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Perfectly Crispy Lemon Butter Air Fryer Salmon

air fryer lemon butter salmon - featured image
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This light and crispy lemon butter air fryer salmon is the kind of thing you crave on a Tuesday night when you want something that feels special but takes almost no effort. It’s got that golden, shatteringly crisp exterior while the inside stays tender, flaky, and impossibly moist.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 salmon fillets (about 6 ounces each)
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon paprika (smoked or sweet)
  • Fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

  1. Pat the salmon fillets dry with paper towels and let them sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and paprika until well combined and slightly thickened.
  3. Preheat the air fryer to 380°F for 3-5 minutes.
  4. Place salmon fillets in a shallow dish and brush half of the lemon butter sauce generously over the top and sides of each fillet. Reserve the remaining sauce.
  5. Arrange salmon fillets in a single layer in the air fryer basket, leaving space between each one.
  6. Air fry at 380°F for 5 minutes, then open the basket and brush the remaining lemon butter sauce over the fillets. Close and cook for another 3-5 minutes, depending on thickness (8 minutes total for 1-inch thick fillets). Salmon should be opaque and flake easily with a fork.
  7. Carefully remove salmon from the air fryer and let rest for 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve immediately.

Notes

Patting the salmon dry is crucial for crispy skin. Don’t skip preheating the air fryer. Brush sauce evenly rather than pouring to avoid burning. Do not flip the salmon during cooking. Let the salmon rest before serving. Adjust salt based on butter type (use unsalted for control). Cooking times may vary by air fryer model and fillet thickness; check at 7 minutes.

Nutrition

Keywords: air fryer salmon, lemon butter salmon, crispy salmon, quick salmon recipe, healthy salmon, weeknight dinner

Find it online: https://freshforkful.com/perfectly-crispy-lemon-butter-air-fryer-salmon/