Finding crowd-pleasing party food that’s both easy to make and packed with flavor can feel like an impossible task. Between juggling different dietary preferences and trying to avoid the same old boring options, it’s enough to make anyone stressed about hosting get-togethers.
That’s why these Vietnamese chicken wings have become my go-to recipe for everything from game day gatherings to casual weekend hangouts. They’re crispy, flavorful, and just the right balance of sweet and savory – plus, they’re way easier to make than you might think.
Why You’ll Love These Vietnamese Wings
- Crispy exterior – The combination of rice flour and baking powder creates an incredibly crunchy coating that stays crisp even after being tossed in sauce.
- Bold Vietnamese flavors – These wings pack a punch with the perfect balance of savory fish sauce, tangy lime, fragrant garlic, and a hint of heat from red pepper flakes.
- Quick cooking time – You can have these ready in under an hour, making them perfect for game day snacks or weeknight dinners.
- Simple ingredients – Most of these ingredients are pantry staples in Asian cooking, and they’re easily found in most grocery stores’ international aisles.
- Customizable heat level – You can easily adjust the amount of crushed red pepper flakes to make these wings as mild or spicy as you prefer.
What Kind of Chicken Wings Should I Use?
For this recipe, you’ll want to use a mix of chicken wings and drumettes, which are the meatier, lower portion of the wing. You can usually find these already separated at the grocery store, but if not, you can easily separate whole wings yourself by cutting through the joint. Fresh wings are ideal, but frozen wings work just fine too – just make sure they’re completely thawed and patted dry before cooking to help achieve that crispy exterior. For the best results, look for wings that are similar in size so they’ll cook evenly, and try to avoid wings with excess skin or fat hanging off, as these parts tend to burn during cooking.
Options for Substitutions
Need to make some swaps? Here are some helpful substitutions for this wing recipe:
- Rice flour: If you can’t find rice flour, cornstarch or potato starch work well too. Regular all-purpose flour can be used, but the coating won’t be quite as crispy.
- Fish sauce: Fish sauce gives these wings their authentic taste, but if you need to substitute, try using a mix of soy sauce and rice vinegar (2 parts soy to 1 part vinegar). Note that the flavor won’t be exactly the same.
- Chicken wings: While whole wings are traditional, you can use boneless chicken thighs cut into chunks – just adjust cooking time down by about 5-7 minutes.
- Crushed red pepper flakes: You can swap these with sriracha sauce (2 tablespoons) or sambal oelek (2 tablespoons) for heat. For less spice, reduce the amount or use paprika instead.
- Chicken seasoning: Regular poultry seasoning works fine here, or you can use a mix of garlic powder and onion powder (1/4 tablespoon each).
- Cilantro: Not a cilantro fan? Fresh mint or Thai basil make good alternatives, or you can simply leave it out.
Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking
The biggest mistake when making Vietnamese chicken wings is skipping the crucial step of patting the wings completely dry before coating them – wet wings won’t crisp up properly no matter how long you cook them. Another common error is overcrowding the pan when frying, which causes the wings to steam instead of getting crispy – work in batches if needed to give each wing enough space. The sauce can quickly go from perfect to burnt due to its high sugar content, so keep a close eye on it while reducing and remove it from heat as soon as it starts to thicken. For the best results, toss the wings in sauce right before serving rather than letting them sit too long, which can make them lose their crispiness, and don’t skip the lime juice at the end – it balances out the sweet and savory flavors perfectly.
What to Serve With Vietnamese Wings?
These flavorful wings are perfect for serving with a variety of Asian-inspired sides that can help balance their bold, spicy-sweet taste. A bowl of steamed jasmine rice is always a good choice to soak up the delicious sauce, while some pickled vegetables like daikon and carrots (đồ chua) add a nice tangy crunch. For a fresh element, try serving the wings with crisp lettuce leaves, cucumber slices, and fresh herbs like mint and Thai basil. If you want to make it a complete meal, some simple stir-fried vegetables or a cold rice noodle salad would round everything out nicely.
Storage Instructions
Keep Fresh: These Vietnamese chicken wings are best enjoyed right after cooking when they’re still crispy, but if you have leftovers, place them in an airtight container and pop them in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just keep in mind that the skin won’t stay as crispy in storage.
Freeze: You can freeze these wings for up to 2 months in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. I recommend freezing them before adding the sauce – this way, they’ll maintain better texture when you’re ready to eat them again.
Reheat: To get back some of that crispy texture, reheat the wings in the oven at 375°F for about 10-15 minutes, or use an air fryer for 5-7 minutes at 375°F. Avoid using the microwave as it’ll make the skin soggy. If you stored them without sauce, toss them in freshly made sauce after reheating.
| Preparation Time | 15-20 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 22-30 minutes |
| Total Time | 37-50 minutes |
| Level of Difficulty | Easy |
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 1800-2100
- Protein: 120-140 g
- Fat: 100-120 g
- Carbohydrates: 80-100 g
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds chicken wings and drumettes
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper for seasoning
- 1/2 cup rice flour
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 6 cloves minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tablespoon chicken seasoning
- 1 teaspoon white pepper (if desired)
- Juice of 2 limes
- Fresh cilantro
Step 1: Coat the Chicken Wings
In a large bowl, mix together chicken wings, baking powder, garlic powder, rice flour, salt, and pepper.
Ensure each piece of chicken is well coated with rice flour; if needed, add more rice flour to achieve even coverage.
Step 2: Preheat and Prepare the Air Fryer
Preheat your air fryer to 350°F for about 5 minutes.
After preheating, lightly spray the air fryer basket to prevent the chicken from sticking.
Place the coated chicken wings into the basket, ensuring there is space between the pieces for even cooking and crisping.
If your air fryer is small, you may need to cook the wings in batches.
Optionally, spray a bit of oil on top of the chicken to enhance crispiness.
Step 3: Initial Frying
Air fry the chicken at 350°F for 12 minutes.
This initial cooking period will help set the coating and begin crisping the exterior.
Remember to check on the wings to avoid overcrowding and ensure even cooking.
Step 4: Increase Heat for Crispy Finish
After the initial 12 minutes, toss the chicken wings around in the basket for even cooking.
Optionally spray a little more oil, then increase the air fryer temperature to 400°F.
Continue frying for another 10-15 minutes until the wings achieve your desired level of crispiness.
As air fryers vary, keep a close watch to prevent burning.
Step 5: Prepare the Sauce
In a large mixing bowl, combine minced garlic, fish sauce, sugar, red pepper flakes, chicken powder, optional white pepper, and lime juice.
Mix well and taste; if the fish sauce makes the mixture too salty, adjust the flavor by adding a bit more sugar to balance.
Step 6: Coat the Chicken and Serve
Once the chicken wings are perfectly fried, transfer them to the bowl containing your prepared sauce.
Toss the wings thoroughly to ensure they are well coated with the flavorful mixture.
Finish by adding chopped cilantro for a fresh garnish.
Serve the wings hot and enjoy!