Spicy Korean Chicken Wings

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These delicious Spicy Korean Chicken Wings are beautiful and crispy then covered in the most amazing, sweet and spicy sauce. Korean Fried Chicken is hugely popular, and not just in Korean! From specialty Korean-style restaurants to those who just enjoy a good Fried Chicken, you can find these amazing Wings everywhere these days. Well, no need to venture out and drop a fortune on these delectable treats, as you can make them at home with this easy recipe!

What makes Spicy Korean Chicken Wings unique?

The beautiful flavor that is so unique to this recipe comes from the amazing sauce that coats the Chicken Wings. The Sauce is a combination of flavors typical in Korean cuisine, with the hero being the famous condiment known as Gochujang. Gochujang is a paste-like condiment that is primarily made from Red Chili Peppers, Glutinous Rice (which has been fermented, giving the sauce its sweetness) and Ferment Soybeans

There are several variations of the sauce, with many brands making their own versions with a few altering ingredients. However, the primary ingredients of Chili, Glutinous Rice, and Soybeans are what gives Gochujang it’s characteristic flavor, texture, and color!

The color is a brilliantly rich red. It is immediately identifiable when used in Korean food, as it’ll turn the dish into a beautiful red color. I can’t help but think that Spicy Korean Chicken Wings may just be the most beautiful looking style of Chicken Wing you can make. What do you think?

You can find Gochujang in all specialty Asian grocery stores these days. There is likely many chain grocery stores that also stock it these days, just check out the Asian section. As Korean cooking is becoming more and more popular in the western world it is becoming much more attainable

For the crispiest Chicken Wings, coat them in breading before deep frying

There are many methods to prepare Chicken Wings, each giving their own unique flavors and textures to the protein. In our opinion the pinnacle of a great Chicken Wing is when it’s breaded and deep fried in Oil. The texture and flavor that this cooking method yields is unmatched, and is the perfect way to prepare your Spicy Korean Chicken Wings

To prepare a simple breading, combine Flour, Corn Starch, and Baking Soda in a large bowl. The Corn Starch and Baking Soda help to add an airy lightness to the batter, making them a perfect addition to breading. There is debate as to whether Corn Starch or Baking Soda should be used. We just figured you can use both, as the results are amazing

Seasoning the breading is important too. Many folks forget this when preparing Fried Chicken, thinking that the Chicken and Sauce is where the flavor is. You can get so much more flavor into Fried Chicken by seasoning the Breading. We do so with a simple mixture of Salt, Onion Powder, and Garlic Powder

Give the Chicken a nice coating of the breading and they will be ready to be deep fried. Some of our Fried Chicken recipes require a double coating, however for Chicken Wings this isn’t necessary. Just ensure a good, even coating of breading and they will turn out amazing

This dish is named Spicy Chicken Wings, so where is the spice?

Great question! The spice in these Wings comes from a few places. Of course, the Gochujang itself is the primary ingredient that comprises the sauce, and in itself is quite spicy. It is, after all, made from Red Chili Peppers!

For even more spice we add Red Chili Flakes to the sauce. The flakes bring the heat, and add a nice visual appeal to the sauce, which coats the Fried Chicken right before serving. If you want to go all-out on the spice we also recommend adding some Chili to the breading mixture. You can use Chili Powder or Cayenne Pepper, or both if you’re crazy (in a good way!)

 Just be conscious of those you are cooking for when adding spice, as not everyone may have the heat tolerance that you do! We excluded spicing up the breading, and stuck to seasoning it with the classic combination of Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, and Salt

Deep Frying your Spicy Korean Chicken Wings

Once your Chicken is breaded and the sauce is ready to go, it’s time to cook those wings! Ensure the Oil is at a suitable temperature for deep frying before adding the Wings. The ideal temperature is around 350F. This will ensure a crispy, perfectly cooked wing

Carefully lower the Chicken pieces one at a time into the Oil and cook them for about 5 minutes. Be sure to monitor the temperature of the Oil, as adding Wings will drop its heat, so you may need to crank the heat a bit

The best way to monitor the Oil temperature is with a candy thermometer. These clip to the side of the pot and stay submerged in the Oil, allowing for constant monitoring of the heat

Once the Chicken is cooked, use a spider strainer to remove them from the Oil. Try to get all the Oil off the wings before you place them on a wire rack, then immediately hit them with Salt. The Salt will stick to the piping hot wings, giving them some extra seasoning

Adding the spicy Gochujang sauce to the Chicken Wings

To finish these awesome Spicy Korean Chicken Wings, they will need a generous coating of that tasty Gochujang Sauce. The sauce doesn’t need to be piping hot, but it’s nice to heat it up before adding the wings. Throw the wings straight into the pot and mix them around with some tongs. Once they’re fully coated you can remove them and place them on a serving plate

The final touches are all about presentation. The classic look of a Spicy Korean Chicken Wing is a sprinkling of Sesame Seeds and freshly chopped Chives. This is an optional step, but they make the Wings look so good, so we highly recommend it!

Spicy Korean Chicken Wings Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 ½ lbs. Chicken Wings
• 1 cup All Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp. Corn Starch
• 1 tsp. Baking Soda
• 2 tsp. Salt
• 1 tsp. Onion Powder
• 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp. Cayenne Pepper (optional)
• 12 cups of Neutral Oil (eg: Canola / Vegetable Oil)
  
  

For the Spicy Sauce

• 3 tbsp. Gochujang / Red Chili Paste
• 2 tbsp. Honey
• 1 tbsp. Soy Sauce
• 1 tbsp. Rice Wine Vinegar
• 2 Garlic Cloves, finely diced
• 1 tsp. Fresh Finger, finely diced
• ½ tsp. Red Chili Flakes (optional)
  
  

Toppings

• 1 tsp. Sesame Seeds
• 1 tsp. Chives, finely diced
• 1 tsp. Salt
  
  

Equipment Needed

• Candy Thermometer to monitor Oil temperature
• Spider Strainer to safely remove Chicken from Oil
  
  

Instructions

1. Make the breading by combining the Flour, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, 2 tsp. of Salt and (optional) Cayenne Pepper in a large bowl. Mix well, then add ¼ of the Chicken and coat well
2. Add the Oil to a large pot or Dutch oven over high heat. Bring to, then maintain heat at a temperature of around 350F
3. While the Oil is heating, combine all the Sauce ingredients in a saucepan over low heat. Cook for about 5 minutes until the ingredients are incorporated then remove from heat. You will need to re-heat again right before coating the cooked Chicken Wings
4. Once the Oil is hot, carefully drop the Chicken pieces one at a time into the Oil. Deep Fry for 5 minutes until lightly golden-brown. Remove from the Oil and set aside on a wire rack. Season immediately with Salt
5. Repeat frying the remaining Chicken Wings. We cook them in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot, which will result in the Oil temperature dropping too much
6. Once the Chicken Wings are cooked, re-heat the Sauce and place several Wings into it. Mix well to coat, then place the Wings on a serving plate using tongs. Repeat for remaining wings
7. Finish the Chicken Wings by sprinkling them with Sesame Seeds and freshly cut Chives before serving
   
   

Recipe Notes

• To avoid dangerous splashing Oil, place half the Chicken in the Oil before releasing it. Always place the Chicken Wings into the Oil one at a time and avoid over-crowding the pot
• You can batch serve the Wings if you prefer. Simply coat the cooked Chicken in the Sauce and serve them while the second batch of Chicken is frying
  
  

That is our simple and delicious recipe for the most amazing Spicy Korean Chicken Wings. We guarantee you’ll love these sweet and savory bites of deliciousness!

For more delicious Deep Fried treats, check out some of these easy and tasty recipes:

• Beer Battered Fish and Chips
• Spicy Popcorn Chicken
• Crispy Cauliflower Bites
• Fried Sticky Wings
  
  

Happy Cooking!