Grilled Asian Style Chicken Wings

I love the Korean-inspired flavors of Gochugaru chile flakes, toasted sesame oil, garlic, and soy. Our Grilled Asian Style Chicken Wings are perfectly grilled with just the right amount of heat, not too sticky, and lightly sauced so every bite shines.  I love using Sriracha for a spicy kick, but Gochujang paste is a fantastic option if you’re aiming for a more authentic Korean chicken wing recipe. Serve these mouthwatering wings with crisp cucumber slices to cool things down, and keep a spoon handy for the bottom of the bowl—you won’t want to miss a drop of the spicy wing sauce.

These wings are an easy appetizer to put together. If you are making them for a crowd, make extra sauce so people have enough to dip their wings into.

Ingredients

• 12 chicken wings (drummettes and wings) defrosted
• 1 teaspoon of white pepper
• 2 teaspoons of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the spicy wing sauce

• 5 teaspoons of seasoned rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of toasted sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce, low sodium
• 4 teaspoons of Sriracha or Gochujang paste
• 1 teaspoon Korean chili flakes, Gochugaru
• 5 teaspoons of sugar or honey 
• 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame seeds (black or white or a combination of both)
• 1/2 teaspoon of cornstarch (optional to thicken sauce) 
• pinch of salt

Many of these chicken wing recipes use ginger, and you can add 1/2 teaspoon of Ginger powder to the wing sauce if you’d like. It’s delicious with or without.

Grilling the chicken wings

For the Grilled Asian-style chicken Wings, you start by grilling the wings. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat, around 425℉ degrees.

To prepare the wings, pat dry any excess moisture and sprinkle garlic powder, ground white pepper, and salt on both sides of the wings. 

Grill the chicken wings until they are done. Typically, they will get crispy on the outside from the grill. While they are grilling, prepare the sauce.

How to bake the chicken wings 

Preheat oven to 425℉.

Season the chicken wings with white pepper, garlic powder, and salt.

Use a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (This will help render crispy chicken wings.) Arrange wings evenly spaced in a single layer. 

Bake for 45 minutes, turning the wings midway through.

Once the chicken wings are done, remove them from the oven and toss them in a large bowl with the Spicy Asian Wing sauce until they are completely coated. These delicious crispy chicken wings are ready to serve!

Air-fryer

Air-fry the chicken wings as directed for your brand of air-fryer. Work in batches if needed. Keep the wings warm until they are ready to toss in the sauce.

Spicy Asian Wing Sauce

Using a small saucepan, combine the rice vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, Sriracha, Korean chili flakes (Gochugaru), sesame seeds, sugar, and a pinch of salt in a nonstick pan. Heat the sauce until the sugar melts, then whisk all the ingredients together. Keep warm.

If you like the sauce to be a bit thicker, add 1/2 tablespoon of cornstarch to a little water. Mix the cornstarch and water mixture thoroughly and add it to the sauce while heating. This will thicken the sauce slightly.

Once the wings are done, toss well. You want them to be completely covered in sauce. I serve them in a bowl with a spoon on the side, so you can add more sauce if you like.

How to make ahead

This recipe can be prepared so that all you have to do is grill the wings.   To prepare them ahead of time, toss the wings in the salt, pepper, and garlic powder mixture. Ensure they are evenly coated.  Cover the bowl tightly and place in the fridge until 30 minutes before grilling. 

Allow the wings to come to room temperature for 30 minutes before grilling.  

You can make the sauce and allow it to cool before refrigerating. If you use the sauce the same day, place it in a small bowl, cover, and leave it on the counter until the wings are grilled. Warm the sauce first before tossing with the wings and serving.

How to serve, store, and reheat

Garnish these delicious Grilled Asian Style Chicken Wings with more sesame seeds, Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), and some finely chopped green onions/scallions.  This recipe is perfect for game day, grilling weekends, or a delicious dinner with a cucumber salad. 

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

How to reheat: Preheat oven to 350℉. Place wings on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and cover with foil paper so they don’t dry out. Heat thoroughly and enjoy!

If you love this sauce, try my Spicy Korean Style Tofu Bowls, and if you love chicken wings, these finger-licking Baked Beer BBQ Chicken Wings are delicious!