Thai Chicken Wings

These Thai chicken wings come out of the oven shatteringly crisp, then get tossed in a sticky sweet chili glaze with lime and fresh cilantro. Sweet, spicy, and tangy in every bite, they disappear fast at any gathering.

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

35 mins

Total time

55 mins

Servings

4 servings

Calories

580

Ingredients

• 2 lb (900 g) chicken wings, split into flats and drumettes
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp ground white pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 3 tbsp rice flour
• 1/3 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp sriracha
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro and 1 lime, cut into wedges, to serve

Instructions

1. Pat the chicken wings completely dry with paper towels. Toss them in a large bowl with the fish sauce, soy sauce, white pepper, and garlic powder until evenly coated, then let them marinate while the oven heats.
2. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a large baking sheet with foil. Set a wire rack on top and lightly coat it with cooking spray so the wings crisp on all sides.
3. Sprinkle the rice flour over the marinated wings and toss until each piece has a thin, even dusting. Arrange the wings skin-side up on the rack, leaving space between them.
4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until the skin is deeply golden and crispy and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
5. While the wings bake, combine the sweet chili sauce, honey, sriracha, rice vinegar, and minced garlic in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly thickened and glossy.
6. Transfer the hot wings to a large bowl and pour over the warm glaze. Toss thoroughly so every wing is coated in the sticky sauce.
7. Pile the wings onto a platter, shower with chopped cilantro, and tuck lime wedges around the edges. Serve immediately while the skin is still crisp.

Pro tips

• Drying the wings well before baking is the secret to truly crispy skin, so do not skip the paper towels.
• Give the wings breathing room on the rack; crowding steams them instead of crisping them.
• Rice flour makes a lighter, crunchier coating than cornstarch in this recipe.
• For extra-charred edges, broil the wings for the final 2 minutes but watch them closely.

Frequently asked questions