Crispy Gochujang Honey Wings: Sweet and Spicy Recipe

Last Tuesday, I dropped a tray of raw chicken right on the linoleum. My dog, Buster, didn’t even have to move from his spot under the radiator. He just looked up, sighed, and waited for me to trip over him while I scrambled to save the rest. If you want something fresh and vibrant to offset a messy kitchen day, try pairing these with a refreshing cowboy caviar.

Cooking is rarely a clean operation in my house. You’ve got splatters on the cabinets and a faint smell of burnt garlic hanging in the air. If your kitchen looks like a museum, you aren’t doing the work. That’s exactly how I ended up making these gochujang honey wings for the third time in a week.

Why You Will Love These Gochujang Wings

I’m tired of recipes that pretend it’s all grace and poise. It’s hot oil and sticky fingers. You have to be willing to get a little bit messy if you want to eat something that actually tastes like home.

So I put on my apron, grabbed the gochujang, and started tossing. If you’re looking for a quiet dinner, look elsewhere. These wings are loud.

Key Ingredients for Crispy Wings

You need to respect the ingredients or they won’t respect you. I don’t care how fancy your pan is if your chicken is wet or your flour is wrong. It starts with the basics.

2 lbs chicken wings: These are your canvas. Pat them dry until you think they are dry, then pat them again.

1 cup cornstarch: The secret to the shatter-glass crunch. Without this, you’re just making breaded chicken.

1/4 cup gochujang: The star of the show. It’s fermented, spicy, and deep red.

How to Make Crispy Gochujang Honey Wings

Prep Work

Marinating is the difference between a wing that’s bland inside and one that’s actually seasoned. Take your wings and toss them with the salt, white pepper, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil.

Mix the Batter

Grab a wide bowl for your flour and cornstarch mix. Take a little bit of your marinade liquid and drop it into the dry flour. Rub it with your fingers until you get these little clumpy, craggy bits.

Coat and Fry

Get your oil to 350F. Fry them in small batches for 6-8 minutes until pale golden. Remove them, let them rest, and perform a second fry for 1-2 minutes to lock in that signature crunch.

Tips for Extra Crispy Chicken Wings

The secret to a good wing is all about moisture control. If you have any water on the surface, you’re just steaming the skin instead of frying it. You should also serve these with hearty cabbage sides if you’re trying to feed a hungry crowd.

Serving Suggestions

Serve these alongside something cooling, like a quick cucumber salad with sesame seeds. Invite some people over, put out a pile of napkins, and don’t worry about the mess. The gut-friendly probiotics found in fermented gochujang paste offer a nice digestive benefit to this fried treat.

Crispy Korean Gochujang Honey Wings

These Gochujang Honey chicken wings are juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside, featuring a wonderful balance of sweet, spicy, and tangy flavors.

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Prep Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  

• 2 lbs chicken wings
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 4 cloves garlic grated
• 1 inch ginger grated
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 tbsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tbsp white pepper
• 1/2 tbsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup gochujang
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 3 cloves garlic grated
• 1/2 tbsp ginger grated
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp water

Instructions

 

• Marinate chicken wings in salt, white pepper, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil for 1-2 hours or overnight for best results.
• In a large bowl, add flour, cornstarch, kosher salt, white pepper, and baking powder. Mix together until combined, then add any leftover marinade (or 1-2 tbsp of water) into the seasoning mix. With your hands, rub the mix together with the liquid to create craggily bits in the seasoning mix.
• Coat your wings into the seasoning mix, and pack in the dredge well making sure to leave no dry spots. Shake off any excess and let rest on a sheet pan for 5-10 minutes while you heat up your frying oil.
• Fry the wings in batches at 350F for 6-8 minutes. Remove and set on a rack or paper towel to drain while you fry the rest of your wings.
• Fry the wings a 2nd time at 350F for 1-2 minutes. This will get the exterior super crispy.
• In a large wide pan, heat 2 tbsp of neutral oil over medium heat. Add your garlic, ginger, and gochujang and fry for 30-45 seconds until fragrant. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, rice vinegar and water. Stir until the sauce bubbles and the sugar is dissolved, about 2-3 minutes.
• Add the wings to the sauce and toss to coat. Serve immediately & enjoy!