The easiest soy garlic chicken wings you'll ever make. Crispy chicken wings tossed in a savory, sweet, and flavorful sauce. Deep fry, air fry, or cook in the oven to make it a bit healthier. All tips and instructions are here!
Jump to:
- Soy Garlic Chicken Wings – BONCHON inspired!
- Ingredients
- Sweet Soy Garlic Glaze
- How to Make Soy Garlic Chicken Wings
- 1. Make the Sauce
- 2. Prepare the chicken
- 3. Dredge Chicken Wings in Flour
- 4. Frying
- 5. Toss in Sauce
- Serve and Enjoy
- Variation– Make spicy soy garlic chicken wings
- Watch How to Make It
- Complete Recipe
- Comments
Soy Garlic Chicken Wings – BONCHON inspired!
If you love Bonchon's soy garlic chicken wings then this recipe is for you! It is truly one of the best chicken wings you'll ever have. It has the perfect balance of sweetness and saltiness with delicious Asian flavors.
I've been making this homemade version for years ever since it became popular. Made a few tweaks here and there to suit my personal taste. And of course, I made it so much easier by using a simple dry batter. Yes, there's no wet batter in this recipe. You're welcome 🙂
So you want to learn how I make it? Read on!
Ingredients
Here's what you need for the crispy fried chicken wings:
A few notes about the ingredients:
- Chicken Wings - use drumette and wingettes. These parts are so much easier to fry and cook than whole chicken wings as they don't take up a lot of space.
- Cornstarch - the best flour to use for fried chicken wings is cornstarch. It makes the chicken crispy and crunchy on the outside and moist and juicy on the inside.
- Baking Powder - the secret to, even more, crunchier chicken wings. DO NOT USE BAKING SODA.
- Garlic Powder - to season the chicken wings and the cornstarch.
Sweet Soy Garlic Glaze
And here's what you need to make the soy garlic sauce:
To make a delicious sauce
- Use fresh onion and garlic. Minced them finely to give the sauce a nice texture. I don't recommend substituting with onion powder or garlic powder.
- Use grated ginger instead of chopped or minced. As we know, the root itself is fibrous. Grating helps remove the fiber and extract its juice.
Type of Soy Sauce
To make a nice less salty sauce with a good balance of flavor, this recipe uses equal parts of regular soy sauce and low sodium soy sauce. You can find these in the Asian section of most grocery stores or Asian supermarkets.
If you want a saltier sauce, use all regular soy sauce and omit low-sodium soy sauce.
What is mirin?
Mirin is a popular condiment in Japan made of sweet rice wine. It adds sweetness and gives a nice aroma to the sauce. You can buy this in most Asian stores or online (link in recipe card).
How to Make Soy Garlic Chicken Wings
And here's how to make the best soy garlic chicken wings, Bonchon style:
1. Make the Sauce
It's as easy as combining all the ingredients in a small pot. Bring it to a boil then lower the heat to prevent the sugar from burning. Simmer until the sauce becomes slightly thick.
TIP: Do a taste test. Add more sugar if preferred or add a splash of water to lessen the saltiness.
2. Prepare the chicken
- Pat-dry chicken with a paper towel - removing the extra moisture will help the chicken skin become crispy and crunchy.
- Season the chicken - you only need a small amount of salt, about ½ teaspoon for 2 pounds of chicken wings. DO NOT OVERSALT. The soy garlic glaze has enough salt to flavor the wings.
3. Dredge Chicken Wings in Flour
The best way to dredge chicken wings in any type of flour is using a resealable plastic bag. This method is popularly known as "Shake and Bake". Although in this recipe, we will be deep-frying the chicken and we will be making our own coating mix.
Here's all you need to do:
- Place cornstarch, baking powder, and garlic powder in a large resealable plastic bag. Seal and shake to combine.
- Add 4 to 6 pieces of chicken to the bag. Seal the bag and shake, tossing the chicken until it's coated.
- Take out the chicken wings from the bag. Tap excess cornstarch. Deep-fry, bake, or air-fry.
4. Frying
There are 3 ways to "crispy fry" the chicken wings. The first and the most classic method is deep-frying in hot oil, the second is air-frying using an air-fryer and the last is baking in an oven which is essentially similar to air-frying.
My favorite way of cooking the chicken for soy garlic wings is of course deep-frying. Let's be honest and just say that deep frying adds a unique flavor to the chicken that is difficult to replicate in air-frying.
What makes the best fried chicken wings?
Double frying is the secret to making extra crispy chicken wings. Yes, it requires a little bit more effort but it is worth it!
How to double fry?
Let the chicken rest and cool after the first fry. Re-fry in hot oil until completely brown and crispy. Even if coated in a sauce after frying, the skin remains crisp.
Tips for Deep Frying
To prevent the chicken from having a greasy taste, make sure the oil is hot enough before adding the chicken.
The easiest way to check if the oil is at the right temperature is to stick a wooden chopstick or the end of a wooden spoon into the oil. If it's bubbling (see picture above), then it's ready. If it's bubbly too rapidly then it's too hot and will burn the chicken. Let it cool a bit then test again.
Tips for Air Frying
Place the chicken wings in the air-fryer basket in a single layer half an inch apart. Do not overcrowd the basket. Cook in batches if necessary.
To prevent floury patches, brush both sides with oil. Do it generously. I don't recommend using conventional cooking spray/ chemical-based cooking spray as it may break down the coating.
Air Fryer Cooking temperature
The best temperature for air frying chicken wings is 200c or 400f. It will cook and brown the chicken with a total cooking time of 15 minutes. There's no need to use two different temperatures because chicken drumettes and wingettes aren't as thick as chicken thighs or breasts.
Tips for Oven Frying
Cooking the chicken in the oven is essential the same as air-frying. The only difference is that is spacious and bigger in capacity.
Here are my tips on how to get a perfectly crispy chicken in an oven:
- Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Brush or spray with cooking oil.
- Arrange the chicken wings on the baking sheet in a single layer with a little space in between.
- Preheat the oven at a high temperature, 250c or 482f.
- Place the baking sheet on the middle rack. Set the oven to convection mode and lower the temperature to 425f or 220c.
- Bake the chicken wings for 30 to 40 minutes until brown and crispy. Rotate after 20 minutes of cooking.
5. Toss in Sauce
And now, my favorite part.
To make sure that every wing is evenly covered in soy garlic sauce, throw the wings in a big stainless bowl. Now pour the sauce then shake the bowl. This shaking will make sure that the sauce will be evenly distributed on all the wings.
Way better and faster than brushing every individual wing, right?
Serve and Enjoy
Enjoy it on its own with beer or your favorite refreshment served with pickled radish just like in Bonchon!
I often eat this with warm rice and Spaghetti Aglio Olio (olive oil pasta).
Variation– Make spicy soy garlic chicken wings
Add some chopped red chilies to the sauce. You can also add 2 to 3 teaspoons of gochujang (Korean red chili paste). It will make the sauce a little bit thicker and add a splash of water as needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
To make ahead, make the sauce one day before you need it. Partially fry the chicken wings on the day you're serving it. Re-fry an hour before serving. Soy garlic wings are best served warm and freshly cooked.
A good substitute for cornstarch is potato starch.
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- Teriyaki Salmon Baked/ Air Fryer
- Coconut Curry Salmon with Mango
- Filipino Chicken Adobo
- Easy Tom Yum Soup with Salmon
- Easy Air-fryer Meatballs (Asian style)
- Korean Spicy Salmon with Gochujang
Watch How to Make It
Love Asian food? Try these recipes!
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Complete Recipe
Soy Garlic Crispy Chicken Wings (Bonchon Chicken)
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 2 lbs / 1 kg chicken wings (24 to 26 pcs) (combination of wingette and drumette)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Dry Batter:
- 1 cup cornstarch (or potato starch)
- 2 tablespoon baking powder (NOT baking soda)
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
Sweet Soy Garlic Glaze:
- ¼ cup soy sauce (note 1)
- ¼ cup less-sodium soy sauce (note 1)
- ½ cup mirin
- 3 tablespoon brown sugar (add more if preferred)
- ¼ cup onion (minced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon ginger (grated)
- 1 to 2 pcs red chili (slice or minced, optional)
To Fry:
- 2 to 3 cups vegetable oil (canola or peanut oil)
Optional Garnish:
- toasted sesame seeds
- green onion (finely chopped)
Instructions
Sweet Soy Garlic Glaze
- Combine all ingredients of the sauce in a small pot. Stir well.¼ cup less-sodium soy sauce, ¼ cup soy sauce, ½ cup mirin, 3 tablespoon brown sugar, ¼ cup onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon ginger
- Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the onions become translucent and until the sauce is slightly reduced. Do a taste test. Add more sugar or chilies if desired. If you want it less salty, add water one tablespoon at a time. Remove from heat and set aside.
Chicken Wings (see notes for air-frying or oven frying)
- Pat dry chicken wings with a paper towel. Place in a large bowl. Season with salt and garlic powder. Set aside.
- Place dry batter ingredients in a large resealable bag. Seal and shake to combine. Set aside.1 cup cornstarch, 2 teaspoon garlic powder, 2 tablespoon baking powder
- Add oil to a deep wide pot or a deep pan. Heat oil over medium heat.
- Add 6 to 8 chicken pieces to the bag and shake until all sides are coated. Tap excess flour using a kitchen tong.
- FIRST FRY: When the oil is hot enough (see note 1), fry the chicken wings for about 6 minutes until lightly golden brown. Do not overcrowd the pot. Transfer to a wire rack. Do this in batches.
- SECOND FRY: After all the wings are fried, return in batches and fry again until crispy and deep brown all over.
Toss in sauce:
- Immediately transfer to a stainless bowl, drizzle with the sauce and toss to coat all sides. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Serve immediately and sprinkle with more sauce! Enjoy!
Recipe Notes and Tips:
- Soy sauce - for a saltier sauce omit low sodium soy sauce and use ½ cup regular soy sauce. My favorite brand is Kikkoman.
- Oil temperature - test the oil with the stick end of a wooden spoon or a wooden chopstick. The oil is ready when bubbles form around. If it's bubbly too rapidly then it's too hot and will burn the chicken. Let it cool a bit then test again.
- Nutrition: 3 pcs of chicken wings per serving assuming each piece absorbs 2 teaspoons of oil. It is impossible for me to determine exactly how much oil is absorbed during frying.
- Brush the basket with oil. Preheat the air-fryer for 2 minutes at 400f/200c.
- After dredging the wings in flour, brush both sides with oil. Do it generously. I don't recommend using conventional cooking spray/ chemical-based cooking spray as it may break down the coating.
- Place the chicken wings in the air-fryer basket in a single layer with a small space in between. DO NOT OVERCROWD. Cook in batches if necessary.
- Air-fry for 8 minutes then turn the wings to the other side and air-fry for another 8 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to a high temperature, 250c or 482f.
- Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Brush or spray with cooking oil.
- After dredging the wings in flour, brush both sides with oil. Do it generously. I don't recommend using conventional cooking spray/ chemical-based cooking spray as it may break down the coating.
- Arrange the chicken wings on the baking sheet in a single layer with a little space in between.
- Place the baking sheet on the middle rack. Set the oven to CONVECTION MODE (fan on) and LOWER the temperature to 425f or 220c.
- Bake the chicken wings for 30 to 40 minutes until brown and crispy. Rotate after 20 minutes of cooking.
Karen says
Does sauce keep well if refrigerated? I want to use it for dumplings as well. Great recipe!
Mella says
Yes! I've stored it in the fridge for up to two weeks and it was still fine. It has onions so it's important to keep it refrigerated.
Glad you enjoyed this 🙂
- Mella
Frances says
Great recipe! This'll now be our go-to for fried chicken. Really yummy! Overcooked the sauce though so can't wait to try it again.
manhua says
Can I double-fry in air fryer?
Mella says
I don't recommend doing this as you might end up with a dry chicken. You can extend the cooking time a little bit more though.
Gerald says
Made this after having Bonchon a few days earlier…and the wife loved them! Plus she could add as much sauce as she wanted. Great recipe!!
Mella says
I do that too! Since the sauce is not too salty, you can add as much sauce as you want to the wings. Glad you and your wife enjoyed this, Gerald.
- Mella
ERNEST says
i had this before long ago yes this version was very good i will try this next time thanks for sharing
Ronnie says
I made this recipe for my husband and he love it
Mella says
Glad to hear that, Ronnie! Appreciate for taking the time to give your feedback.
- Mella
Kaytie says
Tried this recipe in an air-fryer! Turned out really good.
The sauce is immaculate with the perfect combination of salty and sweet! Perfect with rice or just by itself! Will make this again!