Kind thanks goes to The Hatch Chile Store for sponsoring this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and can be very persuasive :0)

Looking down on a wooden table displaying an oval white platter containing Salsa Poached Salmon and mango. Next to the platter is a jar of The Fresh Chile Co.'s Mama's salsa and grilled asparagus on a white plate.

THE easiest Fish on Friday

Okay, so it’s Friday night and everyone is starving for dinner after a long day at work and school. You look in the fridge and remember you bought salmon fillets night before last. But there are a million ways to cook it. You notice there’s a slightly used jar of salsa in the fridge, and some mango chunks in the freezer you used for smoothies the other day. You decide to go full-on MacGyver, and make some seriously delish dinner out of JUST these three ingredients. You have One-Pan Salsa Poached Salmon with Mango on the table in 20 minutes and all you hear is Mmmmm!!! from the whole table. You are a true kitchen BOSS. Mic drop for the win!

A close-up of a jar of The Fresh Chile Co. Mama's Salsa with a plate of Easy, One-Pan Salsa Poached Salmon with Mango in the background.

This recipe is all about the salsa. I highly recommend The Fresh Chile Co.’s Mama’s or Papa’s salsa, which you can easily order from The Hatch Chile Store. I like these salsas because they contain famous Hatch Green Chile, which pairs perfectly with Salmon :0)

Can you poach salmon with skin on?

Thanks to all my years of recipe development, I can confidently answer this question: YES you can and SHOULD poach Salmon with the skin on. Poach with the skin-side down first in a non-stick pan (unless specified otherwise by the recipe). Gently flip the fillets over half-way though the cooking time to ensure they cook evenly.

Looking down into a large non-stick skillet filled with salsa and raw, pink, salmon fillets placed skin side down (skin not visible).

How do you tell when poached salmon is done?

You can tell poached salmon is done by gently inserting a fork or knife into the thickest part of the fillet from the top (not the skin side). The salmon meat should easily flake or separate and should be light beige in color. IF it is still pink or does not flake easily with a fork then it needs more cooking time.

An extreme closeup of a serving of Easy, One-Pan Salsa Poached Salmon with Mango showing the texture of the cooked fillet, along with the tomato and green chile chunks in the salsa. The fish is garnished with chunks of fresh yellow mango and a sprinkle of green parsley.

What do you eat with Poached salmon?

Poached salmon cooks very quickly, so prepare quick side dishes while the salmon cooks, or even better, prepare them ahead of time. Here are some ideas of what to eat or serve with Poached Salmon:

grilled or roasted asparagus
roasted & pureed squash
Risotto rice
roasted cauliflower
rosemary carrots
couscous
roasted seasoned red potatoes
steamed green beans
steamed peas
spinach salad
roasted Brussel sprouts
grilled or roasted broccoli

How to make One-Pan Salsa Poached Salmon with Mango

Set a NON-STICK pan over medium heat. Pour in one (16 ounce) jar of salsa and 3/4 cup of water.

Looking down into a large non-stick skillet simmering salsa.

Once the Salsa is simmering, generously season salmon with salt and pepper and place salmon fillets in to the salsa, skin side down as shown below. After they have cooked for 5 minutes, flip them over to skin side up. Cut and dice a fresh mango (or two) while the salmon cooks.

Looking down into a large non-stick skillet filled with salsa and raw, pink, salmon fillets. — Raw salmon placed in poaching salsa.

Salmon fillets are being flipped over with metal tongs in a pan full of braising liquid to make "Easy, One-Pan Salsa Poached Salmon with Mango" — Here I am flipping the partially cooked salmon fillets over to skin side up so it will cook evenly.

Remove the salmon when it’s flakey in the thickest part of the meat, and no longer pink. Set onto a serving platter or individual plates and cover with foil. Continue to boil the salsa until it is thick again and leaves a trail when a spoon or spatula is drug along the bottom. Place thickened salsa along the top of each salmon fillet. Sprinkle with freshly diced mango chunks and cilantro. Serve and enjoy the awesomeness of this amazingly easy and delicious dinner.

One fillet of Easy, One-Pan Salsa Poached Salmon with Mango sits on a white plate. The top of the fillet is smothered in chunky salsa. Mango chunks surround the salmon. — There is salmon hiding under all that there salsa, I promise :0)

Looking down on a white square plate on a wooden table top displaying a serving of Easy, One-Pan Salsa Poached Salmon with Mango with grilled asparagus, mango chunks and tortilla chips. A person holds a jar of The Fresh Chile Co.'s Mama's Salsa next to the plate.

Did you know I have a full-color cookbook with lots more easy and delicious New Mexican recipes? You can learn more about it here!

You know what else is fantastic? Simply giving this recipe a star rating and a comment below! Your comments and ratings are greatly appreciated by me AND the Google algorithm. Thank you!

Did you know I have a full-color cookbook with lots more easy and delicious New Mexican recipes? You can learn more about it here!