These Korean-style buffalo wings are the collision of two great wing traditions: the crackling, twice-cooked crispness of Korean fried chicken and the sticky-spicy glaze of an American buffalo joint — gochujang, sesame, garlic, and ginger doing the talking. Five pounds of wings sounds like a lot until you watch them vanish.
The Dry Rub Base
The wings start with onion powder, paprika, garlic, and ginger — a dry foundation that seasons the meat itself, not just the sauce on top. Pat the wings bone-dry first; dry skin is the entire secret to crisp wings, whether you fry, bake, or air-fry. If you have time, let the rubbed wings sit uncovered in the refrigerator for a few hours — the skin dries further and crisps harder.
Cook for Crackle
Whatever your method, the target is deep golden and genuinely crisp, because this sauce is sticky and only crisp skin survives it. Oven: 425°F on a wire rack over a sheet tray, 45–50 minutes, flipped once. Air fryer: 400°F, about 22–25 minutes, shaking twice. Deep fry: 350°F until golden, then a second short fry for the Korean-style shatter. The rack matters in the oven — airflow underneath means no soggy undersides.
The Gochujang Glaze
The sauce brings gochujang’s fermented sweet-heat together with sesame oil, garlic, and ginger — warmed just enough to loosen and combine. It should coat a spoon and taste bigger than seems reasonable; wings dilute everything. Toss the hot wings in a large bowl with the glaze at the last minute, then finish with sesame seeds and sliced scallions.
Round Out the Spread
Cool, crunchy sides are the right counterpunch: quick-pickled cucumbers, celery, and a cold beer. On a game-day table these run beautifully next to fiery beef chili and spicy cauliflower bites — three levels of heat, one happy room.
FAQ
How hot are these really?
Warm-to-medium — gochujang is more sweet-savory than scorching. Add sriracha or gochugaru to escalate; honey to retreat.
Can I sauce them ahead?
No — sauce kills crispness within half an hour. Cook ahead, reheat hot, and toss at the buzzer.
Flats or drums?
Buy whole wings and split them yourself for the best price, and keep the tips in the freezer for stock.
Recipe Card
Korean Style Buffalo Wings
Equipment
- Stove (Baking)
- Mixing Bowl (2)
- (Help support our site!)Chefs Knife
- (Help support our site!)Cutting Board
- (Help support our site!)Tongs
- Stock Pot (For Frying)
- Basket
- Sheet Pan
- Spider Skimmer
Ingredients
Marinade Recipe for Wings (Let it soak for a minimum for ½ hour.)
- 5 lb Chicken Wings (Cut into Drumettes & Flats)
- 2 tbsp Onion Powder
- 1 tbsp Paprika
- 2 ounce Sesame Oil
- 1 tbsp Garlic Minced
- 1 tbsp Ginger Minced
- 1 ounce Gochujang Paste
Soak in Buttermilk After Marinade
- 1/2 qt Buttermilk For Soaking
Flour Coating
- 4 cup All Purpose Flour
- 1 cup Corn Starch
- 1 To Taste Salt and Pepper
The Korean Gochujang Sauce
- 3 ounce Brown Sugar
- 3 cup Soy
- ⅓ cup Sesame Oil
- 1/2 cup Rice Wine Vinegar
- 3 clove Garlic Minced
- 1 tbsp Ginger Minced
- 5 ounce Gochujang Paste 1 ounce set aside for marinate
- 2 ounce Honey
Garnish
- ½ bunch Scallions Finely Sliced (Chiffonade)
- 1 tbsp Sesame Seeds
Instructions
Marinate
- Clean and rinse off the chicken wings and place in a bowl.
- Add the garlic, ginger, onion powder, paprika, sesame oil and Gochujang paste to the chicken and work the mixture into the chicken.
- After at least a ½ hour of marinating the wings (3 hrs. preferred) pour the quart of buttermilk over wings and let soak another 10 minutes.
- Add flour and corn starch to a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
- On the stove top heat up the vegetable oil in pot.
- Begin dredging the chicken wings in a bowl with flour and coat them well. Place the prepared wings on a sheet tray.
- Begin to make your sauce as you wait for the oil to come to temperature.
The Sauce
- In a sauce pan add the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, gochujang paste and whisk well.
- Once combined add all other remaining ingredients in sauce pot, whisking all remaining ingredients and simmer till the sauce begins to thicken. Turn off set aside.
Cooking Wings
- Preheat your oven to 350° and place your marinated floured wings into the oil.
- Cook the wings to a crispy golden brown. Remove from oil with a spider skimmer and place unto a sheet pan to drain. Repeat the steps until all wings are done.
- To ensure the wings are fully cooked, place the wings in the oven and cook for an additional 8-15 minutes depending on the size of the wing.
- Remove from your oven until you are ready to serve. Place the wings in a bowl and add the your sauce on top,
- Toss the wings in the sauce, until they are completely coated.
- Place the wings onto a serving platter and garnish with sesame seeds and fresh scallions.