Honey Garlic Korean Fried Chicken Wings

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Shatteringly crisp double-fried wings tossed in a warm honey-soy-garlic reduction that's finished off the burner, so the honey stays glossy and floral instead of turning bitter. The potato starch crust holds its crunch long after the sauce hits, exactly the way a good Korean fried chicken shop does it.

Ingredients

• 2.5 lb chicken wings, split into flats and drumettes (or 2.5 lb small drumsticks)
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 tbsp mirin or dry sherry

• 1 cup potato starch (or cornstarch)
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 3 tbsp cold water
• 6 cups neutral oil for frying, such as peanut or canola

• 6 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 tbsp packed light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp gochujang (optional, for warmth)
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil

• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• Pickled daikon or radish cubes, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Pat the wings very dry with paper towels. In a large bowl, toss them with 1 tablespoon kosher salt, the black pepper, grated ginger, and mirin until evenly coated. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes, or refrigerate uncovered up to 4 hours — dry skin is the single biggest factor in crispness.
2. Make the glaze base while the chicken rests. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, warm 1 tablespoon oil and the minced garlic, stirring constantly, for 60 to 90 seconds until fragrant and just barely blond — do not let it brown.
3. Add the soy sauce, 1/3 cup water, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and gochujang if using. Bring to a simmer and cook 5 to 6 minutes at a low bubble, until slightly syrupy and reduced by about a third. Remove from the heat entirely.
4. Now, off the heat, whisk the honey and sesame oil into the hot reduction. The residual heat is enough to loosen the honey without cooking it, which keeps the glaze glossy, floral, and free of any scorched bitterness. Set aside; it will thicken as it cools.
5. In a wide bowl, whisk together the potato starch, flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Drizzle in the 3 tablespoons cold water and rub with your fingers until the mixture looks like coarse, pebbly sand — those clumps become the craggy crust.
6. Working in batches, press the wings firmly into the starch mixture, coating every surface, then shake off the loose excess. Set the coated wings on a rack and let them sit 10 minutes so the coating hydrates and adheres.
7. Pour the frying oil into a heavy Dutch oven to a depth of about 2 inches and heat to 325°F on a clip-on thermometer. Fry the wings in 3 batches, 7 to 8 minutes per batch, turning occasionally, until pale golden and cooked through (internal temperature 170°F). Transfer to a wire rack. Let all the wings rest at least 10 minutes — this is the pause that makes the second fry work.
8. Raise the oil to 375°F. Return the wings in batches and fry a second time for 3 to 4 minutes, until deep golden brown, hard-crisp, and audibly crackly. Drain on the rack, not on paper towels.
9. Put the hot wings in a large dry bowl, pour over about two-thirds of the honey glaze, and toss quickly with tongs — 15 to 20 seconds, just enough to lacquer them. Add more glaze only if you want them wetter.
10. Pile onto a platter, shower with sesame seeds and scallions, and serve immediately with pickled radish on the side. Pass any remaining glaze in a small bowl for dipping.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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