I’ve never been a huge fan of salmon, and I’ve always tried to disguise the flavor when I cook it. But I love turning anything into a curry, which is why this dish is now a new favorite! Spiced with cumin, ground cloves, and turmeric, then baked to perfection, this super easy Indian Spiced Salmon with Crispy Chickpeas is a simple punchy dinner that deserves repeating!
Last year we had a total disaster at our house involving fish and curry, so I surprised myself by being brave enough to create this dish. I had bought a pound of discount cod with the intention of turning it into a seared curried cod situation. Learn from my mistake and do not ever buy discount fish. It will stink up your entire house if it’s not fresh! I couldn’t get the smell out for months! Lesson learned! But also the idea of discount cod is now hilarious to us.
This Indian spiced salmon is baked, so it’s a much simpler and less stinky recipe (thank God). I made a spice mixture and use half the spices as a rub on the salmon and the remainder are toasted with the crispy chickpeas. It’s a simple and tasty side, and guess what! This entire dish is gluten free! Just serve this with some lime wedges and a simple salad. See the full recipe below.
- 2 fresh salmon filets (about 1 lb)
- 1 tsp cumin
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp turmeric
- ¼ tsp chili powder
- ¼ tsp ground cardamom
- ½ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- ½ tsp kosher salt plus more for sprinkling
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- Preheat the oven to 375 F.
- In a bowl, mix together the cumin, cloves, turmeric, chili powder, cardamom, paprika and red pepper flakes. Divide this mixture in half, placing half in another bowl. To one half of the spice mixture, add 1 tbsp olive oil and ½ tsp kosher salt. Mix together. Drizzle 1 tbsp of olive oil on a baking sheet, and place each salmon filet (skin side down if there is skin) on the baking sheet. Brush the olive oil spice mixture onto each salmon filet until it's all gone.
- Bake the salmon for 12-18 minutes, depending on the size of the salmon filets. Check them after 12 minutes for desired doneness.
- Meanwhile, drain and rinse the chickpeas, then dry them off as best you can with paper towels or a kitchen towel. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium high heat, and add another tablespoon of olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the remaining spice mixture, stirring for 30 seconds to open up the spices. Add the chickpeas to the pan and stir to coat them. Sprinkle with a couple pinches of salt and stir again. Cook for about 7-10 minutes, stirring every minute or so. When they're done the chickpeas will be lightly browned.
- Serve salmon with lime wedges, crispy chickpeas, and a green salad. Squeeze lime over the salmon and chickpeas.
