Soy garlic chicken wings bring Korean-style flavor home with a lighter oven-baked coating. The wings bake until crisp, get tossed in honey soy garlic glaze, then go back in the oven until sticky and caramelized.
Why You'll Love These Soy Garlic Chicken Wings
These soy garlic chicken wings give you Bonchon-inspired flavor without deep frying or a heavy coating. The wings bake on a rack until crisp, then the glaze caramelizes in the oven for a sticky, glossy finish.
- Oven baked, not deep fried: The wings crisp on a rack in the oven, so you avoid a pot of hot oil and the cleanup that comes with it.
- Sticky Korean-style glaze: The sauce bakes onto the wings for a glossy finish with sweet and savory soy garlic flavor.
- Lighter coating: A small amount of cornstarch helps the wings crisp without burying the chicken under a thick fried shell.
- Easy cleanup: Line the sheet pan with foil or parchment and most of the sticky cleanup is handled before you start.
Ingredients Overview
A light coating of cornstarch and baking powder helps the wings bake up crisp without deep frying. Butter, honey, soy sauce, garlic, and fresh ginger make the sticky glaze, while sliced green onions and sesame seeds add a fresh finish.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How To Make Soy Garlic Chicken Wings
Bake the seasoned wings on a rack until the skin is crisp and golden. While they bake, prepare the soy garlic glaze until thick and glossy, then toss the wings in the sauce and return them to the oven just long enough to caramelize. Use the step-by-step photos below as your visual guide.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and set a wire rack on top.
Cut the wings into flats and drumettes if they are not already separated, then pat them dry.
Step 2: Place the wings in a large bowl. Sprinkle with cornstarch, baking powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Toss until the wings are evenly coated.
💡 Pro Tip - Keep the Coating Light
A light coating of cornstarch and baking powder helps the wings crisp without creating a thick shell, so the chicken shines in this dish.
Step 3: Arrange the coated wings in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes. Turn the wings over and continue baking for another 20 to 25 minutes, or until the skin is golden and crisp.
Step 4: While the wings bake, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, grated ginger, and the white portion of the scallions. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until just soft and fragrant.
Step 5: Stir in the Gochugaru chile powder, honey, soy sauce, and water. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then add the cornstarch and water slurry. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes on medium heat until the sauce looks glossy and has thickened.
Step 6: Remove the chicken wings from the oven and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Pour the sauce over the wings and toss until each piece is coated. Place the sauced wings back on the baking sheet and spoon any remaining sauce over the top.
Step 7: Return the wings to the oven for 7 to 10 minutes so the sauce caramelizes, turning halfway through.
Step 8: Transfer the wings to a serving platter and sprinkle with sesame seeds and the green portion of the green onions.
Serving Suggestions
Serve soy garlic chicken wings hot from the oven while the glaze is sticky and glossy. They work well as an appetizer, game day snack, or chicken wing dinner with quick cucumber kimchi salad, steamed white rice, ramen noodles, or pickled vegetables.
For a casual wing spread, pair them with honey lemon pepper chicken wings or Instant Pot buffalo chicken wings. The Korean-style soy garlic glaze gives this platter a sweet-savory flavor that stands out without needing a heavy fried coating.
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few simple ways to adjust these soy garlic wings.
- Gochugaru substitute: Use crushed red pepper flakes if you don't have Gochugaru, or reduce the amount if you want less heat.
- Use a different sweetener: Swap part of the honey with brown sugar or maple syrup for a slightly different glaze flavor.
- Try drumsticks: This sauce also works with chicken drumsticks, but they will need a longer baking time than wings.
- Use tamari: Tamari can replace soy sauce if you need a gluten-free option, but check every label to be sure.
Tips for Success
A few small details make the wings crisper and help the glaze set properly.
- Pat the wings dry: Removing surface moisture helps the coating cling and gives the skin a better chance to crisp.
- Use baking powder, not baking soda: Baking powder helps the skin brown and crisp, while baking soda can leave a bitter taste.
- Do not crowd the rack: Leave space between the wings so hot air can move around each piece.
- Thicken the glaze before tossing: The sauce should look glossy and lightly thickened before it goes on the wings.
- Bake again after saucing: The final bake helps the glaze caramelize so it clings to the wings instead of staying wet.
Storage Options
These wings are best right after baking, but leftovers still reheat well.
- Refrigerate: Store leftover wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
- Reheat: Warm the wings in an oven or air fryer until heated through and the glaze is sticky again.
- Freeze: Freeze cooled wings in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months, knowing the skin will be softer after reheating.
- Reheat from frozen: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat in the oven or air fryer for the best texture.
Related Recipes
Frequently Asked Questions
Bonchon-style wings are usually deep fried with a thick, very crisp coating, while this recipe is oven baked with a lighter coating and sticky soy garlic glaze.
The flavor comes from the sweet-savory soy garlic glaze, with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, honey, and a little Gochugaru for gentle chile heat. The wings are oven baked instead of deep fried, but the sauce gives them Korean-style chicken wing flavor.
Cornstarch helps dry the surface of the wings so they bake up crisper. It gives the skin a light coating without creating a heavy breaded crust.
No. Use baking powder, not baking soda. Baking powder helps the wings crisp in the oven, while baking soda is much stronger and can leave the chicken with a bitter, soapy, or off flavor.
Yes, but thaw them completely first and pat them very dry before seasoning. Extra moisture will keep the coating from crisping well in the oven.
Bake the wings until crisp before adding the sauce, then return the sauced wings to the oven briefly. That final bake helps the glaze set and cling to the wings.
Korean Recipes
Get The Recipe!
Soy Garlic Chicken Wings (Korean Style)
Equipment
- Large Rimmed Cookie sheet with cooling racks
- Microplane
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken wings flats and drums separated
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Soy Garlic Sauce
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 1 inch grated ginger root fresh
- 3 sliced green onions divided: white for sauce, green tops for garnish
- 1 teaspoon Gochugaru chile powder or crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ cup honey
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup water
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoons water mixed with the cornstarch to make a slurry
- sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and set a wire rack on top.
- Prepare the Chicken: Cut the wings into flats and drumettes if the are not already separated and pat them dry.
- Place the wings in a large bowl. Sprinkle with cornstarch, baking powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Toss until the wings are evenly coated.2 lbs chicken wings, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Arrange the coated wings in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes. Turn the wings over and continue baking for another 20 to 25 minutes, or until the skin is golden and crisp.
- Make the Korean style Soy Garlic Sauce: While the wings bake, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, grated ginger, and the white portion of the scallions. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until just soft and fragrant.3 tablespoon butter, 4 cloves minced garlic , 1 ½ sliced green onions, 1 inch grated ginger root
- Stir in the Gochugaru chile powder, honey, soy sauce, and water. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then add the cornstarch and water slurry. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes on medium heat until the sauce looks glossy and has thickened.1 teaspoon Gochugaru chile powder, ½ cup honey, ⅓ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup water, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 tablespoons water
- Remove the chicken wings from the oven and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Pour the sauce over the wings and toss until each piece is coated. Place the sauced wings back on the baking sheet. Pour any remaining sauce onto the chicken wings.
- Return the wings to the oven for 7 to 10 minutes so the sauce caramelizes, turning halfway through.
- Transfer the wings to a serving platter and sprinkle with sesame seeds and the green portion of the green onions.1 ½ sliced green onions, sesame seeds
Notes
- Pat the wings dry: Removing surface moisture helps the coating cling and gives the skin a better chance to crisp.
- Use baking powder, not baking soda: Baking powder helps the skin brown and crisp, while baking soda can leave a bitter taste.
- Do not crowd the rack: Leave space between the wings so hot air can move around each piece.
- Thicken the glaze before tossing: The sauce should look glossy and lightly thickened before it goes on the wings.
- Bake again after saucing: The final bake helps the glaze caramelize so it clings to the wings instead of staying wet.
Nutrition
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