You've never had wings like these.
Vietnamese Fish Sauce Chicken Wings (Canh Ga Chien Nuoc Mam)
Chef Thuy Le-Goldberg
6
45 minutes
45 minutes
Vietnamese
Appetizers
It's for sure an atypical flavor, but fish sauce and brown sugar is a match made in heaven.
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 2 to 2 ½ pounds chicken wings
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp black pepper
For the Batter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cup cornstarch
- ⅛ cup rice flour
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 cup still or sparkling water
- 1.5 liters neutral oil, for frying
For Saucing and Garnish
- 4 tbsp brown sugar (or white sugar)
- 4 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp lemon or lime juice
- 7–8 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp chili sauce (optional)
- 1 Thai chili, finely chopped (optional)
- 8–10 sprigs cilantro, finely chopped (or use mint)
- 2 scallions, finely chopped
Directions
- Clean the chicken wings: Soak the wings in water with 1 tbsp flour. Rinse and pat dry.
- Place the wings in a large zip bag or bowl. Add all seasoning ingredients and toss well. Let marinate for 30 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine all the batter ingredients and mix well. Let the batter rest for 5–10 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, mix together water, sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, and chili sauce until dissolved. Set aside.
- Fry the chicken: Heat oil in a deep pan or fryer to 350°F. Dip each marinated wing into the batter. Shake off any excess.
- Carefully lower the wings into the hot oil. Fry in batches for 6–8 minutes, depending on size.
- Remove and place on a wire rack to drain. Let them cool for 10 minutes.
- Increase the oil temperature to 375°F for the second fry. Re-fry the wings for another 5–7 minutes, or until golden brown and extra crispy.
- Drain on a wire rack again. The wings should now have a deep golden color and stay crispy longer.
- Make the sauce and coat: In a clean skillet, heat 4 tbsp oil.
- Add minced garlic and sauté until it just turns light golden. Immediately remove the garlic to prevent burning, it will continue to cook off the heat.
- In the same pan, pour in the pre-mixed sauce and simmer on medium heat for 2–3 minutes, until slightly thickened.
- Return the wings to the pan and toss to coat evenly for 1–2 minutes. Alternatively, brush the sauce over each wing individually.
- To Serve: Arrange wings on a serving plate. Top with the crispy garlic, chopped cilantro, and scallions. Serve immediately while hot.