Sweet, tangy, savoury and so ridiculously good. These Vietnamese fish sauce wings are inspired by the ones I first tried at Smoking Goat in Shoreditch, and I've been on a mission to recreate them ever since. They're not an exact copy, but they're pretty damn close and honestly, just as delicious. The wings come out properly crispy despite being air-fried rather than deep-fried, then get tossed in a sticky, sweet-and-tangy fish sauce glaze with fresh shallots, coriander and crispy garlic.
3 servings
Some secret knowledge
These wings are definitely best eaten fresh, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat in the air fryer at 180°C for 5–8 minutes until hot and crispy again.
These wings are definitely best eaten fresh, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat in the air fryer at 180°C for 5–8 minutes until hot and crispy again.
Pat the chicken wings thoroughly dry, this helps them get extra crispy.
Add the wings to a large bowl along with the pepper, salt, garlic powder, light soy sauce and fish sauce.
Mix well, then cover and marinate for at least 30 minutes, although overnight will give you even more flavour.
Drizzle the marinated wings with 1 tsp neutral oil and toss well.
In a separate bowl, mix together the cornflour, tapioca flour and baking powder.
Coat each wing generously in the flour mixture, making sure they're completely covered.
Arrange the wings in your air fryer basket in a single layer, making sure they aren't overcrowded.
Lightly spray with oil and air fry at 180°C for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
For extra crispiness, you can increase the temperature to 200°C for the final 2–3 minutes. The wings should be golden, crispy and cooked through.
While the wings cook, heat around 1 tbsp neutral oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
Add half of the minced garlic and gently fry until lightly golden and crispy.
Keep a close eye on it as the garlic can go from golden to burnt very quickly.
Strain the garlic, reserving both the crispy garlic and the garlic-infused oil.
Return the garlic-infused oil to the saucepan over medium heat.
Add the remaining minced garlic and sauté until fragrant.
Add the fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, water and chilli flakes.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced slightly and become glossy.
Taste and adjust to your liking (more lime for tang, sugar for sweetness or chilli for heat)
Add the crispy wings to a large bowl along with the sliced shallots.
Pour over the fish sauce glaze and toss everything together until the wings are evenly coated.
Transfer to a serving plate and finish with fresh coriander and all those gorgeous crispy garlic bits.
Serve immediately while the wings are still hot and crispy.
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