These Vietnamese Chicken Wings are baked in the oven until crisp & coated in a sweet-spicy combination of sweet soy sauce and sambal oelek chili paste.
Growing up near Buffalo, New York, I have definitely consumed a couple of boatloads of Buffalo wings. I’m a huge purist when it comes to these babies – They have to be served with blue cheese (not ranch), super spicy, and, please no – do not order them boneless!!! Now that I’ve moved to the Pacific NW, I’ve had a really hard time finding authentic Buffalo wings. However, I have a new obsession – Vietnamese Chicken Wings.
My first taste of this wing variety was at the restaurant Pok Pok – A Portland mainstay by chef and owner Andy Ricker. Served in a sweet, sticky sauce brimming with fish sauce, garlic, and fresh mint and cilantro. They’re simply delicious! Another one of our favorite restaurants, The Schooner in Netarts, Oregon serves a variety called General Tso’s wings – and I’ve got to say, they’ve got the uber famous Pok Pok beat. If you’re ever in the area, definitely check out this place. Located right on the bay, with a fabulous view, farm fresh produce, great cocktails and a laid back beach atmosphere – The Schooner is one of our favorite restaurants, even topping any of the great eating spots in Portland.
I’ve talked of my FOF (fear of frying) before. And, even though I’m making steps towards overcoming that fear, I’m baking these wings rather than frying. I was a bet skeptical as to whether they’d turn out crispy enough, but to my surprise – They turned out just as crispy as they would have if you’d fried them. I lined my pan with a Silpat to assist in the crisping process and to make the cleanup process a bit easier. If you don’t own a Silpat, I’d definitely suggest lining your sheet pan with foil, because the glaze can get quite sticky.
Ingredients
- 1¼ Pounds Chicken Wings
- 2 Tablespoons Sweet Soy Sauce Kecap Manis
- 1 Tablespoon Sambal Oelek Chili Paste
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- Cilantro chopped, for garnish
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 475°F.
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Line a sheet pan with foil. Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels and place on a sheet pan lined with a Silpat or foil. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to thoroughly coat. Arrange in a single, even layer and roast 22 to 24 minutes, or until lightly browned and cooked through.
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While the chicken roasts, make the sauce. Combine the soy glaze, Worcestershire sauce and sambal oelek. When the chicken is fully cooked, transfer the wings to a large bowl. Add half the sauce and, using tongs, toss to thoroughly coat. Return the wings to the lined sheet pan and arrange in a single, even layer. Roast for an additional 6 to 8 minutes, or until browned. Remove from the oven. Top with the remaining sauce and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.
Tips :
- Add as much or as little of the sambal oelek as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be.
Wine Pairings for Vietnamese Chicken Wings:
- Dry Riesling, dry gewürztraminer, dry rosé, viognier and champagne are all good matches for Vietnamese dishes. These wines have a crisp brightness that goes well with the hot, chili flavors in this dish.
Looking for more Vietnamese recipes? Try this Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken.
I love these types of wings even more than Korean Fried Chicken Wings, but only get wings when dining out because of a similar aversion to frying at home. I love that these are baked but still get crispy!
Pech – I was very pleasantly surprised at how crispy these got in the oven. Healthier too!
Your results look spectacular. Love Pok Pok’s wings. And it’s so great to be able to make them at home.
Thanks Susan! Isn’t Pok Pok great? Love it!
Yum! I love that this is under 5-ingredients. When it comes to Asian or Indian dishes I am always so intimidated by the volume of ingredients.
I agree Meredith – Definitely a plus for this recipe – Just a few ingredients that are fairly easy to find!
Well this looks delicious, pretty photos too. I have a feeling my husband would like this dish…
Thanks Jenni! I hope he enjoys it!
I love Pok Pok and really fear frying things so this is perfect, thanks!
Yay Kira – You’re telling me I’m not alone in my FOF!
Usually when I go in to a Non-Indian blog, I am so wary that half the ingredients will be stuff I can’t find here. But this is so beautifully doable. Thanks for the recipe. Pinned for later.
Of course! I hope you are able to give these a try – They’re delicious!
These look so tempting right now, and it’s midnight! Now I want Vietnamese chicken wings! Love the short list of ingredients, too. I just might have to make this soon!
Midnight snack? 😉
the problem with following your blog is that every time I do, I start drooling on my computer…
http://www.dawnehanks.com
Ha Ha – We may need a keyboard protector Dawne 😉
They look fantastic! Can I come over for dinner? I don’t feel like cooking at all today but so so so so wish I could take a bite of those right now!
Anything that involves Worcestershire sauce and cilantro must be good!
Those are two of my favorite ingredients Jessica!
I just made these, it was a huge hit with everyone! Extra bonus, baked not fried. So tender, and meat just fell off the bones!
Yay – I’m so glad everyone loved them Patti!
how did I not know you were from Buffalo, I am a Buffalo girl too – now living in Cali, but still a Buffalo girl at heart – and I am a total wing snob, but these sounds absolutely amazing
Buffalo gals 🙂 How cool Heather!
You had me at Vietnamese, Erin–plus at anything that’d go so beautifully with Gewurztraminer! Here’s to you! 🙂
Vietnamese food has some great flavors. It’s no wonder you found yourself moving onto this niche after finding no true placement for your authentic favorite back home.
What makes these wings Vietnamese?
Kecap Manis as well as Ssmbal
Oelek are both Malaysian ingredients.