My baked Korean chicken wings are covered in a sweet and spicy garlic chili BBQ sauce that will change the way you think about wings forever. These easy wings are baked instead of fried until they’re juicy in the center and crispy on the outside. The perfect game day appetizer!
I’m already planning my Super Bowl party around a menu of delicious food! Try my 20-minute sheet pan chicken nachos, zesty chili lime chicken wings, and crock pot Buffalo chicken meatballs next.
The Super Bowl is coming up, which means only one thing around here. Chicken wings! Gimme all the chicken wings. My problem is always choosing which ones to make. Will it be crispy honey barbecue wings, or maybe classic baked Buffalo chicken wings? Or garlic parmesan? (All of them?!). Each recipe is crispy, tender, and perfect for game day. Today’s Korean chicken wings are no different. They’re baked instead of fried, then lightly tossed with the best sweet, spicy, sticky chili BBQ sauce. I could literally lick the bowl!
All About This Baked Korean Chicken Wings Recipe
- Baking = less oil than frying. I actually like my chicken wings better when they’re baked. Once I learned the secret to the best baked wings with a super crispy exterior, there was no going back to fried (unless we’re talking air fryer chicken wings).
- Bold Korean BBQ flavors. Think of this spicy Korean wing sauce as BBQ sauce with hints of ginger, garlic, honey, soy, and chili. It’s the perfect balance of sweet, fiery, and savory.
- Perfect for game day appetizers. Spicy chicken wings were made for Super Bowl Sunday. These Korean wings are seriously addictive and great to make ahead for parties!
The Secret to Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
Baking is my go-to method for cooking crispy chicken wings without the oil or mess that comes with deep-frying. The result is lighter, tender chicken wings that are juicy inside with a crisp, caramelized exterior. My trick for the best baked Korean chicken wings?
Bake the wings on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. This gives the hot air plenty of room to circulate around the chicken. Afterward, finish the wings for 8-10 minutes under the broiler. This crisps the outside and locks in the sauce. Boom! Perfect oven-baked chicken wings. Now that the secret’s out, let’s dive into the details of this recipe.
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below the post for the full, printable recipe with the ingredient amounts and step-by-step instructions.
- Chicken wings – You’ll find whole chicken wings and drumettes/wingettes in the grocery store. If you’re making smaller, appetizer wings like the ones pictured, be sure to buy wingettes and drumettes, NOT the full wings. Otherwise, you’ll need to break the full chicken wing down when you get home. If you make this recipe with frozen chicken wings, thaw them completely first.
- Avocado oil – Or another cooking oil, like canola.
- Chinese five spice – This is a Chinese spice blend that includes star anise, cinnamon, Sichuan pepper, cloves, and fennel seeds. While you won’t get the same flavors with a substitute, star anise, allspice, and garam masala are good alternatives to five spice in a pinch.
- Garnish – Black and white sesame seeds and sliced green onions for serving.
Korean BBQ Sauce Ingredients
- Asian pear – This is a type of crunchy, juicy, apple-shaped fruit from East Asia. You’ll find Asian pears in US grocery stores from mid-July through to late fall, but some major chains carry them year-round. A regular Bartlett pear or another variety works, too. I love the sweetness that pear puree brings to my Korean BBQ sauce, but you can also leave it out if you don’t have pears.
- Sesame oil – Like Chinese five spice, you can’t exactly substitute the flavor of sesame oil in Asian recipes. You’ll find toasted or plain sesame oil in the International Food and condiment aisles.
- Garlic chili sauce – Also found in the condiment aisle. Hoy Fong (the Sriracha brand) makes a good one.
- Honey – You could also use brown sugar or maple syrup.
- Rice Wine Vinegar – If rice vinegar isn’t available, you can use white or red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar instead.
- Tamari – Or soy sauce if you’re not making your BBQ sauce gluten-free.
- Garlic and ginger – Freshly minced have the best flavor. Otherwise, substitute ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder per fresh clove, and ⅛-¼ teaspoon of ground ginger per 1 teaspoon of minced.
- Cornstarch – You’ll whisk the cornstarch with cold water to make a slurry, which helps thicken the BBQ sauce so it clings to the wings.
How to Make Korean Chicken Wings
Follow these steps to make delicious, sweet, sticky Korean chicken wings in the oven, step by step. We’ll start by whipping up the wing sauce, which I usually do while the chicken wings bake. You can also prep the sauce and bake chicken wings the day before to get a head start on game day!
Prepare the Korean Wing Sauce
- Blend the ingredients. Blend the Asian pear with sesame oil, chili garlic sauce, honey, rice wine vinegar, tamari sauce, minced garlic, and minced ginger in a blender or food processor until pureed and smooth.
- Simmer the sauce. Next, pour the sauce into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, whisk cornstarch with water to make a slurry. Once the sauce hits a boil, whisk the cornstarch slurry into the sauce. Allow it to simmer for 2 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Set the wing sauce aside while you prep your chicken.
Bake the Chicken Wings
Now for the real magic! Here’s my favorite oven method for the crispiest wings:
- Season the chicken wings. Preheat the oven to 400ºF while you pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels. Then, combine the wings with avocado oil, five spice, salt, and pepper, and toss to coat.
- Prepare for baking. Set a wire rack over a baking sheet. If you don’t have a rack, line the pan with parchment paper or foil. Arrange the chicken wings on the pan.
- Bake. Bake the chicken wings at 400ºF for 40 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Broil. Lastly, switch the oven to broil on High for 8-10 minutes, until the wings are crispy and browned. Don’t leave the wings to broil unattended. The exact times vary by oven, and you don’t want to burn the chicken!
- Toss with sauce. Finally, add your crispy chicken wings to a large bowl. Pour the homemade Korean BBQ sauce on top and toss until the wings are evenly coated. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions, and serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. If you’re using frozen wings, be sure to thaw them before baking. Cooking from frozen makes the wings dry out faster and causes the protein to seize up, making them tougher to eat.
Yes! Bake or boil your wings ahead of time, and when you are ready to serve, place the wings under the broiler to heat and crisp before tossing them in the sauce.
According to the FDA, chicken wings are done cooking when the internal temperature reaches 165ºF. For an accurate reading, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest area of the chicken wing, being careful to avoid the bone.
What Should I Eat With Korean BBQ Chicken Wings?
Because Korean BBQ is spicy, I like to pair these chicken wings with flavors that tame the heat, such as this fresh Asian cucumber salad. When we’re watching the game, these wings make a delicious addition to a game day charcuterie board along with baked fries and aioli.
Storing and Reheating Korean Chicken Wings
- Refrigerate. Store leftover chicken wings in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat. Warm the chicken wings in the oven at 350ºF or in the microwave until they’re heated through.
I seriously cannot wait for you guys to try this Korean chicken wings recipe. It’s definitely up there as one of my favorite flavors, along with my honey sriracha wings. What are your favorite flavors? You’ve got 2 weeks to master your wing game before game day! Bon appétit, friends!
More Chicken Wing Recipes
Crispy Baked Korean BBQ Chicken Wings
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 30–40 wings 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Mix
- Cuisine: Asian
Description
These baked Korean chicken wings are tossed in a sweet and spicy chili garlic BBQ sauce. They’re juicy in the center and crispy on the outside. The perfect game day appetizer!
Ingredients
- 2 -3 pounds chicken wings (drumettes and wingettes)
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice
- salt & pepper to season
- Garnish: black and white sesame seeds, sliced green onions
Korean BBQ Sauce:
- 1 Asian pear, skin removed and sliced
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 6 tablespoons tamari sauce
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon cold water
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
Instructions
Korean BBQ Sauce:
- In the meantime, add the Asian pear, sesame oil, chili garlic sauce, honey, rice wine vinegar, tamari sauce, minced garlic, and minced ginger to a blender. Blend until the Asian pear is pureed and the sauce is smooth.
- Pour sauce into a small saucepan and bring to a boil.
- To a small bowl, add water and cornstarch and stir to create a slurry. Once the sauce is boiling, add the cornstarch slurry to the sauce and stir. Allow to simmer for 2 minutes. Set aside.
Chicken Wings:
- Preheat oven to 400° F.
- Add chicken to a large bowl. Pat chicken dry.
- Drizzle with avocado oil on the wings, and add Chinese five spice, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat all the chicken.
- Place chicken on a wire rack-lined baking sheet. (If you don’t have a wire rack, use parchment paper.)
- Bake for 40 minutes, flipping the chicken after 20 minutes.
- Remove chicken wings from the oven. Turn the Broiler on to HIGH.
- Place chicken under broiler for 8-10 minutes, until browned.
- Once the chicken is done, add it to a large bowl. Pour Korean BBQ sauce over the top and toss to coat all the wings with the sauce.
- Garnish with black and white sesame seeds and sliced green onions.
