Basting meats, like chicken, in a sweet and salty caramel-like sauce is a traditional Vietnamese technique that produces an irresistible play between savory and sweet. A few years back I developed a recipe inspired by Vietnamese caramel chicken for The Kitchen, and the recipe became so popular, I decided to make it into a wing sauce! The fish sauce and garlic pack a flavor punch. Cooking down the sauce until sticky, then baking, results in the perfect crispy, sticky chicken wing.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 15 min |
| Active: | 25 min |
| Yield: | 6 servings |
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken wings, drums and flats only
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 4 cloves garlic, grated
- One 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the wings in a single layer in the center of the baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to combine, then spread back out in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake until browned and lightly crispy, 40 to 45 minutes. (Leave the oven on.)
- Meanwhile, combine the brown sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and ginger in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and becomes sticky, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Transfer the wings to a large bowl, then drizzle the sauce over them and toss to coat well. Bake until browned and sticky, another 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 224 |
| Total Fat | 8 g |
| Saturated Fat | 2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 9 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 g |
| Sugar | 6 g |
| Protein | 28 g |
| Cholesterol | 97 mg |
| Sodium | 1079 mg |
Reviews
I thought these were great, I had 3# of wings somdoubled the sauce! After reading reviews, I used 5 tbs of fish sauce. I did 40 minutes in oven, I put them in a bowl and let them marinate in the sauce while hot for 1/2 hour then back in the oven for 10. Not sure if that helped them absorb more flavor, but for sure yummy!!!!
Wings can be a pain, having a gathering, was thinking of using drum sticks instead, any thoughts?
Wings can be a pain, having a gathering, was thinking of using drum sticks instead, any thoughts?
Made these wings last night, and the cooked time was spot on. They turned out very crispy, but the marinade was salty like some others have suggested. I would make this again, but reduce the fish sauce to 1 tablespoon.
Used chicken thighs instead of wings. Also for a little kick I added a tsp of chili crisp! Delicious
Not a review but a question. These look amazing and I want to make them for New Year’s Eve, but I just can’t deal with fish sauce. I’ve bought it twice to try, and I’ve given it away both times. Has anyone found a good substitute?
So yummy!!! I didn’t feel like buying low sodium salt soy sauce since I already had a normal bottle at home so I just cut our the salt when seasoning the chicken prior to cooking and it tasted great! Also I popped these in the stir fryer instead for 35 minutes at 390 and got them perfectly crispy 🙂
We really enjoyed these very quick and easy the only thing I did extra was add a few red chili flakes to spice it up. I did not feel the salt level as some have suggested.
Can anybody give me an idea how much “1-inch piece ginger” might be? 1 Tablespoon?
My wife and I look for ‘light’ recipes to have on Friday and Sunday nights – this looked perfect. We cooked exactly as specified in the recipe, specifically using low-sodium Soy Sauce.
The wings were done perfectly; fall-off-the-bone tender, with crisp skins. However, the sauce was far too salty – could have been used to lure deer for hunters, or serve as a substitute for a salt lick for cattle.
We will try this recipe again, substituting a commercially available Asian gourmet sauce for the sauce in the recipe.
Five stars for the wings; 1 star for the sauce: Average Three (3) stars.
The wings were done perfectly; fall-off-the-bone tender, with crisp skins. However, the sauce was far too salty – could have been used to lure deer for hunters, or serve as a substitute for a salt lick for cattle.
We will try this recipe again, substituting a commercially available Asian gourmet sauce for the sauce in the recipe.
Five stars for the wings; 1 star for the sauce: Average Three (3) stars.
The sticky sauce is amazing. I made my wings my normal way S&P, garlic powder, baking powder @ 450 for 50 minutes till crispy. Tossed with the sticky sauce on parchment @ 400 8 minutes. Amazing will make again.
This is the first time making chicken wings. They absolutely need the entire 45 minute cook time. I want them well done and the skin really crispy. I did mine for about 40 minutes and they could have used a few more minutes. My husband absolutely devoured them. I just wished the skin was a bit more crispy (just more cook time). The flavors were delicious and I added toasted sesame and sliced scallions. Next time (and there will definitely be a next time) I’m going to add some crushed red pepper to the glaze for heat.