Airfried Vietnamese Fish Sauce Wings

Published February 26, 2025
Thai

Sweet, tangy, and bursting with flavor. These wings are so good. I first tried them at Smoking Goat in Shoreditch, and I’ve been on a mission to recreate them ever since. While they’re not an exact copy, they’re pretty close, and honestly just as delicious. Plus, they come out perfectly crispy even though they’re air-fried instead of deep-fried.

ingredients

Chicken wings:

  • 1 kg chicken wings, cut into flats and drums
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tsp neutral oil

Flour mixture:

  • ½ cup corn starch
  • ½ cup tapioca flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder

Sweet tangy sauce:

  • 5 tbsp fish sauce
  • 5 tbsp sugar
  • ½ lime, juiced
  • 6 tbsp water
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced (half for crispy topping, half for sauce)

Toppings:

  • 1 large shallot, sliced
  • Fresh coriander, chopped

method

  1. Marinate the wings – Pat the chicken wings dry. In a large bowl, mix with pepper, salt, garlic powder, soy sauce, and fish sauce. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, ideally overnight.
  2. Coat the wings – Drizzle with 1 tsp neutral oil and toss well. Coat each wing in the flour mixture.
  3. Air-fry – Place wings in the air fryer basket. Spray lightly with oil. Air fry at 180°C (356°F) for 20 minutes, flipping halfway.
  4. Make crispy garlic – In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add 1 tbsp neutral oil and half of the minced garlic. Fry until lightly golden, then strain, reserving both the crispy garlic and the infused oil.
  5. Cook the sauce – Return the garlic-infused oil to the pan. Add the remaining minced garlic and sauté until fragrant. Stir in fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, water, and chilli flakes. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 8–10 minutes until slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  6. Toss and garnish – In a large bowl, add cooked wings and sliced shallots. Pour over the sauce and toss well. Garnish with coriander and the crispy garlic bits.
  7. Serve – Enjoy hot and crispy.