Chipotle Salmon Tacos

These easy chipotle salmon tacos have flaky salmon, quick pickled onions and a creamy sauce with a kick. Simple to make, easy to adapt for kids, and perfect for a relaxed family dinner. On the table in just 20 minutes!

These Chipotle salmon tacos are exactly the sort of dinner my kids love. Meals like this, my lamb koftas and chicken skewers, always go down well because everything is served up family-style in bowls on the table and everyone can build their own dinner. It makes things feel relaxed, there's less pressure, and everyone eats what they're happy with.

You can easily adapt this one for kids too. I keep part of the mayonnaise plain and only add the chipotle paste to the rest for the adults. 

I also cook the salmon fillets whole rather than chopping them into chunks, which means the seasoning covers less surface area and keeps the flavour much milder. If you want more spice and crispier salmon, you can always cut it up for adult portions.

🥘 Ingredients You Will Need

Here is a brief overview of the ingredients you will need to make this Chipotle Salmon Tacos. To find out how to make it allergy-friendly, simply scroll down to the section below this one.

✋ Double check all packaging for allergens ✋

Salmon

• Salmon fillets - I like to remove the skin from the fillets, but you can leave it on if you prefer.
• Olive oil - Helps the spices stick and keeps the salmon moist.
• Spices - I've used a mixture of garlic granules, paprika & cumin. 

Quick Pickled Onions

• Red onion - Thinly sliced works best, red is sweeter than white onion.
• Apple cider vinegar - Softens the onion & helps to pickle it.
• Sugar - Just a little to balance the vinegar.

Chipotle Mayo

• Mayonnaise - The base of the sauce.
• Chipotle paste - Adjust to taste, depending on how spicy you like it. You can leave this out if serving up to small children.
• Garlic - Finely minced or you can use a paste.
• Lime juice

Toppings

• Small tortillas - My favourite brand is Crosta Mollica & their piadinas are the perfect size for this recipe! I use them for all of my chicken wrap recipes too.
• Avocado - Cut into small cubes & drizzled with lime juice
• Lettuce - Finely shredded - iceberg or baby gem work great.
• Fresh coriander

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

✏️ How to Make Chipotle Salmon Tacos 

⬇️ Here you will find an overview of how to make the recipe. For full information on ingredients and quantities please see the recipe card at the bottom of the page ⬇️

Step 1:
Start with the pickled onions so they have time to soften. Add the sliced red onion to a small bowl with the apple cider vinegar, sugar and a pinch of salt.

Give it a quick stir, then set aside while you get on with the rest of the dinner. 

Step 2:
Mix the olive oil, garlic granules, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Baste the salmon fillets with the mixture so it's evenly coated.

If you're cooking for kids, you can leave the fillets whole to keep the flavour milder; otherwise, chop the salmon into cubes and drizzle over the spice mixture.

Step 3:
Heat a frying pan over a medium-high heat and cook the salmon for 4-5 minutes on each side, until it's cooked through and flakes easily.

If you prefer to use the air fryer, cook at 180°C for around 10 minutes, checking it towards the end so it doesn't dry out.

Step 4:
Make the sauce by mixing the mayonnaise with the garlic, lime juice and salt. To keep things kid-friendly, split the mayonnaise in half and leave one portion plain.

Stir the chipotle paste into the remaining sauce for adults, adjusting the amount to taste.

Step 5:
Warm the tortillas in a dry pan or microwave until soft and flexible.

Flake the cooked salmon into large pieces, discarding the skin if needed.

Step 6:
Serve everything up in bowls and let everyone build their own tacos.

Fill the tortillas with lettuce, avocado, salmon and pickled onions, then finish with a squeeze of lime, a drizzle of sauce and a sprinkle of fresh coriander.

💬 Recipe FAQs