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My new go-to weeknight tacos. These sheet pan chipotle salmon tacos are smoky, zesty, and ridiculously simple: juicy salmon, warm tortillas, crunchy slaw, and lots of lime. Spicy chipotle roasted salmon and sweet pineapple, all stuffed into warmed tortillas, with a creamy roasted garlic crema, and avocado. These spicy tropical salmon tacos are made all on one sheet pan and in no time at all. They’re quick, vibrant, and so delicious!
Why you’ll love these
- One pan, minimal cleanup
- Smoky-sweet chipotle glaze + tangy slaw = balanced, vibrant tacos
- Easy to scale for family night or a casual crowd
Ingredient Notes
- Chipotle in adobo: smoky heat; scrape out seeds for milder flavor, use more sauce for extra smokiness
- Sweetness and acid: a touch of maple or honey balances the chipotle; fresh lime or orange brightens the glaze flavor
- Salmon: pat dry for better caramelization, individual filets or one large filet both work
- Vegetables for the tray (if included): bell peppers, onions, or corn roast quickly and add crunch plus a sweetness
- Tortillas: Corn for the classic flavor or flour tortillas for a softer bite – you can warm these right up on the pan at the end. Crispy taco shells work, too!
- Fresh herbs and yummy extras: cilantro, avocado, crumbly cheese, and lime wedges
The inspiration behind this recipe
The fun topic my family members are all currently discussing in our group text? Where to go on our spring vacation. This year more than ever, I’m craving anything tropical, ideally with temperatures above 80° F.
Colorado mountain towns see pretty long winters, wet snowy springs, and short summers. I just want to feel some warm sunshine on my skin. And with everyone rattling off ideas it’s definitely left me with some inspiration for new recipes.
The idea
It’s no secret we LOVE tacos around here, but aside from the occasional shrimp taco, I haven’t played around much with fish tacos.
Back when I first started cooking, my brother, Brendan, introduced me to salmon tacos. He made them in a very unique way and served them up with cream cheese smeared inside the taco shells. I remember them being so delicious. So I thought I’d make salmon tacos for a change of pace, but make them very tropical!
Step-by-step details and instructions
- Mix the glaze: chipotle in adobo sauce, olive oil, honey, and a touch of paprika. Taste and adjust the heat, acid, and salt at this point
- Prep the pan: lightly oil, space salmon bite-size pieces so edges are not touching (helps with caramelization)
- Roast: Brush salmon with the glaze. Add quick-roasting vegetables to the open side of the pan if including. I like to roast the jalapeño and garlic for the salsa on this pan. Throw in the oven and roast for ten minutes.
- Warm tortillas: slide tortillas onto the pan for the last moments so that they’re soft and steamy
- Make the pineapple mango salsa: diced pineapple, mango, cilantro, ginger, lime juice, and roasted jalapeños. mix in a bowl and it’s ready to go!
Oh, and I love to give everything a little crispiness right before I pull the pan out of the oven. So for the last minute of cooking, I switch the oven to broil. Then I let everything get a nice crispiness around the edges, but watch carefully!
Finish it up
Next up the salsa. Pineapple mixed with mango and roasted jalapeño! It might just be one of my very favorite salsas. I love the mix of pineapple and mango with the spicy jalapeño and cilantro. So yummy!
And lastly, if you want to make a little crema sauce, I recommend roasting some garlic on the sheet pan too. Then grate it and add to a bowl of sour cream with lots and lots of lime juice. I shared my easy recipe in the notes! It’s optional, but it really does add nice flavor to each taco!
Layer avocado, salsa, and salmon in warm tortillas, and then top with a crumble of cheese. Looks like a taco you might find in Mexico, but made here in your own home! So fun and delicious!
Looking for other tropical recipes? Here are a few…
Oven Fried Coconut Shrimp with Thai Pineapple Chili Sauce
Slow Cooker Braised Hawaiian Pineapple Chicken Tacos
Cilantro Lime Salmon with Mango Salsa
Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos with Fried Avocado
Crispy Cauliflower Tinga Tacos with Honey Lime Avocado Crema
Lastly, if you make these Sheet Pan Chipotle Salmon Tacos with Pineapple Jalapeño Salsa, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Sheet Pan Chipotle Salmon Tacos with Pineapple Jalapeño Salsa
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 349 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 4 (4-6 ounce) salmon filets, cut into bite size chunks
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1-2 tablespoons chopped chipotle in adobo
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon smoked or regular paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- kosher salt and black pepper
- warm tortillas, shredded cabbage/lettuce, and avocado, for serving
- 1/4 cup crumbled cotija cheese
Pineapple-Mango Salsa
- 1-2 jalapeños
- 1 cup diced pineapple
- 1/2 cup diced mango
- 1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoons ginger, grated
- 1 juice of a lime (about 2 tablespoons)
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 450° F. 2. On a baking sheet, toss the salmon pieces with olive oil, chipotle in adobo, honey, paprika, thyme, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer. Add the jalapeños (for the salsa). Roast 10-15 minutes or until the salmon is cooked to your liking. During the last minute, switch the oven to broil and broil until lightly charred. Set the salmon side.3. To make the salsa. De-seed the jalapeño (if desired), then chop and add to a bowl with the pineapple, mango, cilantro, ginger, lime juice, and a pinch of salt. 4. Stuff the avocado, cabbage, salsa, and salmon into the warmed tortillas. Top with crema (see notes) or yogurt, cheese and additional salsa.
Notes
Garlic Lime Crema: roast 1-2 cloves of garlic with the salmon. Finely chop or grate the roasted garlic, then mix with 1/2 cup sour cream or yogurt, 1 tablespoon honey, 2 teaspoons lime zest, and 2 tablespoons lime juice. Season with salt.
This post was originally published on March 10, 2022
I made these tacos and they were not just delicious – they were DIVINE! I did not skip any steps other than I did not add the cabbage and kept the guacamole on the side because there simple was not enough space in my mini taco which I heated up on the open flame and OMG were these insanely delicious! The perfect ensemble of flavors that just create a party in your mouth!
Hey Natalie,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback! Love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
Amazing, the sweeetness of the honey and the apiciness of the chilli in the salsa compliments each other amazingly! 10/10 would recommend making!!! X
Hi Olivia,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback! Love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
This was a super simple dinner and cooked up quickly, great for a busy night.
My whole family loved it. I found it a bit too sweet between the salmon, honey in the crema, and sweet fruit, and will reduce the amount of honey in the salmon next time and up the amount of chiptoles. I roasted my garlic ahead of time and doubled the amount in the crema, I would definitely recommend making it to serve with the tacos! Added some shredded cabbage for some crunch, and the salsa was fantastic. We will definitely make this again.
Hi Cassie,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback! Love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
Fabulous!! Delicious!! Outstanding!!
A wonderful combination of flavors.
This will be a dinner we will enjoy again & again!
Hi Barb,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback! Love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
A 5 star rating & then some! We will be finishing it tonight. That makes three nights in a row! Every last bite is scrumptious!! ❤️ Thank you!!!
Hey Barb,
Happy Wednesday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a go!! ☘️Tieghan
Made this but used a big fillet of fresh cod , fabulous!
Hey Kim,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback! Love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
OMG! Made this the other night and it was delicious! Made the salsa, the crema, the whole nine yards. Should have made more of the salmon. Was so good! This is going into the rotation for sure. I was nervous about the chipotle in adobo as I have never cooked with them before, and I have some picky eaters but everyone agreed this was a standout meal. I prepped everything ahead of time, so when it came time to cook, it was so easy! Thank you!
Hi Maryn,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback! Love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
Amazing!! As usual I didn’t have everything (mango was bad when opened) but I had all of the seasonings and the flavor combo was awesome! I will definitely make it again.
Hi Julie,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback! Love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
Delicious!!!!
Hi Barbara,
Fantastic!! I love to hear that the recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try. Have the best week:)) xT
Made this for daughter-in-law’s birthday since she likes salmon, whole family loved it. Turned out great.
Hi Patti,
Fantastic!! I love to hear that the recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try. Have the best week:)) xT
I’ve never thought to cook salmon like this… wow!! I urge anyone who doesn’t like fishy-salmon to try it this way. I changed some minds with this recipe. Followed the recipe exactly and it is incredible. Def recommend the extra step crema as well. 10/10!
Hi Annie,
Fantastic!! I love to hear that the recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try. Have the best week:)) xT
YUM! I just made a version of this recipe, modified for heat to suit my family’s tolerance. AND the flavor combination was SO good!!! I used the chipolte,honey, paprika combo on salmon, and shrimp (my hubs prefers them). Did the crema as recommended, homemade guacamole, roasted my pineapple and used a delicious jarred mango salsa I had wanted to try. So delicious, thanks for the inspiration, I give ALL credit to you! This was only my second time cooking salmon and I did my first due to another of your recipes. THANKS!!! It’s nice at 62 to continue to try NEW things, and my 84 yr old mother who lives with us, LOVES you too!
Hi Linda,
Fantastic!! I love to hear that the recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try. Thanks so much for your kind message and sharing what worked well for you. Have the best week:)) xT
This looks so good! I have salmon in the freezer and tacos will be on the menu this week. Question: Your corn tortillas always look homemade–do you use a commercial brand? If so, which do you prefer? Thanks.
Hey Sheila,
I like Whole Foods 365 brand:) Please let me know if you have any other questions!! xTieghan
OMG I was so excited to try this recipe and it exceeded my expectations !!! It was soooo good and made it exactly as the recipe without any changes. Thank you for this wonderful dish!
Hi Phyllis,
Happy Sunday!! Love to hear that you have enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for making it!! xx
Hi Phyllis . . . I agree completely! Delicious recipe!
I don’t often come across someone with my same last name . . . ever! Very happy to see there are other Wneks out there, and with great taste!
So good!! Really easy to make and would take even less time if you made the salsa ahead of time. I halved the recipe since it’s just my husband and I and we weren’t sure if we would like it. We wished we had more salmon so next time I’ll make more.
I didn’t add the garlic to the crema because my husband tasted it without the garlic and said he could just eat the crema for dinner. It was that good. I suggest adding cabbage to give the taco some crunch and next time I’m going to toast the tortillas.
Anyone who thinks they don’t like salmon really should try it.
Hi Sarah,
Happy Sunday!! Love to hear that you have enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for making it!! xx
Baked salmon filet at 375 degrees and added avocado to salsa !! AMAZING! Love the chipotle!
Hi Deb,
Happy Sunday!! Love to hear that you have enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for making it!! xx