These Spicy Korean Chicken Wings are crispy, sticky and super messy to eat but it’s totally worth it! Are you ready to get addicted?
Let’s wing it!
These scrumptious wings are an add on to my super easy Fried Crispy Hot Wings recipe. It’s the ultimate no-fuss fried chicken wings recipe that results in light, tasty and crispy wings. Before frying the wings, we cover them with simple seasoning, then toss them in flour and fry! These fried wings are utterly delicious just on their own, but they also make a fantastic base for all kinds of sauce. In this recipe, we’ll be covering the crispy wings in a glorious red spicy sauce and turn them into irresistible Korean inspired Spicy Chicken Wings.
The beautiful red colour of the sauce is from the ketchup and Gochujang, the infamous Korean chilli paste. Gochujang has a beautiful dark red colour and gives the appearance that it’s super crazy hot. However, it’s actually not that spicy and has a mix of sweet, salty flavours. Being a crazy chilli addict, I just couldn’t resist making the sauce hotter. So, we have dried chillies in the spice rub and fresh chilli in the sauce.
Sinking your teeth into hot crispy wings that are covered in the sticky sweet and spicy sauce is one of life’s simple pleasures. I could eat a bucket load of these wings and look like a clown from having the red sauce run down my face and fingers, but I could not care less. Unless I’m in public because that could get a little embarrassing.
As much as these Spicy Korean Chicken Wings are delicious, they’re also so damn tricky to eat, so don’t even try to look pretty or dainty! I indulge in wings at home, away from prying eyes. This way I can gnaw on the wings like my always hungry gangsta kitty, Teddie.
Just in case you want to eat these wings gracefully, I’ve also got you covered. So instead of coating the chicken in the sauce, you can serve the sauce in a bowl and use it as a dipping sauce. This way, you can act posh and dip your wings into the sauce whenever you feel like it whilst sipping on your margarita.
Reality bites
Thank goodness I made these wings a few weeks ago because right now my left arm is so sore that I can hardly lift it. My husband, Tomasi, and I got our first dose of the Pfizer vaccine.
I’ve always been 100% pro-vaccination. Every time we went on overseas, we made sure we were up to date with our vaccinations. However, I feel we should be more respectful of those who are hesitant to take the vaccines. I’m referring to the people that want to take the shots but are frightened to do so.
A few months ago, my dad escorted my mum to the doctors, but they wouldn’t let him in because he hadn’t had his shots. Hearing and reading about the blood clots and death associated with the vaccines made dad hesitant. Being elderly and unwell, he had every right to hesitate to do the jabs. He was waiting for Pfizer, but they weren’t offering that for his age group. After facing the reality that certain places may exclude him, he caved in and got the AstraZeneca jabs.
Hearing what happened to dad made me very upset. I have my doubts too and I often question what the long terms effects are. No one really knows, but unfortunately, time is not on our side with this one. We just have to pray and trust that these vaccines are our saviour from this awful situation we’re stuck in.
Spicy Korean Chicken Wings served 2 ways
My sister, Nara, is crazy about anything Korean. I mentioned this before in my Kimchi Fried Rice with Prawn and Pork post. So, she’s been forever nagging me to make all her favourite Korean dishes and post the recipes for them. I’m not sure why though, because she doesn’t even cook!
When she found out I was making Korean spicy chicken wings, she was ecstatic. She said that some Korean restaurants serve the wings and the sauce separately. This way, it was less messy to eat and the chicken would stay crispy for longer.
Hearing this inspired me to make both versions. Saucy coated fried wings and fried wings with sauce served on the side. Nara may not cook, but she sure eats out often and she can come up with some great ideas inspired by the places she has visited. However, she’s still annoying, just like most little sisters are!
I placed this tray of 2 ways wings on our dinner table. Nara and I dived into the saucy covered wings, painting our hands and mouths red BUT Tomasi ate the uncoated wings. He dainty dipped his wings into the bowl of sauce. When questioned, he told us that ‘the saucy wings are too messy and too hard to eat!’ My sister and I looked at each other and rolled our eyes. Even our toddler and the kitties gave him the side-eye!
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Ingredients for Spicy Korean Chicken Wings
For frying the chicken wings
I’ve explained the ingredients and method for frying the chicken wings in the Fried Crispy Hot Wings post.
For the spicy sauce
Light soy sauce or regular soy sauce but avoid the dark or sweet soy sauce varieties, as these are not interchangeable.
Gochujang chilli paste is in the heart of many Korean dishes. It’s so popular nowadays that you should be able to pick it up from the supermarket. Gochujang is a chilli paste with sweet, savoury and spicy flavours. The chilli paste gives Korean dishes that spicy red colour, but it’s actually not super hot. The heat level (to me) is in the medium range. However, different brands of Gochujang have different levels of spiciness.
Chillies – The overall heat level of these wings is pretty high because there is cayenne pepper in the seasoning and fresh chillies in the sauce. Adjust the amounts of cayenne pepper and fresh chillies to your personal taste.
Sesame oil is very aromatic with a roasted nutty flavour and aroma. They usually stock sesame oil in the oil or international section of the supermarket.
How to make Spicy Korean Chicken Wings
Step-by-step guide with photos
For a detailed guide with photos for frying the wings, please refer to my I’ve explained the ingredients and method for frying the chicken wings in the Fried Crispy Hot Wings post. Place the wings into a large bowl with cayenne pepper, garlic powder and salt. Rub the seasoning into the wings and cover, set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes. Dust the wings in cornflour and shake off excess flour. Heat oil to 180°C (356°F) and fry the wings for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden and cooked through.
In a large wok or deep fry pan, heat the oil over medium to high heat. Add in the garlic and ginger, stir to cook for 30 seconds, then add in gochujang, honey, tomato sauce, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil and chillies. Coating method – When the sauce bubbles add in the fried chicken. Quickly stir to coat each wing with the sauce. Remove from heat and sprinkle the sesame seeds and spring onions over the wings. Dipping sauce method – Once the sauce bubbles, pour it into a bowl. Serve it with the fried chicken wings with little bowls of sesame seeds and spring onions.
Are you a massive fan of Asian cuisine? if so try out my most popular recipes THAI CHICKEN AND PUMPKIN STIR FRY or the unique and delicious SON IN LAW EGGS
Cooking measurements are in Australian standard spoon and cup measurements.
A Third-Party Application calculated the calories and nutritional information. Please use this as an approximate guide only.
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Cheers (I’ll drink to that) – Cat Tre
Spicy Korean Chicken Wings
Ingredients
For frying the chicken
- 1000 gm chicken wings
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp ground cayenne pepper (NOTE 1)
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ cup cornflour (cornstarch)
- oil for deep frying
For the sauce
- 2 tsp oil
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- ¼ cup gochujang (NOTE 2)
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- ¼ cup tomato sauce (ketchup)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce (NOTE 3)
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tsp sesame oil (NOTE 4)
- 2 small red chillies (Bird's eye or Thai) (NOTE 1)
Garnish
- ⅓ cup sliced spring onions (scallions)
- 1 tbsp roasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- For a detailed guide with photos for frying the wings, please refer to my Fried Crispy Hot Wings post. Place the wings into a large bowl with cayenne pepper, garlic powder and salt. Rub the seasoning into the wings and cover, set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes. Dust the wings in cornflour and shake off excess flour. Heat oil to 180°C (356°F) and fry the wings for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden and cooked through.
- In a large wok or deep fry pan, heat the oil over medium to high heat. Add in the garlic and ginger, stir to cook for 30 seconds, then add in gochujang, sugar, tomato sauce, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil and chillies. Coating method – When the sauce bubbles add in the fried chicken. Quickly stir to coat each wing with the sauce. Remove from heat and sprinkle the sesame seeds and spring onions over the wings. Dipping sauce method – Once the sauce bubbles, pour it into a bowl. Serve it with the fried chicken wings with little bowls of sesame seeds and spring onions.
