Low FODMAP Pok Pok Chicken Wings – just like the originals, but kind to your gut. Pok Pok is a restaurant and restaurant group owned by Chef Andy Ricker in the Portland, Oregon area and they, among other things, are known for their pungent fish sauce marinated chicken wings coated with a crispy rice flour fried coating. The original recipe contains a fair amount of garlic, but we have reimagined them for you.
Do You Like Fish Sauce?
This is a loaded question for a few reasons. If you have only had poor quality fish sauce, the answer is probably “no”. Inferior versions are overly salty, imbalanced and downright acrid. High quality fish sauce is “fishy” and salty – it is made from anchovies and salt after all – but it has a delightful saline fish flavor. We use Red Boat brand fish sauce in the Test Kitchen.
A high-quality fish sauce such as Red Boat is so important that using a poor-quality fish sauce will ruin this dish. It is that dramatic a difference. Especially since a recipe such as these Low FODMAP “Pok Pok” Chicken Wings truly relies on, and highlights, the flavor of fish sauce.
Which brings us to another important answer to our initial question – do you like fish sauce? If you do not, please do not make this dish. Check out our numerous other low FODMAP chicken wing recipes such as our 5-Spice, Pesto, Pizza Wings or Maple Dijon. If you do like fish sauce, this recipe for Low FODMAP Pok Pok Chicken Wings will thrill.
And by the way, you do have to plan ahead as the wings will marinate in the fish sauce mixture for 3 hours (you can let them go overnight).
Fat & FODMAPs
FODMAPs are carbohydrates. Pure proteins and fats (like chicken, beef, fish, olive oil, coconut oil, etc.) do not contain carbohydrates and therefore do not contain FODMAPs.
Fats, however, can be an IBS trigger for some. These chicken wings are fried, so they do contain a fair amount of fat. If you know that fat is a trigger for you, please be prudent in your choice of this dish and/or of your serving size. One wing might be fine for you; more might not be. Always eat to your tolerance.
Get Your Garlic (Flavor)
Garlic contains fructans (as do onions) and they are a major IBS trigger for many, which is why we avoid these items, especially during Elimination. Finding ways to get garlic flavor back into our food is a major occupation of us FODMAPers.
Fructans are water soluble, but not oil soluble, which is why we can have Garlic-Infused Oil. No fructans leach into the oil, but the garlic flavor does. You can make this dish with the Garlic-Infused Oil alone (please do use vegetable oil based, not olive oil) or, if you happen to have FreeFod Garlic Replacer around, you can add it, too. It is optional and directions for its use are given in the recipe.
Fresh Herbs
Speaking of flavor, we use dried herbs and spices all the time, but sometimes fresh is best and there is no substitute. Think about classic Pesto for instance; you wouldn’t make that with dried basil! And so it is with this recipe. You must have fresh mint and cilantro. You must. The cornstarch and the frying technique provide crunch. The sugar and fish sauce provide a salty/sweet flavor (focus on salty) and the freshness of the green herbs is necessary for balance.
Using A Thermometer
It is helpful to use a deep-fry thermometer. I like this one by Maverick and use it for my deep-frying, buttercream and candy-making. Note that the nutritional information is very approximate as it is impossible to assess how much oil your chicken wings will absorb – all the more reason to monitor your oil temperature for an optimum frying environment, which will result in less oil absorbed.
Also note that the cooking time is based on frying the wings in three batches.
Ingredients
Please, please, please get yourself some high-quality fish sauce for this dish, like Red Boat. It makes ALL the difference.
How To Make Our Wings
Place chicken wings in a bowl, drizzle over Garlic-Infused Oil and toss to coat; let sit for a few minutes.
Whisk together the fish sauce, sugar and FreeFod Garlic Replacer if using, until sugar dissolves.
Pour the fish sauce mixture over the wings and toss to coat well.
Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours to infuse flavor.
Drain and reserve marinade.
Toss the drained wings with cornstarch.
Bring oil to temperature for frying. Clip your thermometer to the side of the pot and make sure the thermometer tip is suspended within the oil and not touching the bottom of the pot. I LOVE my Maverick thermometer for this.
Fry the wings in batches until golden and crisp and cooked through; drain on paper towels.
Meanwhile reduce the reserved marinade in a saucepan until it is thick and glossy. Pour over wings in a heatproof bowl and toss to coat.
Toss in herbs and get ready to chow down!
Low FODMAP “Pok Pok” Chicken Wings
Pok Pok is a restaurant and restaurant group owned by Chef Andy Ricker in the Portland, Oregon area and they, among other things, are known for their pungent fish sauce marinated chicken wings coated with a crispy rice flour fried coating. The original recipe contains a fair amount of garlic, but we have reimagined them for you.
Ingredients:
- 3- pounds (1.4 kg) split chicken wings, flats and drumettes (no tips)
- 2 tablespoons Garlic-Infused Oil, made with vegetable oil, or purchased equivalent
- ½ cup (120 ml) high-quality fish sauce, such as Red Boat
- ½ cup (99 g) sugar; use superfine if you have it
- 1 teaspoon FreeFod Garlic-Replacer; optional
- 1 cup (112 g) sifted cornstarch
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped mint
Preparation:
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Place chicken wings in a large bowl, drizzle with Garlic-Infused Oil, and toss to coat.
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In a separate small bowl whisk together the fish sauce, sugar and FreeFod Garlic-Replacer, if using. If you are using regular granulated sugar it might not dissolve right away. Let it sit a few minutes and whisk again until dissolved. Pour over the wings and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours, tossing the wings once or twice. (If you don’t mind using a large zip top plastic bag, you can put the sauce and wings in a bag, remove air and this allows you to leave the wings in the fridge without the need to toss and rotate as they will be completely surrounded and in contact with the marinade).
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Clip a candy/fry thermometer to the side of a large heavy pot and heat 2-inches (5 cm) of oil to 350° (180°C). Pat the wings dry with paper towels, reserving the marinade. Place the cornstarch in a shallow bowl then add the wings and toss to coat (tongs make this easy). Fry the wings in small batches, allowing space for them to move around in the hot fat. Fry until golden and cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes. Keep an eye on the fat temperature and adjust heat if they are browning too quickly. Drain wings on paper towels, finish frying your batches and then and then transfer to a bowl.
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Simmer the reserved marinade in a small saucepan over moderately high heat until thickened and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Pour over the wings and toss, then toss in the cilantro and mint (again, tongs are your friend here) and serve immediately.
Notes:
Tips
• Fish sauce brands are not created equal. Please use Red Boat brand as suggested; it is a very high-quality fish sauce with a balanced flavor. Poor quality fish sauce will ruin the dish with an overly salty, sharp, harsh, acrid flavor. You have been warned .
FODMAP Information
Our recipes are based on Monash University and FODMAP Friendly science.
- Garlic-Infused Oil: Make your own Garlic-Infused Oil or buy a commercial equivalent for the easiest way to add garlic flavor to your food. Fructans in garlic are not oil-soluble, so garlic-infused oil is low FODMAP.
- Oil: All pure oils are fats and contain no carbohydrates, therefore they contain no FODMAPs.
- Sugar: Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have both lab tested white, granulated sugar. Monash states that a Green Light low FODMAP serving size of white sugar is ¼ cup (50 g). FODMAP Friendly simply states that they have tested 1 tablespoon and that it is low FODMAP. Regular granulated white sugar is sucrose, which is a disaccharide made up of equal parts glucose and fructose. Sucrose is broken down and absorbed efficiently in the small intestine.
Please always refer to the Monash University & FODMAP Friendly smartphone apps for the most up-to-date lab tested information. As always, your tolerance is what counts; please eat accordingly. The ultimate goal of the low FODMAP diet is to eat as broadly as possible, without triggering symptoms, for the healthiest microbiome.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more. For a more detailed explanation, please read our article Understanding The Nutrition Panel Within Our Recipes.
You will want to check out our round-up of 9 Insanely Delicious Easy Homemade Low FODMAP Chicken Wing Recipes.
I so not like fish. What can you use in place of the fish sauce
Hi Nancy, I would actually choose another recipe. We have several chicken wing recipes for you. This one is built around and depends on the fish sauce.