Crispy Bang Bang Salmon Bites Bowls

 This was delicious!!!  New family favorite!!!  Even Evan ate it :)  

Ingredients

Bang Bang Sauce:

• 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt or mayonnaise
• 4 Tbsp sweet chili sauce
• 2 tsp sriracha

For the Salmon Bites:

• 1 Tbsp avocado oil for cooking
• 1 lb salmon filet chopped into bite-sized chunks
• 1/2 cup coconut aminos *
• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 large cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp sriracha optional
• 2 tsp toasted sesame oil optional

For the Bowls:

• 1 Batch Asian Cucumber Salad
• 3 cups cooked brown rice
• 1 large head broccoli chopped into florets
• 1 large ripe avocado sliced

Instructions

• Prepare the cucumber salad by adding all of the ingredients to a small bowl and allowing it to sit for at least 15 minutes (ideally at least one hour if you have the time).
• Cook the rice according to the package instructions. Gauge the amount of rice you make based on how many people you’re serving. For two people I usually make one cup of dry rice, which cooks to about 3 cups of cooked rice.
• While the rice is cooking, prepare the bang bang sauce. To do so, stir together the ingredients in a small bowl until everything is well-combined. Refrigerate the sauce until you’re ready to use it.
• Steam, saute, or roast the broccoli according to your preference. I sauté the broccoli in about 1 teaspoon of avocado oil and ¼ cup of water in a nonstick skillet.

Prepare the Salmon:

• In a small bowl, combine the coconut aminos (or soy sauce + pure maple syrup), rice vinegar, minced garlic, sriracha and sesame oil and stir together until the sauce is well-combined.
• Place the raw salmon filet on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to cut it into bite-sized cubes. If you don’t like salmon skin, you can remove the skin but I absolutely love it so I leave it on. You can also purchase skinless fillets.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of avocado oil (or your favorite high-temperature cooking oil. I don't recommend olive oil because it burns easily at high temperatures) in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Wait a few minutes for the oil to heat up and become sizzling hot.
• Carefully place the salmon chunks on the hot skillet skin side down (if the skin is still on). Allow the chunks of salmon to cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes, or until the skin is golden-brown. Use tongs to carefully flip the salmon to another side and continue cooking another minute or two. Pour the sauce for the salmon into the skillet. I should immediately boil - this is normal. If it appears as though the sauce is evaporating too quickly at any point, reduce the heat to medium as you want the boil to be under control. Continue cooking and flipping the salmon every few minutes until it is fully glazed and cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes. The exact cooking time depends on the temperature of the salmon going into the skillet and your desired level of doneness.
• Salmon is fully cooked once it has reached an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. You can use a meat thermometer to verify the temperature by inserting the thermometer into the largest chunk of fish. You can also tell salmon is fully cooked when the center is fully light pink without any darker pink rawness to it.

Make the Crispy Salmon Bowls:

• Add your desired amount of rice to two large bowls. Add desired amount of cucumber salad, sauteed broccoli, and avocado. Divide the cooked crispy salmon bites between each bowl and drizzle with bang bang sauce. You can also drizzle the bowl with coconut aminos or teriyaki sauce if you like your bowls to be saucy (I do!). You can also sprinkle chopped green onions and sesame seeds over the bowls if you like them.
• Enjoy this flavorful, nutritious meal!

Notes

*You can replace coconut aminos with 1/4 cup of liquid aminos or low-sodium soy sauce + 1 tablespoon of pure maple syrup or brown sugar. If you're using soy, be sure to use low-sodium soy sauce or the salmon will turn out pretty salty.

Drizzle the bowls with teriyaki sauce, extra coconut aminos or soy sauce if you like your bowls saucy.

Store any leftovers in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.