Salmon is one of the fastest things you can cook in an air fryer, and because its fat content is higher than chicken, it's far more forgiving if you're a minute or two over — the fat keeps it moist even past the ideal point, unlike lean white fish or chicken breast.
The Method
Pat fillets fully dry with kitchen paper, brush lightly with oil, season, and cook skin-side down at 200°C for 10–12 minutes depending on thickness. There's no need to preheat or flip — cooking skin-side down the whole way through protects the delicate flesh and lets the skin crisp against the basket.
Checking Doneness
The fillet should flake easily with a fork and reach around 60–63°C at the thickest point for a just-cooked, still-moist centre with a slightly translucent look — UK food safety guidance for fish is more forgiving than for poultry, and salmon cooked past 65°C tends to turn noticeably drier and chalkier in texture.
Fresh vs Frozen
Frozen fillets can go straight into the air fryer without defrosting, but need roughly 5–6 minutes longer at the same temperature. We'd still recommend defrosting overnight in the fridge where possible, since it gives more even, predictable results and a better final texture.
Seasoning Ideas
A simple oil, salt, pepper and lemon works well and lets the fish speak for itself. For more flavour, a teriyaki or honey-soy glaze brushed on for the final 2–3 minutes of cooking caramelises nicely without burning — apply glazes late rather than at the start, as the sugar content browns fast.
Common Mistakes
Overcooking is the single most common issue with air fryer salmon, largely because people default to chicken-length cook times out of habit. Salmon cooks much faster than poultry of a similar size — start checking at the 10-minute mark rather than waiting for a default 15–20 minutes.