Korean Chili Grilled Wings

Quick answer

Total time: 45 min
Level: Medium
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 9

About this dish

Daknalgae-gochugaru-gui is a Korean chili-crusted chicken wing dish tossed in a coarse mixture of gochugaru, soy sauce, cooking wine, oligosaccharide syrup, minced garlic, and ginger powder, then grilled or pan-fried until the surface crisps.

Unlike smooth gochujang, the coarse gochugaru particles cling to the chicken skin and crisp up during cooking, forming a textured, spicy crust on the surface, while the oligosaccharide syrup melts and binds those flakes firmly to the skin. The cooking wine neutralizes any gamey odor from the chicken and, as the alcohol evaporates, carries the garlic and ginger aromatics across the surface. A final blast of high heat lightly singes the chili flakes, adding a smoky dimension to the heat. Black pepper scattered over the top introduces another layer of sharpness that makes the overall heat more complex. Marinating the wings for at least thirty minutes before cooking allows the seasoning to penetrate the meat, yielding a deeper flavor once grilled. An air fryer at 200 degrees Celsius for 18 to 20 minutes produces an even crispier result than pan grilling.

Ingredients (4 servings)

Ingredient	Amount	Unit
chicken wings	800	g
Korean chili flakes	1.5	tbsp
soy sauce	2	tbsp
cooking wine	1	tbsp
oligosaccharide syrup	1	tbsp
minced garlic	1	tbsp
ground ginger	0.25	tsp
black pepper	0.25	tsp
neutral oil	1	tbsp

Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Step

Pat 800g chicken wings dry with paper towels, then make 1 to 2 shallow slits in the thickest part of each wing so the marinade penetrates the interior.
2

Season

Mix 1.5 tablespoons gochugaru, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon cooking wine, 1 tablespoon syrup, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 0.25 teaspoon ginger powder, 0.25 teaspoon pepper, and 1 tablespoon oil.
3

Step

Add the marinade to the wings and coat by hand, pressing the marinade into each slit, then refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
4

Heat

Preheat the oven to 220C and place the wings with space between them on a baking pan.

The high 220C temperature bakes the chili powder granules onto the skin to create a crisp crust.
5

Step

Roast for 15 minutes, flip the wings, brush on any remaining marinade, and roast 8 to 10 more minutes.
6

Finish

When the surface is glossy and the edges are deeply browned, check that the thickest wing is cooked through around the bone.

Rest briefly and serve.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Coarse pepper flakes bake into the skin of these wings for a crispy Korean Chili Grilled Wings crust.
Finish cue: When the surface is glossy and the edges are deeply browned, check that the thickest wing is cooked through around the bone.
Substitution: For extra heat, replace part of the chili flakes with hot Cheongyang powder.
Storage and reheating: Add the marinade to the wings and coat by hand, pressing the marinade into each slit, then refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.