Baked Salmon plus Lemon and Chives

At a glance

What stands out: This straightforward baked salmon with lemon and chives is a taste of summer! It’s a lighter and straightforward dinner recipe with a sauce that takes the salmon to the next level.

How long it takes: 25 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: sheet pan, small mixing bowl
Servings: 4

It seems like every time we bring you a salmon recipe, we say it’s our new favorite. We're not sure whether our recipes are getting better every time or if we just like cooking fish! We've brought you our other lemon salmon (our husband’s fave) and baked salmon with maple mustard glaze. We also have this slow roasted salmon recipe that is meltingly tender and totally fail-proof. Today, we're bringing one more recipe for the books with this standout baked salmon with lemon!

Straightforward Baked Salmon with Lemon and Herbs

This baked salmon is Whole30 compliant, paleo, keto, gluten-free, and all that jazz. Whether or not you’re following a particular eating plan or diet, this recipe is just plain good for you. Here are more reasons to love it:

Simple ingredients. Aside from being absolutely rich, this recipe is straightforward to make. You’ll need four ingredients if you don’t count olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Fresh summer flavor. There’s just something about the flavor of fresh chopped chives that we can’t get enough of (and it seems to be the only herb we're successful at growing). If you’ve tried our chive bread recipe, you know what we're talking about. This versatile green herb pairs beautifully with the lemon in this baked salmon recipe.

Reliable for weeknights. Simple, but not lacking in flavor, you’ll want to try this salmon tonight! The lemon chive sauce takes it to the next level. Plus, the salmon is ready to eat in less than 30 minutes!

Kelley Said:

“This was such a simple recipe we didn’t expect such great flavor. It’s so nice when a straightforward recipe turns out memorable. A hit with our entire family!”

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What goes in

Be sure to check out the recipe card below for measurements, instructions, and nutrition information.

• Salmon: For four generously sized servings, you’ll need about a pound and a half of salmon, about 6 oz. per serving. Either skin-on or skinless fillets are fine.
• Lemon: You’ll need the freshly squeezed juice of one lemon.
• Chives: Chives are an allium family herb with a light onion-garlic flavor. The purple blossoms are edible, too, and look beautiful on a salad. Green onions or scallions work fine, too.
• Red Pepper Flakes: Just a pinch adds a spicy tingle to your palate.

How it comes together

This rich salmon dinner recipe is ready for the table in about 25 minutes. Here’s how to bake salmon in the oven that’s filled with fresh lemon flavor:

Prep the salmon. While the oven is preheating, season the salmon with salt and pepper. To save time on clean-up, line a small sheet pan with parchment paper or foil.

Bake. Next, bake the salmon at 400ºF until it flakes easily when poked with a fork, about 20 minutes.

Make the lemon sauce. While the salmon bakes, prepare the sauce. Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, fresh snipped chives, red pepper flakes, and salt. If you’re opposed to spiciness, omit the red pepper flakes and substitute a few grinds of black pepper.

Serve. When the salmon is cooked and you’re ready to eat, just spoon that rich sauce over the salmon. We know we've said it already, but it’s so good. We hope you guys try this one.

Tips for Success

We love recipes like this straightforward baked salmon with lemon because even if you’re new to cooking fish, they always turn out memorable! Below, we've included a few helpful recipe tips:

Buy filets that are similar in size. Salmon filets that are of similar size and thickness will bake more evenly.

Check the fish for bones. Salmon has what’s called “pin bones” that are usually removed at the fish counter. That being said, it’s a good idea to check that no stragglers were left! Run your finger down the filet and remove any overlooked bones with a pair of tweezers.

Check the internal temperature of the salmon with an instant-read thermometer. Salmon is done cooking when it reaches 145ºF at the thickest part of the filet. This is the method we typically use because it’s more accurate. We're head-over-heels in love with our ThermoWorks Thermapen Mk4. If you don’t have an instant-read thermometer, poke a fork into the thickest part. If the salmon flakes easily and isn’t dark red, it should be done.

Ways to serve it

This salmon entree goes evenly with a baked potato and sour cream. All you need to do is add a side of crisp sautéed sugar snap peas or Mediterranean green bean salad for a wonderfully memorable meal.

Make It a Salmon sheet pan dinner

Add a few extras to turn this salmon recipe into an entire dinner baked on one sheet pan. Simply toss your veggies in olive oil, salt, and pepper before roasting. There are so many ways that you can make it your own:

• Asparagus: Our go-to side for salmon! Add the spears to the pan with the salmon in the last 10 minutes of cooking. Try our salmon and asparagus sheet pan dinner. The lemon dill sauce is memorable!
• Potatoes: Give the potatoes a 10 minute head-start before you add the salmon to the pan. If you want to make your potatoes extra crispy, read our guide on how to make crispy roasted potatoes.
• Green beans: String beans will cook in 10 to 15 minutes so add them halfway through the bake time. And if you love roasted green beans, make sure to check out our recipe for roasted green beans with parmesan and basil.
• Radishes: Have you tried roasted radishes yet? If not, you’re in for a treat. Radishes can go in the oven at the same time as the salmon.
• More salmon sheet pan dinners: Try roasted salmon with tomatoes and fennel and walnut crusted salmon sheet pan dinner with sweet potatoes, shallots, apples, and Brussels sprouts, glazed with maple syrup. Yum!

Keeping leftovers

Refrigerate: Cover leftover salmon and refrigerate it separately from the dressing. It will keep for 3 to 4 days.

Freeze: Put the salmon into a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 6 months. For best results, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheat: Cooked salmon can be served cold or warm. Reheat individual portions in the microwave at 50% power, in 30-second increments. Try not to overheat it.

Free Meal Plan

Interested in a weekly meal plan that includes this recipe? Take a look at our Meal Plan #16 or Meal Plan #77. You’ll find a wholesome recipe for each weekday plus a categorized grocery list. Let us do the planning for you this week!

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• Yield: 4
• Prep: 5 minutes
• Cook: 20 minutes
• Total: 25 minutes

Ingredients

For salmon:

• 24 ounces salmon, cut into 4 fillets (see note #1)
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper

For dressing:

• 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives, more to taste
• ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste (see note #3)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a sheet pan or baking dish with parchment for easy clean-up and to prevent fish from sticking.
2. Rinse salmon with cold water and pat dry with paper towel. Place salmon skin side down on sheet pan and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt and black pepper.
3. Bake for 20 minutes or until the salmon flakes easily with a fork in the thickest part. You can also check the internal temperature with an instant read thermometer. It should be 145°F. (see note #2).
4. Meanwhile, combine lemon juice, olive oil, chives, ⅛ teaspoon salt and red pepper flakes in a small bowl.
5. Enjoy immediately with dressing drizzled over top of salmon fillets.

Notes

Salmon: For four generously-sized servings, you’ll need a pound and a half of salmon, about 6 ounces per serving. You can buy pre-cut fillets, or a large fillet of salmon and divide it yourself. Either skin-on or skinless fillets are fine. Once the salmon is cooked, it will separate easily from the skin.

Cooking tip: Keep in mind that thick fillets will take longer to cook than thinner pieces. Check the internal temperature of each fillet at the thickest part. If a fillet is thinner and gets done more quickly, remove it from the pan and keep it warm until the other fillets are done.

Variations: If desired, you can substitute black pepper for the red pepper flakes in the dressing. If fresh chives are not available, substitute green onions or scallions.

Storage & reheating: Refrigerate leftover salmon for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 6 months. It’s best to store the dressing separately, if possible. Thaw frozen salmon in the refrigerator before reheating. Cooked salmon can be eaten cold or reheated. To reheat, gently microwave at 50% power; do not overheat.