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Thai Red Curry Wings with Coconut Cream glaze

Thai Red Curry Wings with Coconut Cream Glaze

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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Appetizer, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine Thai
Servings 4

Equipment

  • Must-Haves
  • Large mixing bowls for tossing the wings and coating them
  • Deep fryer or heavy-bottomed pot for frying (cast iron works great)
  • Wire rack and sheet pan to rest the wings after frying so they stay crispy
  • saucepan to cook down the glaze
  • Tongs for flipping wings in oil and tossing them in glaze
  • Alternatives
  • Air fryer if you're going for a slightly healthier approach, this works surprisingly well
  • Oven bake the wings at high heat (425°F) with a wire rack to simulate frying
  • Whisk or silicone spatula to stir the glaze without breaking the coconut cream

Ingredients
  

For the Wings

  • 2.5 lbs chicken wings drumettes and flats, skin-on
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp white pepper or black if unavailable
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • Neutral oil for frying like vegetable or canola

For the Coconut Red Curry Glaze

  • 1 tbsp Thai red curry paste Mae Ploy or Maesri are excellent options
  • 1/2 cup full-fat coconut cream not coconut milk; this needs to be thick
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 2 tbsp palm sugar or light brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tsp rice vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp chili flakes optional for extra heat
  • 1 tsp garlic minced or grated
  • 1 tsp ginger grated

Garnish (optional but recommended)

  • Thinly sliced Thai basil or cilantro
  • Chopped roasted peanuts
  • Extra lime wedges
  • Sliced red chili or scallions

Instructions
 

Step 1: Dry and Season the Wings

  1. Pat your chicken wings dry with paper towels—this step is key for crispy skin. Toss them in a bowl with salt, white pepper, cornstarch, and flour. Let them rest for 10 minutes while you heat up your oil.

Step 2: Fry the Wings

  1. In a deep pot or fryer, heat oil to 350°F. Carefully drop in a few wings at a time, making sure not to overcrowd the pot. Fry for about 8–10 minutes or until golden brown and internal temp hits 165°F. Place wings on a wire rack to drain and maintain crispiness.

Pro tip: For extra crispy skin, double fry. After the first round, let wings rest for 5 minutes, then fry again for 2–3 minutes.

    Step 3: Make the Coconut Red Curry Glaze

    1. In a saucepan over medium heat, add a bit of oil and sauté the curry paste until fragrant—about 1 minute. Add coconut cream, fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and chili flakes if using. Stir constantly until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy—about 5–7 minutes. It should coat the back of a spoon.
    2. This glaze draws from classic thai sauce recipes but with a luxurious coconut finish. It’s sticky, sweet, spicy, and totally addictive—basically a dream for anyone searching for a sticky wings recipe easy to pull off yet layered with flavor.

    Step 4: Toss and Glaze

    1. In a large bowl, add your freshly fried wings and pour the hot glaze over them. Toss quickly so that every piece is fully coated. The heat from the wings helps the sauce adhere and soak in just enough.

    Step 5: Garnish and Serve

    1. Transfer the glazed wings to a serving platter and sprinkle with Thai basil, peanuts, and chili slices. Serve with lime wedges on the side to cut through the richness.