Pok Pok Wings Recipe - Went Here 8 This (2024)

By Danielle on July 23, 2020, Updated December 28, 2023 14 Comments

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Inspired by Andy Rickers famous Pok Pok Wings, these fish sauce wings are deliciously sweet, salty and tangy...the perfect combination of flavors!

This recipe was originally published in April 2017. It has been updated for photos and content. For a good laugh, scroll down below the recipe card and check out the old photo!

These fish sauce chicken wings were inspired, of course, by the infamous Pok Pok fish sauce wings. Ever since I had those delicious, delicious wings, I have dreamed of them.

I want them. I NEED them. My life is not complete without the deliciousness that is these wings.

Luckily, copycat recipes are available all over the internet. This recipe is inspired by the recipe I found over at Food and Wine. I've made some tweaks to it that I think make it even better!

In addition to being incredibly tasty and addictive, these Pok Pok Wings are also easy to make. There are only a handful of ingredients and besides the marinade time, they take under 30 minutes to make.

Ingredients

The original recipe uses fine white sugar. My recipe calls for coconut sugar, as I like the more complex flavor of it. Buy it HERE on Amazon (affiliate link). Coconut sugar is great in Vietnamese marinades like this Bun Thit Nuong recipe (Vietnamese pork noodle bowl).

And of course the fish sauce. The star of the show. It's important to use a good one here as it will be the main flavor to your wings. I've tried a few different kinds, and have settled on my favorite, Red Boat 40. You can buy it HERE on Amazon if you can't find it elsewhere (affiliate link).

Read 20+ Ways To Use Fish Sauce that will change your life!

The original recipe also call for whole chicken wings. I personally love to use wingettes. Feel free to use either as they will both turn out great. This recipe for Vietnamese Chicken Wings (baked) has similar flavors and uses whole chicken wings.

Ingredients for Marinade:

Ingredients for Wings:

You may also like these crispy fried Cajun Wingsor this Indian Fried Chicken.

The remaining ingredients are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Step By Step Instructions

Combine all marinade ingredients in a large bowl.

Add the chicken wings, mixing well to ensure they are fully coated Reserve ¼ cup of the marinade for tossing with the wings after they are fried. Let the wings marinade for at least 24 hours.

Remove wings from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking to bring them to room temperature. If you put the cold wings in the hot oil, you will bring the temperature of the oil down, which could cause the wings to become soggy and oily instead of crisp.

Dip each wing in the cornstarch and place on a wire rack until ready to fry. Continue until all wings are coated.

Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet or dutch oven (less messy) until it reaches 350F. **oil should cover at least the bottom 1" of the pan.

Use a thermometer like this Thermapen to get an accurate temperature reading of both the oil and the wings to ensure they are done.

Fry the wings (in batches) for 4 minutes each side.

Remove and drain on a metal rack. Place the wings in a large bowl and toss them with the reserved marinade. Place them on a plate and sprinkle them with the fried garlic, chopped cilantro and diced Thai chilies.

How to Serve Pok Pok Wings

Serve them as you would serve any appetizer (like these Vietnamese Egg Rolls or Chicken Summer Rolls). Serve it with these great Vietnamese meals:

• Instant Pot Pho;
• Bun Thit Nuong;
• Bo Luc Lac;
• Banh Mi Sandwich.

Expert Tips

1. Let the wings stand out for 30 minutes before frying them. If cold wings are added to hot oil, it can bring the temperature down too much and the wings will become soggy instead of crispy.
2. When adding the oil, it should cover at least the bottom inch of the skillet or dutch oven. Add more or less as necessary.
3. Use a thermometer like this Thermapen to check the temperature of the oil and the chicken wings. The wings should be 165F when done.
4. Be sure to reserve the ¼ cup of marinade as it will be used to glaze the wings at the end.
5. The Thai chilies are optional, but add a wonderful spicy bite to the wings.

Did you make this recipe? Rate the recipe and leave a comment below to let me know what you think!

Recipe

Check out this old photo!