Chili-rubbed salmon with grilled corn, fresh tomatoes and sliced avocado all tossed together with a cilantro-lime dressing makes the perfect summer salad!
You guys, it’s officially grilling season and there’s nothing better than dining al fresco in your own backyard to kick off summer. Our grill is always in constant use during these warm months because not only does our grill make cooking meals super easy with little clean up, but everything just tastes so much better! We grill everything from chicken and shrimp to steak, fresh veggies and even pizza, but one of my ultimate favorites to make is grilled salmon!
This chili-rubbed salmon is packed with so much flavor and paired with this delicious summer salad just completes the whole meal. Fresh grilled corn, cherry tomatoes and creamy avocado slices all tossed together with peppery arugula and a cilantro-lime dressing that is simply to die for! Trust me, this salad needs to be on your weekly menu all summer long. The best part is it really only takes about 20 minutes to throw together!
Why Grill Salmon in Foil?
There are many ways you can grill salmon, but my preferred method has always been to use foil. Not only does this make things really easy to clean, but the salmon retains so much delicious flavor and comes out tender and flaky every time! You never have to worry about your salmon falling apart or sticking to the grill when you take it off and you also get this delicious juice in the foil that you can brush back onto your salmon for even more flavor.
How to Grill Salmon in Foil
- Mix all your seasonings together. I always pre-mix my spice blend so that I can make sure the salmon gets evenly coated.
- Make a foil packet. I like to do this using two pieces of foil just to keep things simple. First lay a large piece of foil on a baking sheet or large plate (just to make transferring to the grill easier) and fold up the edges. Brush a little bit of oil on the foil so that the salmon doesn’t stick.
- Season your salmon. Place the salmon in the center of the foil and brush the top with about a tablespoon of olive oil and squeeze about a half of a lime over top, brushing to evenly coat. Then sprinkle the salmon with your seasoning mix so that the entire fish is nice and coated.
- Ready to grill! You’ll want to cook the salmon over medium heat, about 375 to 400 degrees. Cover your salmon with another sheet of foil, making sure that all the edges are nicely sealed. Place the foil packet on the grill and cook for about 15 to 18 minutes, until salmon is flaky and opaque through the center.
How to Make Summer Corn Salad
Now time to make this incredible salad! This salad seriously has all of my favorite summer ingredients, fresh grilled corn right off the cob, juicy cherry tomatoes, slices of creamy avocado all over a bed of fresh arugula. Making this salad couldn’t be any easier either!
- Prep the salad. Before throwing the corn and salmon on the grill, I like to do all of my chopping. Slice your tomatoes and avocado, chop up your green onions and cilantro, then toss everything together with the arugula in a large bowl.
- Grill your corn. I like to throw the corn right on the grill while the salmon cooks. First you’ll want to lightly brush the corn with a little olive oil (or butter) and season with some salt and pepper. Then grill the corn 2 to 3 minutes per side, until the kernels start to brown. That char is what gives the corn so much flavor!
- Make the dressing. You guys, this dressing is seriously amazing! Whisk together olive oil, fresh squeezed lime juice, garlic, honey, fresh cilantro, ground coriander and some salt/pepper and place in the fridge until ready to use.
- Arrange salad and eat! Once everything is off the grill, carefully cut the corn off of the cob and slice up the salmon. Pro tip: use a bundt cake pan to easily cut the corn off of the cob! Toss the corn with the rest of the salad, add your salmon and drizzle with the cilantro-lime dressing.
If you like a creamier dressing, I highly suggest adding this dressing to a blender and mixing in half of an avocado. A great way to get in those healthy fats and adds even more flavor!
Clearly I love this entire dish as a salad, but these ingredients would also make delicious chili lime salmon tacos or you could even serve the salmon and veggies over brown rice or quinoa. I mean this corn tomato salad alone should be your new summer staple and the salmon all on its own is so flavorful, you really can’t go wrong!
More Salmon Recipes
- Chili Lime Salmon with Mango Salsa
- Sheet Pan Maple Dijon Glazed Salmon
- Hummus Crusted Salmon with Lemon Arugula Salad
- Ginger Basil Salmon in Foil
- Mango Sriracha Salmon Tacos
Hope you all enjoy this Chili-Rubbed Salmon with Summer Corn Salsa and if you love these as much as we do, please leave me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using the hashtag #eatyourselfskinny! I love seeing all your delicious recreations!
Chili-Rubbed Salmon with Summer Corn Salad
Ingredients
For the salmon:
- 2 lb wild-caught salmon fillet
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
For the salad:
- 4 ears corn + 1 Tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper (to taste)
- 3 cups arugula, packed
- 1 avocado, pitted and sliced
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
For the cilantro-lime dressing:
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1/4 tsp ground coriander
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Pre-heat grill to medium-high heat (about 375 to 400 degrees).
- Place a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil on a baking sheet or large plate and fold up all the edges. Brush a little bit of oil on the foil or spray with non-stick cooking spray so that the salmon doesn’t stick.
- Place the salmon in the center of the foil and brush the top with olive oil and lime juice. Then sprinkle the salmon with the seasoning mix so that the entire fish is coated. Using another sheet of aluminum foil, cover the salmon, making sure that all the edges are nicely sealed.
- On a separate plate, lightly brush the corn with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer the foil-wrapped salmon to the grill over indirect heat, not directly over the flames, and cook for about 15 to 18 minutes. You’ll know that the salmon is done when it’s flaky and opaque through the center.
- While the salmon is on the grill you can also grill your corn. Place the corn over direct heat and cook about 2 to 3 minutes per side, until the kernels start to brown. Once the corn is done, carefully cut the kernels off of the cob using a sharp knife.
- To make the salad, toss together the arugula, tomatoes, grilled corn, avocado, green onions and fresh cilantro in a large bowl.
- To make the dressing, simply whisk together olive oil, lime juice, garlic, honey, ground coriander, salt/pepper and cilantro and set aside.
- Remove salmon from the grill and remove the top layer of foil. You’ll see that a lot of juices have accumulated on the sides, so I like to brush those juices over top of the salmon before serving.
- Slice up the salmon and add to the salad then drizzle with cilantro-lime dressing. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can you cook the salmon in the oven too? I don’t have a grill
Absolutely!
I LOVE the salmon and the side dishes are perfect with it!!! 🙂