Thai Fried Chicken Wings

By
Cat Lau
Cat Lau
Cat Lau
A freelance writer and recipe developer, Cat Lau's mission is to work closely with organic farmers in Thailand to create dishes that include local and sustainable ingredients.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/21/21
thai fried chicken wings on plate

The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Marinate Time: 15 mins
Total: 45 mins
Servings: 2 to 3 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
792 Calories
61g Fat
32g Carbs
29g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2 to 3
Amount per serving
Calories 792
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 61g 78%
Saturated Fat 18g 89%
Cholesterol 124mg 41%
Sodium 2482mg 108%
Total Carbohydrate 32g 12%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 29g
Vitamin C 6mg 31%
Calcium 53mg 4%
Iron 3mg 17%
Potassium 434mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Fried chicken recipes can vary widely based on the marinade, batter, and seasonings. For Thai fried chicken, all you need is flavorful fish sauce and a little flour. By using chicken wings, you're guaranteed crispy, succulent chicken in no time.

Fish sauce may smell a little funky, but it adds tons of salty, umami flavor to dishes like these fried chicken wings. For frying, we recommend rice bran oil for its light flavor and high burning point. If you can't find it, feel free to substitute with canola oil or another neutral, high-heat oil.

Hot oil is very important to achieve beautifully golden and crispy fried chicken. If you fry the chicken in oil that is not hot enough, the chicken will end up holding onto the oil, giving it a soft texture and oiliness. Adding the wings slowly and cooking in batches are the keys to keeping the oil nice and hot. Another tip is to give the oil time between batches to reach sufficient heat again to ensure consistent frying.

These Thai fried chicken wings are a great appetizer. Or make rice and a Thai salad to go along with them for a dinner.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound chicken wings

  • 1/4 cup fish sauce

  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided

  • Rice bran oil, for frying

  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for Thai fried chicken wings

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  2. Pat the chicken wings dry with a paper towel.

    Pat the chicken wings dry with a paper towel

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  3. In a large bowl, add the chicken wings, and pour the fish sauce over them. Make sure that every piece of chicken is coated in the fish sauce by tossing the wings with your hands. Let rest to marinate for 15 minutes.

    Chicken wings tossed with fish sauce

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  4. Add 1/4 cup of the all-purpose flour to the bowl and mix well so that the flour coats all of the chicken wings.

    Wings covered in flour

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  5. Use a pot with high sides and pour in rice bran oil until there is at least 1 1/2 inches of oil in the pot. Heat over medium-high heat to 350 F.

    High-sided pot with oil

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  6. Add about half of the chicken wings piece by piece to avoid crowding. Fry for 8 to 10 minutes. Make sure that all sides of the chicken fry evenly until you get a beautiful golden color on the wings.

    Fried chicken in a pot of oil

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  7. While the chicken is frying, prepare a plate with some paper towels and leave it close to the pot. Once cooked, remove the fried chicken from the oil and let it rest on the plate.

    Fried chicken removed from oil with a slotted spoon

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  8. Fry the remaining chicken wings and remember not to overcrowd the pot. Remove the chicken from the oil and let it rest on the lined plate.

    Fried chicken wings on a paper towel

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  9. Toss the shallots on a plate with the remaining all-purpose flour and fry them in the hot oil.

    Shallots frying in a pot of oil

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi

  10. Once the onions have turned golden, remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon and scatter over the chicken wings.

    Thai fried chicken wings and fried shallots

    The Spruce / Maxwell Cozzi