Thai-herbed Wing Recipe

Prep wings

Rinse and pat dry all 40 chicken wings. If any wing tips remain, remove them and split into drummettes and wingettes. Pat completely dry with paper towels—dry skin crisps better.

Marinate

In a large bowl, whisk together 4 tbs fish sauce, 2 tbs light soy sauce, 1 tbs sugar, minced garlic, 1 tsp black pepper, lime zest and 2 tbs water. Add the wings and toss until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours. Remove wings from fridge 15 minutes before frying to come closer to room temperature.

Prepare coating

In a large bowl, combine 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup cornstarch, 1 tsp baking powder, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp white pepper and 1 tsp turmeric (optional). Whisk to blend. Gradually add about 2 to 3 cups cold water, whisking until you have a slightly thick, pourable batter that will cling to the wings (adjust water as needed). Batter should be thicker than pancake batter but not pasty.

Heat oil

Pour frying oil into a wide, heavy pot or deep fryer to a depth of at least 3–4 inches (about 1.5–2 liters in total for a 40-piece batch). Heat oil to 350°F (175°C). Use a thermometer to maintain temperature. If you don't have a thermometer, test with a small drop of batter: it should sizzle and rise steadily.

Fry wings (first fry)

Working in batches of 8–10 wings (do not crowd), dip each marinated wing into the batter, letting excess drip off, and gently lower into the hot oil. Fry for 6–7 minutes until pale golden and cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a rack or paper towels. Let rest 3–4 minutes.

Fry wings (second fry for extra crisp)

Increase oil temperature to 375°F (190°C). Return wings in batches and fry 2–3 minutes until deep golden-brown and very crisp. Drain on a wire rack over a sheet tray or on paper towels. Keep warm in a low oven (200°F/95°C) on a rack while finishing remaining wings.

Prepare herbs & aromatics

Pat basil, mint, cilantro and kaffir lime leaves completely dry. Stack kaffir lime leaves and roll tightly, then thinly slice (chiffonade). Thinly slice shallots and garlic. If using bird's eye chilies, thinly slice them crosswise.

Flash-fry herbs

Heat about 1/2 cup of the frying oil in a small skillet or shallow pot to 350°F (175°C) — use only enough oil to shallow-fry the herbs in batches. Fry the sliced shallots about 45–60 seconds until golden and crisp; transfer to paper towels. Fry garlic slices 20–30 seconds until light golden; remove. Quickly fry basil, mint, cilantro and kaffir lime slices in small batches 6–10 seconds each — they should sizzle, shrink slightly and turn crisp but remain bright; remove immediately to paper towels to drain. If using panko or rice crumbs, you can briefly toast them in the oil 20–30 seconds until golden and crisp. Sprinkle the fried herbs and aromatics with 1 tsp salt while hot and toss gently to combine.

Combine topping

In a bowl, combine the fried basil, mint, cilantro, kaffir lime, shallots, garlic, optional toasted crumbs and sliced chilies. Toss lightly to distribute and keep warm or at room temperature until plating.

Make sauce

In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup sweet chili sauce, 2 tbs rice vinegar, 1 tbs lime juice and 1 tsp fish sauce. Taste and adjust: add more lime for brightness or a touch more fish sauce for umami. Stir in chopped cilantro for garnish.

Place the fried wings on a large serving platter. Immediately scatter the crispy Thai herb mixture over the top so the heat from the wings releases the aromatics. Serve with the sweet chili dipping sauce in a bowl alongside. Garnish platter with lime wedges and cilantro sprigs. Recommend serving hot so the contrast of crisp wings and crunchy herbs is at its best.