Sweet and Spicy Chicken Wings
This recipe is inspired by Korean fried chicken, where boneless chicken thighs are fried and tossed either in a sticky, savory sauce or with lots of crispy garlic.
Ingredients
For the chicken wings
- 3 pounds chicken wings
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- Mild vegetable oil, for frying
For the gochujang sauce
- 1/4 cup store-bought or homemade gochujang
- 2 tablespoons store-bought or homemade tomato paste
- 5 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
To serve
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
Instructions
Prepare the chicken wings
- Separate the chicken wings, if whole, into the drumette, wingette (or flat), and tip. Discard tips.
- Add the chicken wings, garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper to a large bowl, and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
Make the gochujang sauce
- While the wings marinate, prepare the gochujang sauce. In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the gochujang, tomato paste, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and lime juice until all the ingredients are incorporated, and the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. The sauce can be made up to a week ahead of time and refrigerated in an airtight container until ready to use.
- Let the wings sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, then toss with the cornstarch. Meanwhile, pour enough vegetable oil into a large, deep cast-iron pan to reach 1 inch (2.5 cm) up the side of the pan.
- Heat the oil to 350°F (177°C) and, working in batches, shake off any excess cornstarch and fry the chicken wings, turning occasionally, until golden brown all over and cooked through, 6 to 10 minutes. Move to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Allow the oil to return to temperature before cooking the remaining batches.
- To serve, reheat the sauce, if necessary, and toss with the freshly fried chicken wings. Serve topped with sesame seeds and scallions.
Notes
- Get ahead--The wings can be marinated up to 24 hours before cooking. The sauce can be prepared up to 1 week in advance.
- Air fryer variation--To make these wings in your air fryer, replace the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of baking powder and toss it all together until evenly coated. Cook at 400°F (200°C) in batches, flipping once and spraying lightly with oil when flipping, about 10 minutes per side.
- Dietary--This recipe is suitable for dairy-free and gluten-free diets. Use tamari if making it gluten-free.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 650kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 1055mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 30g