Thai · main

Crispy Chile-Garlic Chicken Wings

Crispy Chile-Garlic Chicken Wings reads umami 8.1, salinity 6.5 and citrus 6.5 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Thai main, about 17 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 9.9 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 3.3 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 8.4 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 0.9 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 4.0 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.1 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 8.1 · Salinity 6.5 · Citrus 6.5 · Funk & Ferment 6.3 · Sourness 6.2 · Marine & Briny 5.1 · Richness 3.8 · Allium 3.6 · Sweetness 3.1 · Herbaceous 2.7 · Heat 2.4 · Warm Spice 1.3 · Bitterness 0.8 · Floral 0.7 · Fruity 0.7 · Nutty 0.6 · Earthy 0.6

What's in it (14)

• turkey wings — 907 g
• salt — 5 g
• freshly ground black pepper — 3 g
• cornstarch — 79 g
• all-purpose flour — 40 g
• vegetable oil — 1306 g
• fish sauce — 79 g
• light-brown sugar — 67 g
• lime juice — 44 g
• garlic — 18 g
• red chili flakes — 10 g
• fresh jalapenos — 100 g
• cilantro — 7 g
• lime — 65 g

Time & effort: about 17 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 207.5 kcal, 14.4 g protein, 10.9 g fat, 12.8 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Pat the chicken wings dry and toss with the salt and pepper.
2. In a small saucepan, combine the fish sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, and garlic; bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until syrupy and reduced by about a third, 4-5 minutes.
3. Remove the glaze from the heat and stir in the red pepper flakes; set aside.
4. Toss the seasoned wings in the cornstarch and flour until evenly coated, shaking off excess.
5. Heat the oil to 325 F in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven; first-fry the wings in two batches until pale golden and cooked through to 165 F, about 8 minutes per batch, then transfer to a wire rack.
6. Increase the oil temperature to 375 F; second-fry the wings in two batches until deeply golden and shatteringly crisp, 3-4 minutes per batch.
7. Toss the hot wings with the glaze until fully coated.
8. Top with the sliced chile and cilantro.
9. Serve immediately with lime wedges.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Thai Sweet Chili Shrimp Skewers — Thai
• Vietnamese Garlic Butter Noodles with Shrimp — Vietnamese
• Vietnamese Lemongrass Pork Chops — Vietnamese
• Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken — Vietnamese
• Vietnamese-Style Grilled Lemongrass Pork — Vietnamese

Keep reading: what umami, salinity, citrus mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.