Korean BBQ Chicken Wings (Tong Dak)

By
Naomi Imatome-Yun
Naomi Imatome-Yun
Asian food expert Naomi Imatome-Yun is a freelance writer and the author of four Asian food cookbooks.
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Updated on 01/4/23
Korean BBQ Chicken Wings (Tong Dak)

The Spruce / Ali Redmond

Prep: 3 hrs 15 mins
Cook: 75 mins
Total: 4 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
872 Calories
58g Fat
49g Carbs
41g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 872
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 58g 74%
Saturated Fat 20g 100%
Cholesterol 186mg 62%
Sodium 2207mg 96%
Total Carbohydrate 49g 18%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 24g
Protein 41g
Vitamin C 12mg 59%
Calcium 63mg 5%
Iron 3mg 18%
Potassium 545mg 12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

These Korean oven-roasted barbecue chicken wings, known as tong dak or tongdak, are good for almost any occasion.

Korean barbecue tong dak chicken wings have grown substantially in popularity in Korea. These days, you can find them offered practically everywhere in South Korea, and the concept has been exported to the U.S. Tong dak is featured on menus from Baltimore to Chicago and San Francisco. Major South Korean restaurant chains such as Kyochon Chicken and Bonchon have opened locations in the United States, bringing their own versions of Korean barbecue chicken wings across the Pacific.

These Korean tong dak chicken wings are juicy, spicy, and sweet, and it's impossible to just eat one. When choosing your fresh chicken wings and drumettes at the store, bear in mind that smaller wings (from younger chickens) are likely to be more tender, while larger ones will have more meat and may be juicier.

The key to this Korean barbecue chicken wings recipe is cooking the wings twice—once while browning them in a pan on the stove, and again while roasting them in the oven. If you want to boost the hot factor for these wings, add some extra kochujang—just be careful not to add too much.

Ingredients

  • 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, minced

  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil

  • 6 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 3 tablespoons sugar

  • 3 tablespoons honey

  • 5 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1/2 small onion, minced

  • 1 tablespoon red pepper pasta (gochujang)

  • 2 pounds chicken wings and drumettes

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for Korean BBQ ingredients

    The Spruce / Ali Redmond

  2. Mix all ingredients, except chicken, together for sauce.

    Mix all of the sauce ingredients

    The Spruce / Ali Redmond

  3. Marinate chicken for at least an hour in the sauce (a few hours is better).

    Marinated chicken in a baking dish

    The Spruce / Ali Redmond

  4. Preheat oven to 400 F. In a heated cast-iron or heavy pan on stove, over medium high-heat, brown chicken on all sides, reserving marinade for later.

    chicken wings cooking in a skillet

    The Spruce / Ali Redmond

  5. Transfer chicken wings and drumsticks to a shallow roasting pan, pouring sauce over pieces.

    Transfer chicken wings to a baking pan

    The Spruce / Ali Redmond

  6. Put chicken into preheated oven and cook for a total of 40 to 50 minutes. Turn once during cooking, covering with more sauce if needed.

    Korean BBQ Chicken Wings (Tong Dak) on a baking dish

    The Spruce / Ali Redmond