These are the most crispy oven baked wings ever! Serve them with the sticky Korean BBQ sauce, and I guarantee you won’t have any left, as you’ll devour the whole batch!
Wings are classic. Why? Because they have a magical power to cheer you up, whatever the occasion may be.
Yesterday I officially retired.
The first thing I did – I took a nice morning walk to a nearby supermarket, bought a batch of chicken wings, cooked them using this recipe, and ate them all with a chilled bottle of Chardonnay. I felt good immediately.
I know, I know, I should have washed them down with cold beer. But I happened to have a white wine in the fridge (well, I always have a bottle in the fridge).
Wait a moment. Did I just mention I retired? I mean, I haven’t reached retirement age yet (which for me will probably be 90). However, I quit my corporate job and became a freelancer. When people hear the word “freelancer”, they tell me “Congrats on your retirement!” Why? Because the word has “free” in it.
What does free really mean? It means that every day, I don’t have to spend 2 hours commuting while reading a nice book, sitting in a wide and sunny office for 8 hours where I have free coffee to drink and can chat with colleagues during lunch break, all the while some sweet cash money gets automatically transferred into my bank account on the 25th of each month.
Now I’m really free, and I don’t have to do any of that.
Instead, I can wake up without an alarm, and then suddenly freak out about the fact that I won’t have any income at the end of the month. I started working on my own project (which is pro bono) for ninety-nine percent of the time. The moment I was freed from my boss, I became servant to my clients.
Sweet!
I admit, I just had a tiny panic attack yesterday. But then, I did a thing that always makes me feel better – I cooked some wings and ate them.
These are not just some normal wings that I randomly picked from some website. The recipe was adapted from Truly Crispy Baked Chicken Wings by RecipeTin Eats. Her food blog is full of easy-to-cook recipes that are guaranteed to have great flavor. By great flavor, I mean BOLD flavor. Who doesn’t like that?
I have been trying out quite a lot of baked wings recipes, and this one generates the most crispy outcome. The secrets are: dry the wings thoroughly, mix them with baking powder, and bake them at low temperature before moving to high temperature. That’s it.
The Korean BBQ sauce is a nice addition, but the crispy wings are delicious enough to serve by themselves.
Once you try out this method, you’ll use it again and again. And again. By the way, that’s why you see some different process pictures than the final ones in this post. I cooked them so many times. The first time I tried the recipe, the wings didn’t survive long enough to make it to the final photo shoot (they were that good!).
Want more chicken wings recipes? Check out Chinese Baked Hot Wings, Easy Japanese Baked Chicken Wings, and 15 Chicken Wings Recipes that Will Blow your Mind.
Do you like my recipes? Sign up for Omnivore’s Cookbook’s weekly newsletter to get the latest updates delivered to your inbox and a free e-cookbook!
Oven Fried Chicken Wings with Korean BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
For the wings
- 4 pounds (2 kilograms) chicken wings
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 and 3/4 teaspoon salt
- Oil spray
For the Korean BBQ dipping sauce
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
- 4 cloves garlic , grated
- 1/2 thumb ginger , grated
- 4 tablespoons gochujang Korean fermented chili garlic sauce
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Instructions
To cook the wings
- Arrange the wings on a baking rack without overlapping them. Place the rack in the fridge for a few hours or overnight to dry the wings. Alternatively, you may dry the wings thoroughly with a paper towel.
- Preheat oven to 120 degrees C (250 F).
- Add the wings, baking powder and salt into a large Ziploc bag. Shake to coat the wings evenly.
- Line a baking tray with aluminium foil. Place a baking rack on top. Spray the rack with a thin layer of oil. Arrange chicken on the rack and make sure there is some space between the wings.
- Place the wings on the lower rack of the oven and bake for 30 minutes at 120 degrees C (250 F).
- Move the baking tray to the upper level of the oven. Increase the oven temperature to 220 degrees C (425 F). Continue to bake for another 40 minutes, until the surface turns dark golden brown and crispy.
To make the dipping sauce
- Mix gochujang, light soy sauce, rice vinegar and sugar in a bowl.
- Add oil to a saucepan and heat over medium low heat until warm.
- Add ginger and garlic. Stir until fragrant.
- Add the mixed sauce. Cook and stir over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until the sauce turns to even thickness, without boiling. Transfer to a bowl.
- Serve the wings warm with sauce.
I love your wings! They really do look crunchy! I love Nagi’s recipes as well. I haven’t bought her book yet but it’s definitely on my to do list. 🙂
Contrats on your “retirement”. I hope you enjoy your freedom and have more energy and time to concentrate on your blog!
Congrats on your ‘retirement’! 🙂 These wings look amazing… just look at how that sauce shimmers in the light – GORGEOUS! I can’t wait till my kitchen stuff arrives so I can finally make one of Nagi’s incredible wing recipes!
That sauce looks really good! Congrats on your retirement! Hopefully I’m not too far behind you! ; )
Yours blog is so inspiring!
Yay for leaving corporate world!!! These wings look fantastic, and the pictures are beautiful!
The sauce on this recipe looks and sounds wonderful!
Congratulations on your ‘retirement’, I did the same thing back in 2008 and have not looked back, sure the lack of the safety net is scary but that’s what makes it so exciting and liberating… Who needs extreme sports 😉
I have no desire to eat wings, but I think this method would work with other pieces of chicken. I’ve also been giving serious thought to getting Nagi’s book, since her recipes are always good.
I hope your visa interview goes smoothly and that you are approved – and quickly. We need you in Texas!
Thanks so much Susan 🙂 I’ll find out the result next week and let you know!
Yes, I’m pretty sure this method can be applied to other cut of chicken too. Actually I’m even thinking about roasting a whole chicken. I really want to develop a good Cantonese roast chicken recipe, because it tastes so good!
These chicken wings look delicious. Love the fact they’re baked instead of fried. Loving the sound of the Korean BBQ sauce. Yum! 😀
Cooking is indeed therapeutic, Good luck with all your ventured. And the Wings with the Koran BBQ sauce, looks delicious.
Who is kidding who?!!! Retirement… LOL I don’t think that word exists in your vocabulary. I am glad you have more of your own time to determine when and how you want to do things but I am certain that you will be something lucrative within 3 months… Nagi is such an inspiration from everything from her recipes, to FBC or just her support she is one amazing lady just like you!!!! I love how beautiful your photos turned out..sharing everywhere and smoke signal sent. Take care, BAM
Well, of course Maggie I LOVE this post as I am a huge fan of Nagi’s too! I’m going to cook something from her blog too very soon! Particularly love the sound of the recipe you chose. Korean is really in vogue right now!
As for your new career … congratulations! I can totally identify with your occasional feelings of panic, but definitely approve of your decision to take a risk. I would love to do the same! 🙂
Yessssss, I love Korean BBQ wings! Gorgeous photos!
Looks divine! Before I got to the end of your post I was thinking these were strangely familiar to Nagi’s recipe, even the photos. Now I know why! I never actually tried it but good to know it’s a quality recipe. Think I’ll have to make them!
Maggie….this post has me speechless. Not only because I am SO THRILLED that you have “retired” but…I’m so touched. I am so SO touched by your kind words, thank you so much. I don’t feel deserving of it at all.
And you know something? You inspire me. You set the bar so high Maggie, you really do. You reek of professionalism, thoroughness as well as your passion for food. I think you are an inspiration for many bloggers yourself.
I’m so thrilled to have a freelancer buddy! You and me Maggie. We’re BOTH entrepreneurs!! 🙂 Congratulations and thank you again. What a year it’s been for you!!!
Goes without saying that I’m doing some major sharing 🙂
NAGI recipe -2 tbsp baking powder
your recipe – 2 teaspoons baking powder
???
Hi Philip, when I made the wings the first time, it was my mistake to use 2 teaspoons baking powder instead of 2 tablespoons. Never good at reading abbreviations…
But the wings turned out crispy, just like I hoped. I had used this recipe for many times since then, and didn’t come across a problem.
If you look carefully, you will notice that the wings on Nagi’s pictures have a crispy texture that is like fried. Mine was crispy too, but more of a roasted kind of crispy.
Plus I wouldn’t use that much baking powder in my food, because that’s just too much chemical ingredients in one meal (whenever I make those, I eat like 20 wings).
Thank you so much – tremendous enjoyment from your website
You’re the most welcome! Happy to hear you like my website 🙂
Have a great week ahead!