Crispy fried chicken wings get a thin, glossy coating of fish sauce, sugar, garlic and chili. Lime and cucumber bring freshness to this distinctly Vietnamese side dish.
Gà chiên nước mắm roughly means chicken fried with fish sauce. The combination of salty, savory fish sauce and sugar gives the wings a bold flavor without the need for a thick coating of sauce. Garlic and chili add fragrance and a little heat; lime at the table provides a fresh contrast. Fish sauce varies in saltiness by brand, so taste the sauce before adding it to the chicken, and don’t automatically add extra salt.
For crispy skin, drying the chicken well matters more than a complicated coating. Pat the wings thoroughly dry and fry them in batches so the oil temperature doesn’t drop too much. Keep the oil around 170 °C: much cooler and the chicken is more likely to absorb oil; much hotter and the outside will brown before the meat is cooked through. A kitchen thermometer is helpful; check that the chicken reaches at least 74 °C in the thickest part, without touching the bone. Let the fried wings drain briefly on a rack.
The sauce is briefly simmered separately. The sugar dissolves and makes the fish sauce a little syrupier, but don’t let it caramelize too much: it will become too thick and can taste bitter. Take the pan off the heat as soon as the sauce looks lightly glossy and is still liquid. Toss the chicken in it just before serving. This gives the skin a thin coating of flavor and helps it stay crisp, unlike when the wings sit in sauce.
Use a neutral oil such as sunflower oil for frying. A fresh red chili brings direct, bright heat; leave out the seeds for a milder sauce or use a little less chili. If you can’t find lime, serve lemon wedges instead, though the flavor will be different. Choose a cucumber with firm skin and cut it into cool sticks or thin slices; they add crunch and refresh the palate between salty, sweet-and-spicy bites.
Serve the wings as a shareable side dish with steamed rice and simple vegetables, or put them on the table with just cucumber and lime as part of a larger meal. They’re best eaten right away, while the skin is still crisp. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator and reheat them thoroughly in an oven; the skin will be less crisp after cooling and reheating, and the sauce may soak in further.
Pat the chicken wings very thoroughly dry with paper towels. If necessary, divide larger wings into two pieces at the joint.
Heat the oil in a large, sturdy pan to 170 °C. Use enough oil to mostly submerge the wings, and don’t fill the pan more than halfway.
Fry the chicken in batches for about 8–10 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through; turn them halfway through if needed. Keep the oil temperature as steady as possible. Check the thickest wing to make sure the meat has reached at least 74 °C. Drain on a rack.
Meanwhile, stir the fish sauce, water and sugar together in a small pan. Add the garlic and chili and bring gently to a boil. Simmer gently for 1–2 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce looks lightly glossy but is still thin and liquid.
Take the sauce off the heat. Immediately toss the warm chicken wings in it so they get a thin coating all over. Serve right away with lime wedges and cucumber.
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