutes of plain broiling first, and the glaze goes on only for the final 3 to 4 minutes with you watching it.

What temperature should salmon be cooked to?

Pull it at about 125°F in the thickest part for a silky, just-cooked center — it carries over several degrees while it rests. The USDA guidance of 145°F produces noticeably firmer, drier fish.

Can I make hot honey salmon in the air fryer?

Yes. Cook the seasoned fillets at 400°F for 7 minutes, brush with the glaze, then cook 3 minutes more. The circulating heat caramelizes the glaze much like a broiler does.

Is hot honey salmon healthy?

It's a strong nutritional plate — about 40g of protein, plenty of omega-3s and 25g of carbs, most of that from the honey. Halving the honey and adding an extra splash of vinegar cuts the sugar while keeping the balance.