Fish Sauce Chicken Wings
I topped my wings with thinly sliced scallions but crushed peanuts, fried shallots, or cilantro would be amazing substitutes for garnish.
Fish Sauce Chicken Wings
In the third edition of Demystified: Fish Sauce, we're delving into its role as a marinade. When it comes to frying chicken, my preferred method involves an extended marination to ensure the meat is infused with succulent flavor all the way through. Instead of the usual buttermilk base, I prefer a straightforward salt and sugar brine. Here, we're elevating it with a robust version of nuoc cham (the beloved Vietnamese dipping sauce), which doubles as both marinade and glaze. Rest assured, the high cooking temperature will obliterate any chicken-related concerns.
In my chicken frying method, I prefer a straightforward coating approach. While the recipe suggests cornstarch, you can easily swap it out for potato or tapioca starch. I opt for starch over flour because it yields a crispier coating that holds up well under sauce. Essentially, cornstarch absorbs moisture from the food and expands during frying, creating that desired crispy texture.
Upon tasting these wings, I was pleasantly surprised by how deeply the nuoc cham flavor had permeated the meat. While you could skip the marination, your wings might not boast the same depth of flavor. Alternatively, you can just season your chicken wings with a few dashed of fish sauce and let them rest in the fridge overnight.
Ingredients
16 garlic cloves, minced, divided
3/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
4 pounds chicken wings, drumettes and flats
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon Mala Spice Mix (Fly By Jing)*
4 scallions, green parts only, thinly sliced
Juice from 1 lime
2 Thai bird’s eye chilies, diced
Vegetable oil for frying
*You can substitute one teaspoon cumin, Chinese Five-Spice powder, and salt each
Special Equipment
Wok*
Skimmer
Spider
Serve 4 people
*I like using a wok to fry things because it requires less oil due to it’s fluted shape. Feel free to use whatever frying vessel you prefer just make sure you have enough oil to fill it with 3-inches of oil.
Directions
To make the fish sauce marinade, combine half of your minced garlic with the fish sauce, warm water, sugar, and salt in a plastic container. Shake well. Place the chicken wings in a bowl and cover with the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit in the fridge for several hours, if not overnight.
Take the chicken wings out of the fridge. Transfer the wings to a tray and remove as much of the minced garlic as possible. Transfer the marinade into a small sauce pan. Pat the wings dry with a paper towel.
Preheat the frying oil to 350 degrees. Heat the reserved marinade over medium heat until it starts to boil. Allow it to cook for a few minutes to agitate some of the proteins and collagen left from the chicken. Strain it to remove any solids from the chicken and the old garlic by pouring it into a bowl. From there, return it to the small sauce pot. Add the remaining garlic, lime juice, and sliced Thai bird’s eye chilies. Bring the strained glaze back up to a boil over medium high heat before dropping the heat to low and allow to reduce by half. This should take 10-15 minutes. Once done, cut off the heat and allow to cool while you fry your wings. This will help the glaze thicken up a bit more.
In a large clean bowl, add the chicken wings, baking powder, Mala Spice Mix, and cornstarch. Using clean or gloved hands, toss the chicken wings in the mixture. Fry half of your wings for ten minutes or until brown and crispy on all sides. Transfer to a paper towel-lined tray.
Bring the frying oil back up to 350 degree and fry the second batch of wings. Once those are done, transfer to the paper towel-lined tray. Allow your oil to return to 350 degrees for the last time. At this point, I like to flash fry my first batch for one minute to ensure that the wings are all evenly crisp before glazing them. Transfer to the tray once complete.
In a large mixing bowl, add in your wings and toss with a few tablespoons of sauce until the wings are nicely coated. Transfer the finished wings to your serving platter and top with the thinly sliced scallions. Eat while they are still hot and crispy!