Blackened Salmon Tacos with Chipotle Crema

Blackened salmon tacos are one of those recipes my whole family loves. Even the ones who don’t love salmon! This recipe is arguably just as good without all the taco extras. Just make the blackened salmon and a big green salad if you’re not in the mood for tacos. But also, who are you?! Tacos are life!

Not only is this recipe super fast, but also the clean-up is beyond easy. Sheet pan recipes are a lifesaver on busy nights. Scale the number of salmon filets up or down to feed your brood, and extra dry spice rub can be stored in a small container in your pantry. Use it for grilled chicken, steak fries, or roasted butternut squash!

The sheet pans I use on repeat are Nordic Ware commercial half sheet pans. Perfect for everything from cookies to roasted chicken thighs or blackened salmon. Make clean-up easier with either a Silpat (what I use when baking) or parchment paper sheets.

I’m hitting you all with a ton of photos of this recipe because I love them all. I hope it inspires you to cook up some blackened salmon tacos. Please post and share and be sure to tag me so I can see what you’re making.

Looking for more fish recipes?

Parchment Paper Fish Packets
Herbed Sweet and Spicy Glazed Wild Salmon
Cedar Plank Salmon
Baked Veracruz-Style White Fish
Tuna Poke

Print Recipe

Blackened Salmon Tacos with Chipotle Crema

If you’re short on time, it’s okay to take a shortcut by using store-bought blackened seasoning or Cajun seasoning, such as Tony Cachere’s. Have your taco toppings at the ready: shredded cabbage, avocado, cilantro and hot sauce are my favorite fish taco toppings.

Course: Main dish

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: blackened fish, fish, fish tacos, Salmon, Seafood, tacos

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼-½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• Several grindings of black pepper (20?)
• 4 6-ounce salmon fillets, skin-on
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 lemons, cut into wedges

For the chipotle lime crema:

• 1/2 cup Mexican crema or sour cream (plain Greek yogurt will also work fine, it will just be slightly more tart and dense)
• 1/4 cup good quality mayonnaise, such as Duke’s or Hellman’s
• 1 1/2 teaspoon chipotle paste or chopped chipotle pepper in adobo
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• Zest and juice of one lime or two small Mexican limes
• Kosher salt (use sparingly with crema because it’s slightly salty)
• Fresh ground pepper

Instructions

For the chipotle lime crema:

• In a medium bowl, combine the crema, mayo, chipotles, garlic, lime zest and juice, salt and pepper. Stir well. 
• Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use. Will last about 3-4 days.

Blackened Sheet Pan Salmon

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Mix together spice ingredients and set aside. 
• Cover sheet pan with parchment paper. Add the filets and brush them with olive oil. Sprinkle spice mixture generously over the salmon until it’s well coated. 
• Roast in the upper third of the oven for 10 minutes. Check the internal temperature of the fish, it should reach 143-145.
• Serve in warmed tortillas with shredded cabbage (red or green), cilantro, pickled red onions, avocado, and hot sauce. I like to add a dollop of chipotle crema.