I’ll be straight with you: I’m not a mayo person. Never have been, something about it since childhood I’ve never fully gotten over. But mixed into this bang bang sauce, it completely disappears into the background and just makes everything taste richer. My wife has slowly been expanding my food horizons over the years, and apparently bang bang sauce was the next stop on that journey. I didn’t hate it. I might’ve liked it.

Why You’ll Love Bang Bang Salmon Bites Recipe

Our air conditioner broke earlier this week, which meant the oven was completely off the table  I was already sweating just standing in the kitchen doing nothing. The air fryer saved dinner that night, and honestly it was a good reminder of why I reach for it more in summer than any other season. No extra heat in the kitchen, genuinely crispy salmon in under 10 minutes, and a sauce that makes it taste like way more effort went in than actually did.

Ingredients for Bang Bang Salmon Bites

For the Salmon

• 1 pound (450 g) salmon fillet, skin removed and cut into bite-sized cubes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• Non-stick cooking spray, for the air fryer basket

For the Bang Bang Sauce

• ⅓ cup (80 g) mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Optional for Extra Spice

• 1–2 teaspoons sriracha, depending on your preferred spice level

To Finish

• 2 green onions, thinly sliced

A quick note before you start: we don’t do spicy in this house, so I pulled back on the heat in the sauce below. If you like things hotter, just add more sweet chili sauce or a little sriracha  the base recipe stays the same either way.

Kitchen Tools Needed for Salmon Bites

• An air fryer (obviously),
• A mixing bowl for the salmon
• A small bowl for the sauce
• A thermometer if you like checking doneness precisely instead of guessing by time.

Steps for Bang Bang Salmon Bites

Season the salmon.

Cut the salmon into chunks, roughly an inch or so, nothing too precise. Add it to a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil and the garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Toss until coated  there will always be a little seasoning left stuck to the bowl, just get most of it onto the fish.

Make the sauce.

 Mix the mayo, sweet chili sauce, honey, and a squeeze of lime juice until smooth. Set it aside you’ll use it after the salmon comes out of the air fryer, not before.

Air fry.

Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for about 3 minutes. Spray the basket with non-stick cooking spray and arrange the salmon bites in a single layer, spread out so they’re not crowded  that’s what gets you the crisp on the outside.

Air fry for 9 to 10 minutes, shaking the basket once in the middle. If you’re checking with a thermometer, you’re aiming for around 125°F for salmon that’s cooked through but still tender in the center.

Finish.

Once they’re out, spoon or brush the bang bang sauce over the top and scatter the green onions over everything.

Tips

• Don’t crowd the basket. Salmon needs space around each piece to actually crisp instead of steam.

• Watch your time closely near the end. Ours hit closer to 190°F the first time because we left it a minute too long  still good, just more done than ideal. Somewhere in that 9-to-10-minute window is the real sweet spot.

• Don’t skip the green onion at the end. It’s a small thing but it genuinely makes a difference.

• Make the sauce while the salmon air fries so it’s ready the second the basket comes out  the sauce is best on salmon that’s still hot.

Variations in Bang Bang Salmon Bits

If your household actually likes heat, add extra sweet chili sauce or a splash of sriracha directly into the bang bang sauce  the base stays exactly the same, you’re just adjusting the kick. This would also work with shrimp instead of salmon if you wanted to switch it up; I haven’t tried that swap myself, but the timing would likely be shorter given how fast shrimp cooks.

Serving Suggestions If You Want 

We ate ours straight out of the air fryer basket standing at the counter, which tells you something about how it went. For an actual meal, it’s great over rice or tucked into lettuce wraps with a little extra sauce drizzled on top.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the bang bang sauce very spicy?

Not the way I made it my house doesn’t handle heat well, so this version is mild. Add more sweet chili sauce or a bit of sriracha if you want it spicier; the ratio of everything else stays the same.

How do I know the salmon is done without a thermometer?

Go by the 9-to-10-minute window and check that it flakes easily with a fork. If you do use a thermometer, aim for around 125°F rather than letting it climb much higher — ours got a little overdone once we left it an extra minute.

Can I make the sauce ahead of time?

Yes, it keeps well in the fridge for a few days in a sealed container. Just give it a stir before using since it can separate slightly.

I don’t like mayonnaise can I still make this sauce?

I felt the same way going in, honestly. Once it’s mixed with the sweet chili sauce, honey, and lime, it stops tasting like straight mayo and just adds richness. I’d still try it as written at least once before subbing it out.

What should I serve this with to make it a full meal?

Rice or lettuce wraps both work well. We’ve also just eaten it on its own straight from the basket more times than I’d like to admit.