Crispy Baked Sticky Sesame Gochujang Wings, just in time for the start of football season! Sticky, sweet, spicy, and savory – these baked chicken wings hit every flavor note, are so easy to make, and are a new favorite in my house. They’re naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, making them a healthier alternative to classic fried wings. But don’t worry; the skin gets super crispy thanks to a little trick with baking powder (more on that later).
Whether you’re hosting for game day or looking for an impressive appetizer for the holidays, these sticky sesame gochujang wings are guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser. Bonus: they’re packed with flavor and protein, making them as satisfying as they are delicious.
Why These Wings Are a Game Day Winner
When I tell you these wings bring all the flavor – without frying – it’s insane. Baking them not only makes cleanup easier but also keeps them a little lighter without sacrificing crispiness. Pretty ideal, no?!
The combination of sesame oil, gochujang, and honey creates a glaze that perfectly balances heat and sweetness, while garlic and ginger add an extra boost of antioxidants. If you’ve ever tried my Honey-Glazed Garlic Chicken Wings or Seasoned Crispy Chicken Drumsticks, then I’m confident you’ll love these just as much, if not more (trying not to play favorites here!).
But anyways, crispy baked wings like these are a great way to enjoy a high-protein snack or appetizer that’s gluten-free, dairy-free, and full of flavor.
Tips for the Perfect Sticky Sesame Gochujang Wings
The secret to perfectly crispy wings is patting them dry and tossing them with baking powder before baking. This pulls moisture from the skin and results in a golden, crunchy exterior. Trust me on this one!
Meanwhile, the sauce simmers down into a sticky, flavorful glaze that clings to every bite. And if you can’t find gochujang, sriracha works great as a substitute – just reduce it slightly and add a little more honey to balance the spice. Either way, these baked sticky gochujang wings turn out so sticky and so good.
Finish with toasted sesame seeds and green onions for that extra pop of flavor and texture, and buckle up because these Asian-inspired chicken wings are as easy to make as they are impressive.
It’s officially football season, which means it’s unofficially wing season – which also means you have to try them at least once. I just know they’ll become a favorite for game day, holiday parties, or any night you’re craving something bold and delicious.
And don’t forget to tag me on IG or let me know what you think in the comment section below when you make them. Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:
For the Wings:
- Avocado oil
- Party wings
- Baking powder
- Garlic powder
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Ground ginger
- Crushed red pepper flakes
For the Sauce:
- Avocado oil
- Toasted sesame oil
- Garlic cloves
- Freshly grated ginger
- Coconut aminos
- Gochujang paste (or sub sriracha; I used Yellowbird® Classic Blue Agave Sriracha)
- Honey
- Chicken stock
- Freshly squeezed lime juice
- Rice vinegar
- Kosher salt
To Garnish:
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Green onions (green parts only)
- Lime zest
HOW TO MAKE CRISPY BAKED STICKY SESAME GOCHUJANG WINGS
For the Wings:
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top of the lined baking sheet. Brush the wire rack (can use a pastry brush) with the avocado oil to reduce sticking. Set aside.
Pat the wings very dry with paper towels (this helps them crisp) and add to a large bowl. Add the baking powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, ground ginger, and red pepper flakes. Using tongs, toss to combine, ensuring all the wings are coated and none of the seasonings have settled at the bottom of the bowl.
Transfer the coated wings to the wire rack atop the sheet pan, skin side up, ensuring the wings are not touching.
Transfer to the oven and bake for 25 minutes on the middle rack. Remove from the oven, flip the wings over, and cook for another 25 minutes, or until the wings are golden brown and the skin is crispy.
Allow the wings to cool for at least 10 minutes before tossing them in the sauce.
For the Sauce:
Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat the avocado oil and toasted sesame oil over medium heat.
Once hot, add the garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic and ginger are slightly toasted and are a light, golden brown.
Add the coconut aminos, gochujang, honey, chicken stock, lime juice, rice vinegar, and salt. Whisk to combine. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a rapid simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium and continue to stir constantly until the mixture reduces but ⅓, about 3 minutes. It should be thick enough that when you run a spoon down the middle of the pan, the sauce takes 1-2 seconds to fill in the gap. (Note: once you whisk to combine the sauce ingredients, the full simmering process should take about 15 minutes.)
Remove from the heat and set aside until you’re ready to finish the wings.
To Garnish:
Transfer the cooled wings to a large bowl. Pour the sauce over the wings and toss to combine, ensuring all wings are evenly coated. Add in 1 tablespoon of the sesame seeds and toss once more to combine.
Transfer to a shallow serving tray. Top with green onions, the remaining sesame seeds, and lime zest. Enjoy!
To Store:
Store wings (cooked, cooled and coated in the sauce) in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3–4 days. Reheat in the oven (at 375°F for about 10-12 minutes) to bring back crispiness.
Make-Ahead Tip:
Bake the wings up to 1 day in advance, let them cool completely, and store in the fridge in an airtight container. When ready to serve, reheat in the oven at 400°F for 10–12 minutes until hot and crisp, then toss with the sauce right before serving.
(If making just the wings ahead, you’ll reheat them at 400°F before saucing them vs. the 375°F for fully done wings as the higher temp helps to re-crisp the un-sauced wings. The lower temp is used to gently warm the fully done wings without risking the sauce over-burning or caramelizing.)
RECIPE SUBSTITUTIONS & QUESTIONS
If you can’t find gochujang, swap in sriracha – just reduce it slightly (about 2 tablespoons) and add a little extra honey (about 3 tablespoons) to balance the spice. Coconut aminos can be replaced with low-sodium soy sauce if you don’t need the recipe to be gluten-free. Avocado oil, olive oil, or another neutral oil can also be used interchangeably in both the wings and sauce.
If you’d like to bake the wings ahead of time for easier day-of prep, check out the instructions in the how-to-make section above and in the recipe card below—it’s so easy!
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Are these wings healthy compared to traditional fried wings?
They are! Baking the wings instead of frying reduces added fat and calories while still achieving a crispy skin. Plus, these wings are naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and high in protein, making them a lighter, healthier choice for game day or parties without compromising on flavor.
Can I make Sticky Sesame Gochujang Wings in an air fryer?
Yes, you can cook the wings in an air fryer for a quicker, crispy alternative to baking. Preheat your air fryer to 400°F, arrange the wings in a single layer, and cook for about 20–25 minutes, flipping halfway through. (I also recommend checking your air fryer manual, since they’re all different and may differ slightly in temp and cook time.) Once cooked, toss them in the sticky sesame gochujang sauce for that signature sweet and spicy glaze.
High-Protein Appetizers & Snacks You’ll Love:
- Crispy Bean and Beef Taquitos
- Gluten-Free Hot Honey Chicken Sliders
- High-Protein Cottage Cheese Ranch Dip
- BBQ & Goat Cheddar Chicken Taquitos
- Salted Maple Protein Cookie Bars
- Grilled Steak Satay Skewers with Creamy Peanut Curry Sauce
Click here to watch the reel I made of this recipe 🙂
Crispy Baked Sticky Sesame Gochujang Wings
Ingredients
For the Wings:
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil
- 3 pounds party wings, patted very dry
- 5 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
For the Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- ¼ cup coconut aminos
- 3 tablespoons gochujang paste, (or sub sriracha; I used Yellowbird® Classic Blue Agave Sriracha)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
To Garnish:
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
- 4 green onions, green parts only, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
Instructions
For the Wings:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top of the lined baking sheet. Brush the wire rack (can use a pastry brush) with the avocado oil to reduce sticking. Set aside.
- Pat the wings very dry with paper towels (this helps them crisp) and add to a large bowl. Add the baking powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, ground ginger, and red pepper flakes. Using tongs, toss to combine, ensuring all the wings are coated and none of the seasonings have settled at the bottom of the bowl.
- Transfer the coated wings to the wire rack atop the sheet pan, skin side up, ensuring the wings are not touching.
- Transfer to the oven and bake for 25 minutes on the middle rack. Remove from the oven, flip the wings over, and cook for another 25 minutes, or until the wings are golden brown and the skin is crispy.
- Allow the wings to cool for at least 10 minutes before tossing them in the sauce.
For the Sauce:
- Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat the avocado oil and toasted sesame oil over medium heat.
- Once hot, add the garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic and ginger are slightly toasted and are a light, golden brown.
- Add the coconut aminos, gochujang, honey, chicken stock, lime juice, rice vinegar, and salt. Whisk to combine. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a rapid simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium and continue to stir constantly until the mixture reduces but ⅓, about 3 minutes. It should be thick enough that when you run a spoon down the middle of the pan, the sauce takes 1-2 seconds to fill in the gap. (Note: once you whisk to combine the sauce ingredients, the full simmering process should take about 15 minutes.)
- Remove from the heat and set aside until you’re ready to finish the wings.
To Garnish:
- Transfer the cooled wings to a large bowl. Pour the sauce over the wings and toss to combine, ensuring all wings are evenly coated. Add in 1 tablespoon of the sesame seeds and toss once more to combine.
- Transfer to a shallow serving tray. Top with green onions, the remaining sesame seeds, and lime zest. Enjoy!
To Store:
- Store wings (cooked, cooled and coated in the sauce) in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3–4 days. Reheat in the oven (at 375°F for about 10-12 minutes) to bring back crispiness.
- Make-Ahead Tip:Bake the wings up to 1 day in advance, let them cool completely, and store in the fridge in an airtight container. When ready to serve, reheat in the oven at 400°F for 10–12 minutes until hot and crisp, then toss with the sauce right before serving.(If making just the wings ahead, you’ll reheat them at 400°F before saucing them vs. the 375°F for fully done wings as the higher temp helps to re-crisp the un-sauced wings. The lower temp is used to gently warm the fully done wings without risking the sauce over-burning or caramelizing.)
Notes
- Option to swap gochujang with sriracha (use about 2 tablespoons) and up the honey to about 3 tablespoons, to balance the spice.
- Replace coconut aminos with low-sodium soy sauce if gluten-free isn’t necessary.
- Use avocado oil, olive oil, or another neutral oil interchangeably in both the wings and sauce.
