Grilled Korean Chicken Wings

Although I’ve never met a wing I didn’t like, these Korean chicken wings are definitely a favorite.

To be honest, I have to thank Amazon for the ability to even come close to creating these amazing Korean chicken wings.

While we love the flavors that Asian ingredients infuse into our culinary creations, there was one major hurdle with that premise; most of us didn’t have these ingredients readily available. Even those in larger metropolitan areas might find the drive to their nearest Asian market to be somewhat inconvenient, or downright impossible for many others. Amazon has changed all that and in so doing, has opened up a whole new world of flavors and culinary delights.

In the past, most of the recipes here at BarbequedChicken were handicapped due to the fact that we tried to keep them simple and with readily available ingredients. Those days are over! With a new arsenal of flavor at your disposal, let’s make up some Korean chicken wings.

If you love sweet and sticky wings, these Korean chicken wings will be right up your alley. We’ve keep the heat level somewhat mild, but with a small addition of a few ingredients, you can jack up the heat to atomic level if you wish.

As you know, we’re partial to cooking on the grill around here. We love the additional flavor the fire contributes to these wings, but they’re also tasty if cooked in the oven.

A few special Korean ingredients will be required to successfully achieve the flavors required, these ingredients are fairly common at most asian markets. Of course, they’re also readily available at Amazon. We’ve enclosed some links below to hook you up with our recommendations. But first, here’s a little insight into some of the ingredients used in Korean cooking.

• Gochujang   A Korean hot pepper paste. This condiment is essential to many Korean recipes and there really isn’t a decent substitute if you’re to stay authentic. Made from fermented soybeans, salt, red chili, and glutinous rice, gochujang is rich and spicy with a moderate heat. It is available in most Asian markets or online.
• Asian Sesame Oil  Be sure to get the toasted version. Toasted sesame oil has a more pronounced flavor than the light version. Toasted sesame oil is readily available at most grocery stores in the Asian food section.
• Seasoned Rice Vinegar  This is a sweeter version of rice vinegar and is easy to find in most grocery stores.
• Ginger Paste  If you’d rather use fresh peeled ginger, great! I just keep the paste on hand for convenience. It’s available in a jar or tube.
• Gochugaru  Basically, gochugaru is chili flakes. It’s similar to the red pepper flakes often used to sprinkle on top of pizza. Unlike the American version, Korean chili flakes don’t include the seeds. The seeds are what creates the heat factor. While there still is a slight heat to gochugaru, it’s flavor is more mild with an earthy flavor.

Grilled Korean Chicken Wings

Course: Chicken Wings

Cuisine: Korean

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 4

Author: Gary Glen

If you love sweet and sticky wings, these Korean chicken wings will be right up your alley. We've keep the heat level somewhat mild, but with a small addition of a few ingredients, you can jack up the heat to atomic level if you wish.

Print

GO GET THIS STUFF

For the Marinade

• 1 cup Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce
• 1/2 cup Dark Brown Sugar See Note 1
• 1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar
• 1/2 cup Seasoned Rice Vinegar See Note 2
• 1/2 cup Gochujang
• 1/4 cup Gochugaru
• 2 tablespoon Fresh Ginger chopped (See Note 3)
• 6 Garlic Cloves minced
• 1 Kiwi peeled and chopped
• 1 Asian pear peeled and chopped (See Note 4)
• 1 bunch scallions sliced with green and white parts separated
• 1/4 cup Toasted Sesame Oil

For the Wings

• 3 pounds chicken wings cut into flats and drumettes
• 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce
• reserved green scallions for garnish if desired
• Hot Chili Paste (Sambal Oelek, for a spicy hot wing)

THEN DO THIS

1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine marinade ingredients and whisk until blended.
2. Place wings in a large zip-lock freezer bag or baking dish. Pour in the marinade and seal, or cover the baking dish. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours.
3. For hot wings, add sweet chili sauce to a small mixing bowl and whisk in hot chili paste to taste.
4. Prepare a grill for two-zone cooking. (a hot side and a cool side) Adjust the temperature to about 375°F (190°C).
5. Remove wings from marinade and place on the cool side of the grill. Cover grill and cook for 6 minutes. Flip wings and cook another 6 minutes.
6. Baste wings with the sweet chili sauce and place directly over the fire and cook for 5 minutes. Flip and baste again. Allow to cook another 5 minutes. Repeat 2 more times until wings are done. The best way to determine whether they are done is when an instant-read meat thermometer registers 165°F (75°C). Otherwise a taste test may be in order.
7. Remove from grill and garnish with the reserved green scallions, if using.

Recipe Notes

Note 1: If you only have one type of brown sugar, just use a cup of whatever you have.
Note 2: Seasoned rice vinegar is sweeter than its unseasoned counterpart. Regular apple cider vinegar with a tablespoon of sugar can be substituted.
Note 3: Ginger paste in the jar or tube is a good substitute for fresh ginger.
Note 4: Substitute with a Bosc pear or a sweet apple.

Now those are some awesome looking wings!

Recipe © 2018 Gary Glen | Photos © 2018 Gary Glen | All rights reserved

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