Air Fryer Salmon (Chinese-Style)

Name: Air Fryer Salmon (Chinese-Style)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 fillets
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 4 fillets (about 6 oz each) salmon (skin-on or off); 3 tbsp light soy sauce; 2 tbsp honey; 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine; 1 tsp dark soy sauce (for color); 1 tbsp fresh ginger (grated); 2 cloves garlic (grated); 1 tsp toasted sesame oil; 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds; 2 scallions (sliced)

By The Chowmi Test KitchenUpdated June 6, 2026↓ Jump to Recipe

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Quick answer

Air fryer salmon is one of the fastest, most foolproof ways to cook salmon — about 8–10 minutes at 400°F for flaky, tender fillets — and a sticky Chinese-style soy-honey-ginger glaze turns it into a complete, restaurant-worthy dish. You marinate the salmon briefly in soy sauce, honey, ginger, garlic and a little sesame oil, air-fry it until it flakes easily, and brush on extra glaze for a caramelized top. The air fryer's circulating heat gives a lightly glazed, almost broiled finish with no flipping and no babysitting a pan. The keys are not overcooking (salmon is done at around 125–130°F for medium, when it flakes but is still moist) and reducing the marinade into a thick glaze to brush on at the end. It's quick enough for a weeknight and nice enough for company.

Air fryer salmon fillets with a glossy caramelized soy-honey glaze, sesame seeds and scallion

Why you'll love this air fryer salmon (chinese-style)

Flaky, perfectly cooked salmon in about 10 minutes — no flipping, no babysitting a pan.
A sticky soy-honey-ginger glaze that caramelizes beautifully in the air fryer.
Fast enough for a weeknight, impressive enough for guests.
We give the exact time and temperature so the salmon comes out moist, never dry.

Ingredients

Salmon

4 fillets (about 6 oz each) salmon, skin-on or off

Soy-honey glaze

3 tbsp light soy saucesubstitutes →
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp Shaoxing winesubstitutes →
1 tsp dark soy sauce, for colorsubstitutes →
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 tsp toasted sesame oilsubstitutes →

Finish

1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
2 scallions, sliced

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Equipment

Air fryer — Line the basket with a little parchment for easy cleanup.(shop →)

Instructions

Whisk the glaze ingredients together. Pour about half over the salmon and let it marinate 10 minutes (no longer, or the soy can start to cure the fish). Reserve the rest for glazing.
Place the salmon in the air fryer basket, skin-side down, leaving space between fillets. Air-fry at 400°F for 7–9 minutes, until the salmon flakes easily and reaches about 125–130°F for moist, medium fillets (a minute or two more if you like it well done).
💡 Salmon overcooks fast. Start checking at 7 minutes — it should flake but still look moist in the center.
While it cooks, simmer the reserved glaze in a small pan for 1–2 minutes until slightly thickened and syrupy.
Brush the cooked salmon with the thickened glaze. For a caramelized top, air-fry one more minute.
Scatter the sesame seeds and scallions over the top and serve right away, over rice with a green vegetable.

Tips & notes

Don't overcook it — salmon is best pulled at 125–130°F for moist, medium fillets, when it flakes but still looks juicy. The air fryer is fast, so check early.
Marinate only about 10 minutes; longer in soy sauce can start to cure and firm the fish unpleasantly.
Reduce the reserved marinade into a glaze to brush on at the end — never reuse the marinade the raw fish sat in without boiling it first.
A little parchment in the basket makes cleanup easy and stops sticking; leave space around each fillet for even cooking.
Thicker fillets need a minute or two more; thinner ones a minute less. Go by flake and temperature, not just the clock.

Recipe wording too vague?

Paste any fuzzy step (少许, 火候正好, 焯水) and get exact amounts, temps and times.

Recipe

Air Fryer Salmon (Chinese-Style)

New recipe

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 10 min
Total: 20 min
Serves: 4
Level: Beginner

Ingredients

Salmon

4 fillets (about 6 oz each) salmon, skin-on or off

Soy-honey glaze

3 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
1 tsp dark soy sauce, for color
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 tsp toasted sesame oil

Finish

1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
2 scallions, sliced

Instructions

Whisk the glaze ingredients together. Pour about half over the salmon and let it marinate 10 minutes (no longer, or the soy can start to cure the fish). Reserve the rest for glazing.
Place the salmon in the air fryer basket, skin-side down, leaving space between fillets. Air-fry at 400°F for 7–9 minutes, until the salmon flakes easily and reaches about 125–130°F for moist, medium fillets (a minute or two more if you like it well done).
While it cooks, simmer the reserved glaze in a small pan for 1–2 minutes until slightly thickened and syrupy.
Brush the cooked salmon with the thickened glaze. For a caramelized top, air-fry one more minute.
Scatter the sesame seeds and scallions over the top and serve right away, over rice with a green vegetable.

Nutrition (est., per serving): 340 cal · 34 g protein · 10 g carbs · 17 g fat

Air Fryer Salmon (Chinese-Style) FAQ

How long do you cook salmon in an air fryer?

About 7–9 minutes at 400°F for standard 6-ounce fillets, until the salmon flakes easily and reaches around 125–130°F for moist, medium doneness. Thicker fillets need a minute or two more; thinner ones a minute less. Salmon overcooks quickly, so start checking at 7 minutes.

What temperature should air fryer salmon be?

For moist, medium salmon, pull it at about 125–130°F internal; it will carry over a few degrees as it rests. The USDA recommends 145°F for fully cooked fish, which is firmer and drier. Cook to your preference — most people find salmon best on the moist side of that range.

Do you flip salmon in the air fryer?

No — there's no need to flip salmon in the air fryer. The circulating hot air cooks it evenly from all sides. Just place the fillets skin-side down with space between them, and they'll cook through and glaze nicely without flipping.

Can I use frozen salmon?

It's best to thaw it first for even cooking and so the marinade can flavor it. If cooking from frozen, air-fry a few minutes longer and pat off any moisture, then glaze near the end. Thawed, patted-dry salmon takes the glaze better and cooks more evenly.

How do I keep air fryer salmon from drying out?

Don't overcook it — that's the main cause of dry salmon. Pull it at 125–130°F for medium, start checking at 7 minutes, and brush on the glaze to add moisture and flavor. A short marinade and a quick caramelizing finish also help keep it juicy.