Korean Style Fried Chicken Wings

I love fried chicken. That and french fries (or any fried food for that matter) are my weaknesses. I’ve never really fried foods at home because I thought it was  bit tedious to use so much oil to only fry a few things. I saw this recipe and decided to make this for Gary’s family during his parents’ birthday. This was a good opportunity to use the fryer I received as a gift, but never used (although used by others before).

I saw this recipe pop up in Joelen’s blog and knew it was something I had to try. Instead of mixing the sauce with the wings, I had it on the side as a dipping sauce. I wasn’t sure how spicy the sauce would be and little kids were eating it. Surprisingly, it wasn’t spicy at all, and had a pleasant sweet flavor.

I forgot to add scallions in the sauce, but I’m sure it would have added a nice touch. I also added a little bit more garlic and onion powder, since I didn’t think a tsp was quite enough. I did eyeball it so it’s approximate.

Fried Chicken Wings with Korean Dipping Sauce
adapted from: Joelen’s Culinary Adventures originally from Cook’s Illustrated

  printable recipe

ingredients:
2-3 quarts vegetable oil for frying
1 1/2 cups cornstarch, divided
3 1/2 pounds bone in chicken wings
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup water
2 scallions sliced thin on a bias

sauce:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup water
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sriracha sauce

directions:
Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with wire racks; set aside.

Measure 2 inches of oil into a large Dutch oven or deep fryer and heat over medium high heat to 350 degrees.

Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels and place the chicken in a large bowl. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Sift 1/2 cup of the cornstarch into bowl. Toss the chicken with tongs to coat thoroughly. Transfer the chicken to the one baking sheet.

Whisk the remaining cup of cornstarch, water, and 1 teaspoon salt together in a large bowl to form a smooth batter. When the oil is hot, finish coating the chicken by adding half of the chicken to the batter and turning to coat. Using tongs, remove the chicken from the batter, 1 piece at a time, allowing any excess batter to drip back back into the bowl. Add to the hot oil.

Fry the chicken, stirring to prevent the pieces from sticking together and adjusting the heat as necessary to maintain an oil temperature of 350 degrees, until the chicken begins to crisp, turns slightly golden. Continue cooking until the chicken turns a darker shade of golden brown to fully cook. Repeat with the remaining half of chicken by battering and frying.

Once fully cooked, transfer all the chicken to a large bowl, drizzle with the sauce and gently toss until evenly coated or serve with the sauce on the side. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter, sprinkle with scallions and serve.

to make the sauce:
Combine all the above ingredients together in a small sauce pan over medium heat until syrupy, about 5 minutes. Let cool to room temperature before service. Alternately you can prepare this in a microwaveable bowl and microwave for about 5 minutes. Remove from the microwave and set aside to thicken.