The marinades for baked chicken wings
Spicy:
The key ingredient of the sweet and spicy marinade is gochujang (Korean red chili pepper paste). Looking for that extra spicy kick? Just add some gochugaru (Korean red chili pepper flakes). You can also use a hot sauce such as Frank’s hot sauce for unique acidic flavor and heat.
In this recipe, I also used some BBQ sauce. It adds flavors and depth to the marinade. You can substitute it with ketchup if you want. Gochujang and ketchup work very well together! Or, simply use a little more gochujang.
Mild:
The soy sauce-based marinade is mild but packed with flavors! It gets its sweetness from honey and sugar, and a little bit of lemon juice brightens up the flavors. Apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar will be a good substitute. Without saying, this savory marinade is great for kids and those who cannot handle spicy food!
Baking the chicken
I normally bake the wings at 425°F (218°C) for 20 to 25 minutes. With my oven, it works great. I like that lightly charred, crispy golden skin. About halfway through, flip them over and baste each wing with the remaining marinade.
The cooking time and temperature will, however, depend on your oven and the size of the wings. Some of you reported the wings tend to burn at 425°F. The alternative is to bake at lower temperature and longer. I experimented to bake them at 400°F (204°C) for 15 min, flip them over, bake for another 15 minutes. Then, increase the oven temperature to 425°F and bake for another 10 minutes. This worked well too.
More Chicken Recipes
Yangnyeom Chicken (Spicy Korean Fried Chicken)
Dakgangjeong (Sweet Crispy Korean Fried Chicken)
Dak Bulgogi (Chicken Bulgogi)
Dak Galbi (Spicy Stir-fried Chicken)
Jjimdak (Braised Chicken)
For more Korean cooking inspirations, follow along on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Ingredients
- 24 wing pieces about 3 pounds for each marinade
Spicy marinade:
- 4 tablespoons gochujang Korean red chili pepper paste
- 4 tablespoons barbecue sauce any type
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice wine or mirin (or white wine)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Sweet and savory marinade:
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons rice wine or mirin
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons grated ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Rinse the chicken wings and drain the water. Mix all the ingredients for each marinade together.
- Combine the marinade with the chicken wings and coat all the pieces well. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours (overnight for best results). Let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C).
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the chicken wings in a single layer and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the skin is crisp and golden. Flip them over halfway through and baste/spoon the remaining marinade over each wing. Alternatively: Bake them at 400°F (204°C) for 15 minutes, flip them over, bake for another 15 minutes. Then, increase the oven temperature to 425°F, baste, and bake for another 10 minutes. This worked really well too.
- Turn them over halfway during baking and baste with the leftover marinade. Reduce the heat level if the wings are browning too quickly. (See notes.)
Notes
- The time required can vary depending on the oven. Keep your eye on the chicken while baking and adjust the heat level and time as necessary.
- You can also grill these chicken wings on a gas or charcoal grill over moderate heat for 15 to 20 minutes, turning frequently. Repeat the process with the second marinade.
This recipe was originally posted in February 2011. I’ve updated it here with more information, new photos and improved recipe.
