Crispy Fish Sauce Caramel Fried Chicken (Ga Chien Nuoc Mam)
Shatteringly crispy chicken pieces lacquered in a sticky, savory-sweet fish sauce caramel glaze that hits every taste bud at once — salty, sweet, garlicky, and just a touch spicy. This is the dish that has turned fish sauce skeptics into fish sauce fanatics, with crackling skin that stays crispy even under the glaze.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken wings or drumettes (or bone-in thighs cut into pieces)
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons sugar
+ 10 more ingredients
Instructions
Season chicken pieces with 1 tablespoon fish sauce and half the minced garlic. Toss well and let marinate for at least 15 minutes at room temperature.
Mix cornstarch and flour together in a large bowl. Toss the marinated chicken pieces in the starch mixture until evenly coated. Shake off excess.
Heat oil in a deep heavy pot or Dutch oven to 350F (175C). Fry the chicken in batches, without crowding, for 8-10 minutes until deep golden brown and cooked through. Drain on a wire rack.
While the chicken fries, make the fish sauce caramel: In a small saucepan, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons fish sauce, remaining garlic, sugar, honey, rice vinegar, black pepper, and chili flakes.
Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Let it bubble for 3-4 minutes until it thickens into a syrupy glaze. Remove from heat and stir in butter until melted and glossy.
For extra crunch, flash-fry the chicken a second time at 375F (190C) for 2 minutes until the exterior is deeply golden and crackling.
Toss the hot fried chicken in the fish sauce caramel glaze until every piece is evenly coated.
Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with fried garlic chips and sliced Thai chili. Serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice.
Nutrition Estimate
Per serving • Estimated by Blinner AI