sheet-pan chili crisp salmon and snap peas

with sesame-scallion rice and chili crisp mayo!

Hi!

This email is long so if you’re only in it for the recipes (which, fair, it’s a recipe newsletter…), scroll down until you see the next picture of salmon!

Before we get into the recipe, I feel like I have to throw in a little update that What To Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking (the book version!) hit the New York Times bestseller list for its third week in a row this week. Ah. Thank you, thank you, thank you, for buying the heck out of this book. I love you.

check out her new bling!! this is what all future prints of the book will look like!

Target and Amazon sold out of books, but you can buy it at Bookshop and support your local bookstore, plus Barnes & Noble and a few indies still have copies! It’ll hopefully be back in Target and Amazon soon, but let’s support the other guys!

Last week, I shared that with the book excitement, I was feeling a bit, uh, braggy. But all of you very kindly reminded me that it’s OK to feel proud of your achievements and celebrate them. So I asked you to brag on yourselves in the comments section, and I’d select three braggers to win a year subscription to What To Cook.

What resulted was possibly the best content on the internet. Just give this comment section a scroll. I somehow had to pick three winners, and here they are. Please reply to this email so that I can give you another year of WTC (you’re all paid subs, ILY) on me! So proud of all of you!!

Since I’m bragging again this week, help me out. Leave a comment bragging about a FRIEND in the comments this week. I’ll gift you and your friend a year subscription! I’ll pick two (so, four) winners!!

I’ll go first: my friends in Carmel Valley (Kate, Megan, Jillian, Kadee, Leslie, Jess, Charlotte, Victoria… the list goes on!) have been showing the heck up as friends over this past month where not only I have been traveling a ton, but George has too! It’s been insane around here, and friends who GET IT and show up and don’t even ask how they can help but just say “I’m picking up Calum tomorrow!” are so incredibly special. I can’t wait to repay all of their kindness once my head is screwed on straight again after book tour!!!

I first shared a quick little informal Instagram walkthrough for chili crisp salmon last winter on my stories, and like the 20-minute summer sauté, it caught on and has become a beloved “if you know you know” recipe. This recipe is reminiscent of our fave crunchy salmon bowls (a recipe so beloved that it made it into the book!), but even simpler and easier to throw together.

I thought it was time for this cult fave chili crisp salmon recipe to finally be properly tested, written up, and shared.

First things first: You’re gonna need chili crisp to make chili crisp salmon. I’ll share lots of swaps for chili crisp if you don’t have it and don’t want to buy it, but it’s what makes this recipe really special and most importantly, really easy. Most stores, including Trader Joe’s, carry chili crisp, or you can order my fave (they use peanut oil and actual bits of peanuts in it, it’s SO GOOD) from Red Clay using code CARO15.

To make this recipe, we just stir together chili crisp + panko, put it on some salmon, and roast it alongside some veggies (snap peas here, but green beans, broccoli, cabbage, broccolini, cauliflower, etc. are all great!).

I like to serve it with this super flavorful sesame-scallion rice, but I highly encourage you to use microwavable rice, or skip the rice entirely to make this a six ingredient, one pan meal, just fish + veggies. That’s how I eat it and it was plenty filling!

This recipe isn’t spicy spicy, but it was definitely too spicy for my kids! If you’re cooking for kids or spice averse people, omit the chili crisp entirely and make sesame lime salmon and snap peas.

• Use sesame oil instead of chili crisp in the panko. You can add some lime zest in there too if you’re feeling wild. 1 tablespoon of everything bagel seasoning or sesame seeds would also be great in here!

• Make a lime mayo instead by stirring the zest and juice of 1/2 lime plus a pinch of salt into mayo.

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see those burnt bits on the salmon? I turned on the broiler and didn’t sit on my butt in front of the oven watching. learn from my mistakes.

Serves: 4

Cook time: 45 minutes

Tools:

• Cutting board

• Chef’s knife

• Small saucepan

• Strainer

• Rimmed baking sheet

• Parchment paper

• Mixing bowls

For the sesame-scallion rice:

• 1 1/2 cups white rice

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

• 1 bunch scallions, stem removed, thinly sliced

• 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken bone broth or stock (or, like me, use a big scoop of Better than Bouillon plus 2 1/2 cups water)

For the salmon and snap peas:

• 4 (6-ounce) salmon filets (skin on or off)

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs

• 1 jar chili crisp (you don’t need an entire jar)

• 1 pound snap peas

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

• 1 lime, cut into 6 wedges

Preheat oven to 400°F. Take the chili crisp out of the fridge, if it’s in there, so that the oil can re-liquify (it hardens in the fridge). If you need to speed this up, stick it in the waistband of your pants, your body heat will heat it right up a la our favorite butter trick).

As always, start your rice first! Rinse 1 1/2 cups white rice (I put it in the pot, cover it with water, swish it around with my hand, then carefully dump out the water and repeat until the water runs clear). In a small pot or saucepan, warm 1 tablespoon sesame oil over medium-high heat. Thinly slice 1 bunch scallions (discard the root end) and cook until very tender, about 4 minutes. Add the rinsed rice and stir to coat in oil for about 1 minute. Add 2 1/2 cups chicken stock and a pinch of salt, bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat when it’s finished and let it continue to steam with the lid on until dinner time.

Line your largest rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place 4 salmon filets on one side, about 1 inch apart from each other, and pat dry with a paper towel. Season generously all over (about 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper per filet but you do not need to measure) with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, combine 1 cup panko breadcrumbs with 1 tablespoon of the crunchy stuff that’s in the jar of chili crisp + 1 tablespoon of the oil from the jar of chili crisp, and a little sprinkle of salt. Stir until the breadcrumbs are coated. Divide between the salmon filets and press down to make them stick.

On the other half of the baking sheet, toss together 1 pound snap peas, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, and big sprinkle of salt until the snap peas are evenly coated. Spread evenly. If you have some sesame seeds, sprinkle them on the snap peas, but I’m not writing this into the ingredient list because it’s simply not necessary.

Roast for 12 to 15 minutes, until the salmon easily flakes when you prod at it with a fork and the panko is golden-brown. I like to use a meat thermometer here—the filets should be 135°F for medium or 125° for medium-rare. If your panko isn’t nicely golden but your salmon is cooked through, you can turn on the broiler to crisp them up, but turn on the oven light, sit on your butt, and watch closely the entire time! They’ll burn quickly. Don’t ruin dinner!

While the baking sheet is in the oven, cut 1 lime into 6 wedges, then stir together 1/2 cup mayo and 1 tablespoon of the crunchy stuff that’s in the jar of chili crisp, the juice from 1 lime wedge (about 1 teaspoon), and a tiny pinch of salt.

Serve bowls with rice, salmon, snap peas, and chili crisp mayo, and a lime wedge for squeezing over everything.

sheet-pan chili crisp salmon

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• Love your leftovers: The chili crisp mayo will keep for weeks (roast some baby potatoes and serve them with chili crisp mayo, trust me), while leftover salmon, veggies, and rice will be good for up to 4 days. Just pack everything up in airtight containers and refrigerate. Reheat the salmon in the oven at 400°F for 5 minutes so it gets nice and crispy again.

• What kind of salmon do I like? If you like buttery, fatty salmon, then you, like me, like farmed Atlantic salmon. Here’s the truth: it is not as good for you. Wild salmon is a lot more nutritious. But wild salmon is a lot leaner, and a lot fishier tasting. I simply do not like it. I’ve tried. I’m a Costco farmed Atlantic salmon gal.

• Prep ahead: You can basically do everything ahead aside from cooking the salmon and snap peas. Make the rice, stir together the chili crisp panko mixture, toss the snap peas in chili oil and salt, and prepare the chili crisp mayo and store them all in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. Press the panko mixture into the salmon and spread the prepped snap peas out on the parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet while the oven preheats and rewarm the rice in the microwave while everything cooks.

• Vegetarian/Vegan: Replace the salmon with tofu! Place a cube of extra-firm tofu between two clean towels and put something heavy on top (like a cast-iron skillet) for 15 minutes to drain excess water. Slice the block into 1/2 inch-thick planks. Season and marinate them just like the salmon, add the tempura topping, and bake until the tofu and panko breading are firm and crispy, roughly 20 to 25 minutes. To make it vegan, replace the mayonnaise with vegan mayo.

• Gluten-free: Swap in gluten-free breadcrumbs.

• Dairy-free: It already is!

• Peanut allergy: Some jars of chili crisp contain peanuts and/or peanut oil, such as Red Clay’s version. So be sure to seek out a chili crisp that doesn’t contain them, if needed, like the versions from Trader Joe’s or Fly By Jing.

• Spice averse: If you can handle some spice but not too, too much, keep the crunchy stuff from the chili crisp in the recipe but replace the chili oil with olive oil or a mild-tasting oil like avocado or canola oil. If you’re super spice averse, though, leave the chili crisp out entirely (both crunchy stuff and oil) and just use sesame oil, olive oil or a neutral oil for the salmon and snap peas.

• Feeding kids: If they’re sensitive to spice, follow the suggestions above!

• Cooking for 1 or 2: This recipe is super easy to halve. And if you’re cooking for 1, you’ll have leftovers to look forward to for lunch or dinner tomorrow! If you don’t like leftover fish, only cook as many filets as you need, but keep the pound of snap peas. They’re so good.

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• White rice: To cut down on time, use a big of microwavable frozen rice, and stir in some sesame oil and salt. You could also make quinoa, or cauliflower rice. To make cauliflower rice, add it to a separate sheet-pan, drizzle with sesame oil and salt, toss to coat, then roast for 15 minutes before adding the salmon, then add the salmon and continue roasting for 15 more minutes. You could also use brown rice, but it’ll take longer to cook (about 45 minutes) and you’ll need to use 3 cups of stock.

• Sesame oil: Toasted or untoasted are both great. Peanut oil would be tasty. Olive oil or a mild-tasting oil like avocado, canola, or grapeseed will do the trick.

• Scallions: Finely chopped onion or shallot

• Chicken bone broth or stock: I like to use a big scoop of Better than Bouillon plus 2 1/2 cups water but you could also use vegetable broth or even just plain old water. If using water, add 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

• Salmon: Cod, steelhead trout, halibut, arctic char, and grouper are all good fish subs. Or use boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs but roast at 400°F for about 20 minutes, or until 160°F internally (the temp will continue to rise and get to 165°F once you pull the chicken out of the oven). Or tofu! See “vegetarian” note above.

• Panko breadcrumbs: Any breadcrumbs work, though panko are the crunchiest.

• Chili crisp: Like I mentioned, chili crisp is really the star and what makes this recipe so special and so easy. That said, you could use chili oil or a regular oil like oil or avocado in place of the chili crisp oil for the panko mixture and snap peas then use use Sriracha, chili garlic sauce, sambal oelek, or any other hot sauce in the mayo (though you miss out on the extra crunch).

• Snap peas: Try any other veg like green beans, thinly sliced bell peppers, broccoli florets, broccolini, or cauliflower florets (just cut them small so they’ll cook quickly), sliced cabbage or zucchini, broccolini, or even cubed eggplant. If the veg doesn’t seem done, but the salmon is, just take the salmon off the sheet-pan and continue roasting the veg!

• Mayonnaise: Plain Greek yogurt or sour cream

• Lime juice: Any clear vinegar like white wine vinegar or rice vinegar, as well as lime juice.

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Editor: Sheela Prakash