Air Fryer Alaska Salmon Power Bowl

Late summer means one thing around here: coho season. The silvers are running, the fish counters are stocked, and if you've been waiting for the right excuse to build your week around salmon, this is it. Coho brings a little more richness than the sockeye we've been eating all summer, without tipping into king salmon territory — which makes it exactly the kind of fish that doesn't need much dressing up to shine.

Let's be honest, though: "power bowl" is one of those phrases that can go either way. Sometimes it means a sad pile of quinoa. Sometimes it means something you'd actually crawl across the kitchen for. This one's the second kind.

Wild Alaska salmon, crisped up in the air fryer with a little garlic and paprika, dropped onto warm rice with avocado, cucumber, and a scatter of pomegranate arils that make the whole bowl look like it's dressed for a party it didn't know it was invited to. Then a sweet chili drizzle ties it all together, equal parts tangy, sweet, and "wait, what's in this?"

The best part? It's a genuine 30-minute meal, start to finish. No marinating overnight, no fifteen dishes, no standing over a pan hoping the fish doesn't stick. The air fryer does the work while you build everything else. Dinner tonight, lunch tomorrow, either way you win.

Here's how it comes together.

Air Fryer Alaska Salmon Power Bowl

Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 15 minutes | Total: 30 minutes | Serves: 2

For the salmon

• 8 oz wild Alaska salmon, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil

For the sweet chili drizzle

• 2 tbsp mayonnaise
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 3 tbsp sweet chili sauce

For the bowls

• 1 cup cooked basmati rice
• 1/2 cucumber, sliced
• 3 tbsp pomegranate arils
• 1/2 avocado, sliced
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp chopped peanuts (optional, but honestly, don't skip it)

How to make it

1. Heat your air fryer (or oven) to 400°F.
2. Pat the salmon cubes dry — this is the step people skip and shouldn't. Dry fish gets a better sear. Toss the cubes with the garlic powder, paprika, salt, and olive oil until every piece is coated.
3. Load the salmon into the air fryer basket in a single layer (don't crowd it) and cook 10–15 minutes, until it flakes easily.
4. While that's going, whisk the mayo, lemon juice, and sweet chili sauce together. That's your sauce — no cooking required, just stirring.
5. Split the warm rice between two bowls. Layer on the salmon, cucumber, avocado, and pomegranate arils.
6. Finish with a generous drizzle of the sauce, a sprinkle of sesame seeds, sliced green onion, and the peanuts if you're using them.
7. Eat it while it's warm. Or don't — it holds up cold for lunch too.

Nutrition per serving (approx.): 610 calories, 30g protein, 31g fat, 52g carbs, 7g fiber, 65mg cholesterol.

Recipe from the ASMI