Easy Thai Fish Sauce Wings Recipe
This easy Thai fish sauce wings recipe guarantees umami-loaded, crispy chicken every time. Whether you deep fry or air fry, they’re ridiculously tasty and so simple to make!
Quick tip: Throwing a party? Serve these alongside the reader’s favorite sweet Thai chili wings and grilled gai yang for a crowd-pleasing combo!
Fish sauce chicken wings are a popular street food in Thailand, beloved for their salty, umami flavor. Marinated in fish sauce and typically fried, they’re usually enjoyed as a snack or side dish without dipping sauce.
Did you know? The Thai name for this dish is peek gai tod nam pla, with peek gai tod meaning fried chicken wings and nam pla meaning fish sauce!
Recipe highlights
- Insanely crispy: The secret to the crispiest chicken is the combination of tempura flour and ice-cold water. These ingredients create the lightest, crispiest coating you’ve ever had!
- Quick to prep: With just 20 minutes of marinating time, you can have these babies prepped and ready to fry in no time.
- Air fryer or deep fryer: Whether you love the crispiness from deep-frying or want a healthier air-fried option, this recipe works both ways!
- Perfect for any occasion: Serve them as a snack, appetizer, or dinner with rice. These wings are a crowd-pleaser for game day, parties, or even casual dinners!
Craving more? Also try kai tod for deliciously fried, Thai-style chicken wings!
Best fish sauce for this recipe
When making Thai chicken wings with fish sauce, the quality of the fish sauce is super important. I always recommend Megachef fish sauce. It’s less salty as most brands, which makes it perfect for this recipe. The flavor is rich, but not overpowering, with a smooth balance that really enhances the umami in the wings.
For these wings, it’s especially important to use a good-quality fish sauce since they’ll be marinating, and the longer they sit, the more fish sauce infuses into the meat. Using a lower-quality or overly salty fish sauce could result in wings that are just too salty, especially if you’re preparing them in advance.
If you want to get the same flavor I did, you can find the exact fish sauce I use on Amazon. It’s my go-to for all Thai recipes!
Ingredient notes
You can grab everything you need from your local Asian grocery store. For exact measurements, don’t forget to check the recipe card at the end of this post!
- Chicken – I used flats in this recipe, but feel free to use whole wings, drumsticks, or even chicken breast. If you love drumsticks, try my fried chicken drumsticks or hat yai fried chicken!
- Tempura flour – You’ve probably heard of cornstarch, rice flour, or baking powder for crispy wings, but today I’m introducing you to tempura flour! It gives an ultra-light, airy coating that fries up perfectly crispy without being too heavy.
- Ice-cold water – Mixing tempura flour with ice-cold water helps keep the batter light and airy, giving you that perfect crunch when fried.
- Fish sauce – This adds a salty, umami-packed flavor to the wings. I recommend using Megachef for its balanced flavor and lower salt content.
- Rosdee seasoning powder – This is a popular Thai seasoning, often used in Thai cuisine. It adds a savory, slightly salty flavor that enhances the taste of the marinade. Get it here.
- White pepper
- Oil – Use oils with a high smoke point like canola or vegetable oil for deep frying.
How to make fish sauce wings
Step 1: Combine fish sauce, white pepper, and seasoning powder in a large mixing bowl. Add the chicken wings after patting them dry with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture, and mix well with the seasonings.
Step 2: Add tempura flour and ice-cold water to the bowl with wings. Mix everything well, then let the wings sit for 20 minutes.
Step 3: Heat oil in a deep fryer or large pot to 350°F (175°C). Once the oil is hot, fry the wings in batches until they are golden brown and crispy, about 8–10 minutes per batch. Use a wire strainer or slotted spoon to remove them from the oil. Briefly place them on paper towels to drain any excess oil. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Serve peek gai tod nam pla with:
- Jasmine rice
- Thai sticky rice
- Som tum Thai (green papaya salad)
- Spicy cucumber salad (my favorite order at a Thai restaurant!)
Dipping sauce options:
- Dipping sauce for chicken
- Thai sweet chili sauce (nam chim kai)
- Thai hot sauce
What to do with leftovers
- Storing: Store any leftover wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: To keep the wings crispy, reheat them in an oven or air fryer at 375°F for about 5 minutes, or until heated through.
More popular finger food to try!
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Easy Thai Fish Sauce Wings Recipe
Ingredients
- 28.2 oz chicken wings
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 0.5 tsp rosdee seasoning powder (see notes)
- 1 tsp white pepper powder
- 1/3 cup tempura flour
- 3 tbsp ice-cold water
- oil (for frying)
Instructions
- Combine fish sauce, white pepper, and seasoning powder in a large mixing bowl. Add the chicken wings after patting them dry with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture, and mix well with the seasonings.
- Add tempura flour and ice-cold water to the bowl with wings. Mix everything well, then let the wings sit for 20 minutes.
- Heat oil in a deep fryer or large pot to 350°F (175°C). Once the oil is hot, fry the wings in batches until they are golden brown and crispy, about 8–10 minutes per batch.
- Use a wire strainer or slotted spoon to remove the wings from the oil. Briefly place them on paper towels to drain any excess oil. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- Use the nutrition card in this recipe as a guideline.
- Rosdee seasoning powder – This is a popular Thai seasoning, often used in Thai cuisine. It adds a savory, slightly salty flavor that enhances the taste of the marinade. Get it here.
