Crispy-Skin Air Fryer Salmon
Restaurant-crispy skin in 10 minutes — the preheat is the trick.
Method · 8 steps
- 1
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 3 minutes. Do not skip — cold basket = soggy skin.
- 2
Pat salmon bone-dry with paper towels, especially the skin. Any surface moisture steams instead of crisps.
- 3
Rub fillets with avocado oil. In a small bowl, mix salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Sprinkle evenly over the flesh side only.
- 4
Open the preheated basket and lay fillets skin-side DOWN with at least 1 inch between them. Do not overcrowd — work in two batches if needed.
- 5
Air fry at 400°F for 8 minutes — do not flip. Skin crisps against the hot basket while the top gently cooks.
- 6
Check doneness at 8 minutes: internal temp should read 125°F for medium (salmon carries over to 130°F off heat). If under 120°F, add 1-2 more minutes.
- 7
Rest fillets 2 minutes on a plate — juices redistribute and the skin stays crisp.
- 8
Plate skin-side up (to preserve crunch), squeeze lemon over top, and shower with fresh parsley.
Chef's notes
- →Preheat the basket for 3 full minutes — this is the single biggest crispy-skin factor.
- →Never flip salmon in the air fryer. Cooking skin-side-down the whole time is what gets the crust.
- →If your fillets are thicker than 1.25 inches, add 2 minutes. Thinner than 1 inch, drop to 7 minutes total.
Storage
Fridge 3 days in airtight container. Reheat at 350°F for 3 minutes — the skin re-crisps in the air fryer unlike the microwave.
