This salmon is the perfect mix of sweet and savory. It’s altogether just so satisfying.
The other week, I took my daughter for a playdate and her friend’s house. And let’s be real, my friend too – because playdates are totally mom dates also.
She had dinner with her friend and his mom made a pecan crusted chicken. It was so good.
I loved the way the crunchy nuts coated the protein to give it some texture and extra flavor. And that little sweetness from the honey didn’t hurt either!
Plus, my daughter loved it – which is always a plus.
I knew I wanted to recreate it, so I asked her for her recipe.
I changed it slightly to use walnuts instead of pecans. They’re one of my favorite nuts that I always have in the house.
(FYI, if you’re not already, store your walnut in the fridge or in the freezer for longer term.)
And, to mix it up a little, I tried the recipe with salmon instead of chicken.
The result: incredibly soft, flavorful, and satisfying salmon. NGL, I made it early and ended up eating it at like 10am!
The salmon is coated in a mixture of finely processed walnuts and breadcrumbs. It’s also marinated in honey and then topped with a little honey drizzle.
All of these components add so much depth and flavor to the salmon. I know you’re going to love it.
Marinate the salmon
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, mix the egg and 2 tablespoons of honey well. Brush the salmon with the egg and honey mixture. Set aside.
Process the walnuts
In a food processor, process the walnuts until they reach a fine, breadcrumb-like texture. Add to a bowl and mix walnuts with breadcrumbs, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Add walnut mixture to salmon
Add walnut mixture on top of the salmon, using the back of a spoon to press it down. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon of honey.
Bake in the oven
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until an internal temperature of 145 F is reached.
Notes
- How to serve it: I paired this salmon with rice and seasonal roasted veggies – in this case, acorn squash. I’d recommend it with any grain + veggie combination, or even over a salad.
- Substitutions: If you don’t have walnuts, you can use pecans or pistachios instead. I haven’t tried making this with chicken instead of salmon, but it should work. Simply adjust the cook time as needed so that the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 F.
- Storage: Store salmon in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can microwave to reheat.
Ingredients
- 1 lb salmon fillet
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons + 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, mix the egg and 2 tablespoons of honey well. Brush the salmon with the egg and honey mixture. Set aside.
- In a food processor, process the walnuts until they reach a fine, breadcrumb-like texture. Add to a bowl and mix walnuts with breadcrumbs, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Add walnut mixture on top of the salmon, using the back of a spoon to press it down. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon of honey.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until an internal temperature of 145 F is reached.
