Name: TAO Downtown Restaurants KOREAN CHICKEN WINGS Recipe
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 2 lbs whole chicken wings (split into drumettes and flats); 1 tsp kosher salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1 tbs ginger, grated; 3 tbs cornstarch; 1 cup neutral oil (for frying); 3 tbs gochujang (Korean red pepper paste); 2 tbs soy sauce; 3 tbs honey; 1 tbs brown sugar; 1 tbs rice vinegar; 1 tsp sesame oil; 2 tbs water; 2 cloves garlic, minced (for sauce); 1 tsp ginger, minced (for sauce); 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds; 2 stalks scallions, thinly sliced; 1 tsp optional: gochugaru (Korean chile flakes); 2 to taste optional: lime wedges

Method

Chicken & Marinade

Prep wings

Pat the wings dry with paper towels. If not already split, separate drumettes and flats and remove wing tips (reserve for stock). Drying helps achieve a crisp exterior.

Season

Place wings in a large bowl. Add kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder and grated ginger; toss to coat evenly. Let sit 15 minutes at room temperature while you prepare the rest (or refrigerate up to 2 hours).

Coat

Toss the seasoned wings with cornstarch until evenly coated. Shake off any excess. The cornstarch creates a thin crisp crust when fried.

Fry (or bake alternative)

Heat about 1 cup neutral oil in a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F (175°C). Working in batches (do not overcrowd), fry wings 6–8 minutes per batch until golden and cooked through (internal temp 165°F / 74°C). Remove to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain. If you prefer baking: arrange wings on a rack, spray lightly with oil, bake in a 425°F (220°C) oven 35–40 minutes, turning once, until crisp.

Korean Sauce (Gochujang-style)

Combine sauce ingredients

In a small bowl, whisk together gochujang, soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, water, minced garlic and minced ginger until smooth and the sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust: add more honey for sweetness, more gochujang for heat, or a splash more soy for salt.

Reduce (optional)

For a thicker, glossy glaze, warm a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sauce and simmer gently 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened. Remove from heat—sauce will thicken further as it cools.

Toss wings in sauce

Place fried (or baked) hot wings into a large clean bowl. Pour the warm sauce over the wings and toss quickly but gently to coat every piece evenly. Work in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding so the glaze clings to each wing.

Finish & Garnish

Transfer sauced wings to a serving platter. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions over the top. If you like extra heat, dust lightly with gochugaru. Serve immediately with optional lime wedges for squeezing over the wings for a bright contrast.

Korean Chicken Wings Recipe