Korean Gochujang Chicken Wings

When you taste these Korean Gochujang Chicken Wings you are instantly hit with a sweet, salty, spicy, and tangy experience. These delicious spicy Korean chicken wings are perfect for your bbq party or picnic!

These chicken wings deserve an Olympic gold medal they are that good. Even my very picky Asian mother approved of this recipe which means I got the green light to share it with you. They are sweet, salty, tangy, and have a slight kick at the end (that isn't too spicy). Generously lather this marinade over perfectly grilled chicken wings and you have got yourself an instant crowd-pleaser. Seriously. Everyone will ask you how you made these. Serve these with some Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread Rolls, and Korean Corn Cheese and you have got yourself well rounded delicious FEAST.

For this recipe, I have included a step-by-step guide on how to cook these Korean gochujang chicken wings on the grill. No grill? No problem! I have also included instructions on how to make these delicious Korean chicken wings in the oven at home. Let's dive in!

What is Gochujang?

Gochujang is a fundamental Korean ingredient that is a thick and spicy deep red paste made from chili pepper flakes, glutinous rice, fermented soybeans, and salt. It has a spicy, sweet umami flavor. Traditionally, it is fermented over years in an earthenware pot kept outdoors where the glutinous rice transforms into sugars which provide the underlying sweetness.

You can find gochujang paste in the sauce aisle in any Korean market, on Amazon, or in the Asian section at your local supermarket. They are sold in small red square plastic tubs of pure culinary magic. This Korean ingredient instantly elevates any dish and adds that special flavor that cannot be substituted by anything else.

Ingredients For This Recipe

• Chicken wings: I like to buy already cut and prepared chicken wings and drummettes from the grocery store. This shortens the preparation time for the wings in half.
• Vegetable oil: use a neutral oil to coat the chicken wings to prevent from sticking to the grill.
• Salt and pepper: salt and pepper is used to season the chicken wings
• Gochujang: This is the key ingredient for these wings. They add the sweet spicy chili flavor. You can buy gochujang paste online here or at your local Korean grocery store
• Brown sugar: brown sugar balances out the kick and adds the subtle warm sweetness.
• Sesame oil: sesame oil has a strong sesame flavor so a little goes a long way. The smokey flavor in sesame oil is something you cannot replicate. You can find sesame oil online here or at your local Asian grocery store.
• Rice vinegar: rice vinegar is made from fermented rice. It has a mild, slightly sweet flavor that adds a tangy element to the marinade. You can find rice vinegar online here or at your local Asian grocery store.
• Soy sauce: Use a light soy sauce for this recipe to make sure it is not too salty. I used Lee Kum Kee's Preimum soy sauce. This light soy sauce can be found online here or at your local Asian grocery store.
• Honey: honey adds the sweetness and acts as a binding agent that sticks the glaze together.
• Garlic: Garlic + Wings= heaven. The more fresh garlic the better.
• Ginger: the ginger balances out the intensity of the garlic and adds more layer and depth to the sauce.
• Sesame seeds: adds a subtle crunch/texture layer to the wings
• Green onions/scallions: used as a garnish.

How to Make This Recipe

I've included in this recipe two different methods of cooking these Korean gochujang chicken wings 1) on the Grill and 2) in the oven.

Option 1 on the Grill

1. Grease and salt and pepper the chicken. Toss the chicken wings in the vegetable oil to prevent them from sticking. Then season salt and pepper.

2. Grill the chicken on low heat. Heat a charcoal or gas grill to low heat and lightly spray the grill with vegetable oil. Place the wings on the grill. Cover the grill and cook for 20-25 minutes or until most of the fat has rendered and the wings are cooked through.

3. Mix the gochujang marinade. While the wings are cooking, in a large mixing bowl, mix the gochujang, brown sugar, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, minced garlic and ginger together.

4. Flip and baste. After the 20 minutes, flip the wings and baste the marinade onto the wings. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Then, flip the chicken and marinate on the other side and continue cooking for another 10 minutes or until done.

5. Coat with remaining sauce and serve. Once cooked, toss the wings with the remaining sauce and serve hot.

Option 2 in the Oven

1. Prepare the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F and place the rack at the top of the oven. Line two baking sheets with foil and coat with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Grease and salt and pepper the chicken. In a large bowl, toss the chicken wings with vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper.
3. Bake the chicken. Place the wings, skin side up on the sheets and roast them for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden brown.
4. Mix the gochujang marinade. While the wings are cooking, in a large mixing bowl, mix the gochujang, brown sugar, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, minced garlic and ginger together.
5. Flip and baste. Flip the chicken wings with the glaze with the fish sauce glaze and bake for another 10-15 minutes until browned. Then flip the chicken, baste the other side and bake for another 5-10 minutes or until cooked.
6. Coat with the remaining sauce and serve. Toss the chicken in the remaining sauce and garnish with sesame seeds and scallions.

Tips For This Recipe

• Use a food processor for the garlic and ginger. Using a food processor grinds the garlic and ginger so quickly and minces it to the finest texture you want for these wings.
• To prevent sticking, spray the grill with vegetable oil. This prevents the skin of the chicken from sticking to the grill.
• Cook the wings low and slow. This guarantees a juicy cooked wing that you can control how quickly it cooks.
• Keep one burner off in case some wings cook quicker. Move the cooked wings over to the cooler burner to prevent from burning.

Storage Instructions

You can store these Korean gochujang chicken wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To re-heat, simply cover with a moist paper towel and microwave until warm.

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When you taste these Gochujang Korean Chicken Wings you are instantly hit with a sweet, salty, spicy, and tangy experience. These delicious spicy Korean chicken wings are perfect for your bbq party or picnic!

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