If you think Buffalo wings are the ultimate chicken wing, these crispy Air Fryer Vietnamese Fish Sauce Wings might just change your mind.
These wings are crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Tossed in a sticky fish sauce glaze that’s sweet, salty, garlicky, buttery, tangy, and absolutely packed with umami. Best of all, we’re making them in the air fryer, so you can get beautifully crisp chicken wings without breaking out the deep fryer.
And before you ask: no, they don’t taste fishy!
Fish sauce is the backbone of the glaze, but once it’s combined with brown sugar, honey, fresh garlic, lime juice, butter, black pepper, and just a touch of toasted sesame oil, it becomes something completely different. You get an intensely savory, sweet-and-salty glaze that clings to every nook and cranny of those crispy wings.
WHAT ARE VIETNAMESE FISH SAUCE WINGS?
Vietnamese fish sauce chicken wings, or cánh gà chiên nước mắm, combine crispy chicken wings with a sweet and savory sauce built around one of the most important ingredients in Vietnamese cooking: fish sauce.
There are countless variations of fish sauce wings. Some are deep-fried, some contain additional aromatics or chilies, and the balance of sweet, salty, and acidic ingredients varies from recipe to recipe. My version takes inspiration from those flavors but adapts the technique for the air fryer. I also add honey, butter, fresh lime juice, and a little toasted sesame oil. This creates a glossy sauce that’s rich, bright, and packed with flavor.
THE SECRET TO EXTRA-CRISPY AIR FRYER WINGS
Great wings need crispy skin, especially when you’re about to cover them in sauce. The first step is a simple dry brine. Pat the whole chicken wings very dry. Season them with kosher salt, and refrigerate them uncovered for about two hours or up to overnight. That uncovered refrigerator time helps draw moisture from the surface of the chicken while the salt seasons the wings.
Right before cooking, I lightly dust the wings with a 50/50 mixture of cornstarch and all-purpose flour. The key word here is lightly. We’re not breading fried chicken. You only want a very thin coating over the skin. The cornstarch helps create that delicate crispy exterior, while the flour gives the coating a little more structure and promotes browning.
Give the wings a light coating of oil and they’re ready for the air fryer.
AIR FRY THE WINGS AT 400°F
I cook these wings at 400°F for approximately 25 to 30 minutes, turning them halfway through cooking. Don’t overcrowd your air fryer basket. Air needs to circulate around the wings for them to get properly crisp, so cook them in batches if necessary. Because whole chicken wings can vary quite a bit in size, use the cooking time as a guide rather than an absolute. The chicken needs to be completely cooked through and the exterior should be deeply golden and crispy.
LET’S TALK ABOUT THAT FISH SAUCE GLAZE!
Now let’s get saucy!
For this recipe, I use Squid Brand fish sauce. Fish sauce is intensely savory and salty on its own, but that’s exactly why it works so beautifully when balanced with sweetness and acidity. I use a full ¼ cup because I want the fish sauce flavor to actually come through rather than disappear behind the sugar. Brown sugar and honey balance that salty intensity and help create the sticky consistency we’re looking for.
Fresh garlic brings plenty of aromatic flavor, while freshly cracked black pepper adds a subtle bite. Then we finish the sauce with butter for richness and just a little toasted sesame oil. The lime juice in the recipe is particularly important. These are rich, crispy chicken wings covered in a sweet and savory glaze, so the acidity keeps everything bright and balanced. And because toasted sesame oil is so aromatic, add it at the end rather than cooking it with the garlic.
DO FISH SAUCE WINGS TASTE FISHY?
This is probably the first question you’ll get from anyone who’s unfamiliar with cooking with fish sauce. No, the finished wings shouldn’t taste like fish. Fish sauce provides saltiness and a huge amount of savory umami. Once it’s balanced with brown sugar, honey, garlic, lime, and butter, you get a complex savory flavor rather than something overtly fishy. If you’ve eaten plenty of Southeast Asian food but don’t normally cook it at home, there’s a good chance you’ve enjoyed fish sauce many times without even realizing it.
CAN I MAKE THESE WITH WINGETTES AND DRUMETTES?
Absolutely.
I’m using whole chicken wings, but you can separate them into drumettes and flats or purchase already-cut wings. Smaller separated wings may cook a little faster than large whole wings, so start checking them before the full 25 to 30 minutes have passed.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH FISH SAUCE WINGS
These wings are fantastic on their own as an appetizer or game-day snack, but you can easily turn them into dinner. Serve them with steamed jasmine rice to soak up any extra glaze, or pair them with garlic fried rice. A fresh cucumber salad or quick-pickled vegetables provide a cool, acidic contrast to the rich wings. And don’t forget some fresh lime wedges on the side.
HOW TO REHEAT AIR FRYER CHICKEN WINGS
If you somehow have leftovers, refrigerate them in an airtight container. To reheat, place the wings back into the air fryer at about 375°F until they’re heated through and the exterior begins to crisp again. Because they’re already coated in a glaze containing sugar and honey, keep an eye on them—the sauce can darken quickly.
THE WING RECIPE FOR FISH SAUCE LOVERS-AND SKEPTICS
If you’ve never cooked with fish sauce before, chicken wings are a fantastic introduction. You get the crispy, juicy wing you already love, but instead of traditional Buffalo sauce, it’s covered in a glossy combination of salty fish sauce, caramel-like brown sugar, honey, garlic, butter, fresh lime, black pepper, and sesame.
Sweet. Salty. Tangy. Garlicky. Crispy.
Make a batch and tell me: Are you going back to Buffalo wings after these?
See the YouTube video here.
Crispy Air Fryer Vietnamese Fish Sauce Wings
Equipment
- Air fryer
- large mixing bowl
- Small saucepan
- rubber spatula
- Tongs
- Plate lined with paper towels or baking sheet with rack
Ingredients
Chicken Wings
- 2 1/2 – 3 lbs whole chicken wings
- kosher salt, as needed for dry brining
- 1/4 cup corn starch
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- black pepper, to taste
- neutral oil or cooking spray, as needed
Fish Sauce Glaze
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 6-8 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup fish sauce Squid Brand if available
- 1/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp Samabal Olek or other chili paste (to taste) optional – if you like it spicy
Optional Garnish
- Sliced scallions
- Toastes sesame seeds
- Crispy garlic
- Lime wedges
- Chopped chilis
Instructions
Dry Bring the Wings
- Pat the chicken wings very dry with paper towels. Season evenly with kosher salt.
- Arrange the wings uncovered on a wire rack set over a sheet pan or on a plate lined with paper towels and refrigerate for approximately 2 hours. This helps season the chicken while drying the surface for crispier skin.
Coat and Air Fry
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
- Pat the wings dry again if there is any moisture on them.
- Combine equal parts cornstarch and all-purpose flour in a shallow bowl to shaker. Lightly dust the wings with the mixture, shaking off any excess. You want a very thin coating rather than a heavy breading.
- Lightly spray or brush the wings with neutral oil.
- Arrange the wings in the air fryer in a single layer without overcrowding. Cook in batches if necessary.
- Air fry at 400°F for 25–30 minutes, turning the wings halfway through cooking, until deeply golden, crispy, and completely cooked through. Flipping at least once half way through.
Make the Fish Sauce Glaze
- While the wings cook, heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds to 1 minute, stirring frequently, until fragrant. Don't allow the garlic to burn.
- Add the fish sauce, brown sugar, honey, Lime juice, and black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Allow the sauce to simmer and reduce until slightly thickened and glossy.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the cold butter and stir or whisk until completely melted and emulsified into the glaze.
- Stir in the toasted sesame oil.
- Allow to cool slightly while the wings finish.
Finish the Wings
- Allow the finished wings to rest for about 2 minutes after removing them from the air fryer.
- Transfer to a large bowl, pour over enough warm fish sauce glaze to thoroughly coat the wings, and toss until glossy.
- Garnish with scallions, toasted sesame seeds, crispy garlic, and/or fresh lime wedges if desired. Serve immediately.
