FlamingFoodies recipe
Reaper Gochujang Wings with Sesame Scallions
Korean-style chicken wings glazed with a ferociously hot gochujang sauce spiked with Carolina Reaper powder, finished with toasted sesame oil and fresh scallions.
Crispy Korean-style wings glazed with gochujang sauce fortified with Carolina Reaper powder—extreme heat that doesn't abandon flavor.
Ingredients
Wings
- 2 poundschicken wings, split into flats and drummettes
- 2 teaspoonskosher salt
- 1 teaspoonbaking powder, aluminum-free
- 1 tablespoonpotato starch, or cornstarch
Reaper Gochujang Glaze
- 4 tablespoonsgochujang
- 2 tablespoonssoy sauce
- 2 tablespoonsrice vinegar
- 1 tablespoonbrown sugar
- 1 tablespoonmirin
- 3 clovesgarlic, minced
- 1 teaspoonfresh ginger, grated
- 1/4 teaspoonCarolina Reaper powder, wear gloves
- 1 teaspoontoasted sesame oil
Garnish
- 3 wholescallions, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoontoasted sesame seeds
Method
1. Dry and Season the Wings Pat wings thoroughly dry with paper towels—any moisture will prevent crisping. Toss with salt, baking powder, and potato starch in large bowl until every piece is evenly coated. Arrange on wire rack set over rimmed baking sheet.
Watch for: Wings should look lightly dusted, not clumpy
Tip: Let wings sit uncovered in refrigerator up to overnight for even crispier skin
2. First Roast for Structure Roast wings in 425°F oven for 30 minutes without turning. The wings will render fat and develop golden color, but won't be fully crispy yet. This first cook builds the foundation for the final searing.
Watch for: Wings should be golden and starting to pull from the bone
Tip: Use convection if available to promote even browning
3. Build the Reaper Glaze Whisk all glaze ingredients in small saucepan, working in well-ventilated area. Simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens slightly and becomes glossy. The reaper powder should be fully incorporated without any dry spots.
Watch for: Glaze should coat the back of a spoon lightly
Tip: Taste carefully with a small spoon—this glaze packs serious heat
4. Glaze and Finish Increase oven to 450°F. Brush wings with half the glaze using silicone brush, then roast 8-10 minutes until lacquered and deeply caramelized. Transfer to serving platter, toss with remaining warm glaze, and scatter with scallions and sesame seeds.
Watch for: Wings should look glossy and mahogany-dark at edges
Tip: Serve immediately while the glaze is still sticky
Equipment
- Wire cooling rack
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Small saucepan
- Silicone pastry brush
- Disposable gloves
Make ahead
- Wings can be seasoned and refrigerated up to 24 hours before cooking. Glaze can be made 3 days ahead and refrigerated.
Storage
- Store leftover wings in refrigerator up to 3 days. Glaze keeps refrigerated for 1 week.
Reheat
- Reheat wings in 400°F oven for 5-7 minutes until warmed through and skin re-crisps. Brush with fresh glaze if desired.
Top tips
- Work with reaper powder only in ventilated areas and wash hands thoroughly after handling
- Start with less reaper powder if unsure—you can always add more next time
- Double-cooking ensures crispy skin that holds up under the sticky glaze
Substitutions
- Swap Carolina Reaper for scorpion pepper powder at same ratio
- Use tamari instead of soy sauce for gluten-free version
- Replace mirin with additional rice vinegar plus pinch of sugar
Serve with
- Serve with steamed white rice to help cut the heat
- Offer cold beer or makgeolli alongside
- Provide plenty of napkins and cold dairy products nearby
Find another recipe
Open archive →Reaper Gochujang Wings with Sesame Scallions
Korean-style chicken wings glazed with a ferociously hot gochujang sauce spiked with Carolina Reaper powder, finished with toasted sesame oil and fresh scallions.
Prep
20 min
Cook
45 min
Active
25 min
Total
1 hr 5 min
Yield
4 servings
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Peppers in this recipe
Why this recipe works
Editorial notes before you cook
These wings push gochujang into territory most Korean cooks would never venture. The fermented chili paste provides the perfect base for Carolina Reaper heat—its sweet, funky depth helps carry the extreme capsaicin without losing the dish's Korean soul. The wings get a double cook for maximum crispness, then get tossed in a glaze that builds from traditional flavors before veering into molten territory. Fair warning: this recipe assumes you already know your way around superhot peppers and have proper ventilation.
The goal here is not just heat. It is contrast, pacing, and texture: enough richness to feel satisfying, enough brightness to keep the plate moving, and enough chile character that the spice actually tastes like something.
Best use
Fast table win
Give yourself a little space to cook and this lands in the sweet spot between special and repeatable.
Why readers stick with it
Great for repeat meals
Cook once, eat well now, and still have enough left for another sharp meal.
Method
How to cook it
Use the step navigator to move around, or stay in cook mode and work top to bottom.
- 1
Step 1 of 4
Dry and Season the Wings
Pat wings thoroughly dry with paper towels—any moisture will prevent crisping. Toss with salt, baking powder, and potato starch in large bowl until every piece is evenly coated. Arrange on wire rack set over rimmed baking sheet.
- 2
Step 2 of 4
First Roast for Structure
Roast wings in 425°F oven for 30 minutes without turning. The wings will render fat and develop golden color, but won't be fully crispy yet. This first cook builds the foundation for the final searing.
- 3
Step 3 of 4
Build the Reaper Glaze
Whisk all glaze ingredients in small saucepan, working in well-ventilated area. Simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens slightly and becomes glossy. The reaper powder should be fully incorporated without any dry spots.
- 4
Step 4 of 4
Glaze and Finish
Increase oven to 450°F. Brush wings with half the glaze using silicone brush, then roast 8-10 minutes until lacquered and deeply caramelized. Transfer to serving platter, toss with remaining warm glaze, and scatter with scallions and sesame seeds.
Troubleshooting
Tips that matter
- Work with reaper powder only in ventilated areas and wash hands thoroughly after handling
- Start with less reaper powder if unsure—you can always add more next time
- Double-cooking ensures crispy skin that holds up under the sticky glaze
Substitutions and variations
Remix without losing the point
Storage and leftovers
Plan ahead and reheat well
Make ahead
Wings can be seasoned and refrigerated up to 24 hours before cooking. Glaze can be made 3 days ahead and refrigerated.
Storage
Store leftover wings in refrigerator up to 3 days. Glaze keeps refrigerated for 1 week.
Reheat
Reheat wings in 400°F oven for 5-7 minutes until warmed through and skin re-crisps. Brush with fresh glaze if desired.
Serve it like you mean it
Finish, pair, and plate
- Serve with steamed white rice to help cut the heat
- Offer cold beer or makgeolli alongside
- Provide plenty of napkins and cold dairy products nearby
FAQ
The repeat questions
How hot are these wings really?
These wings approach the upper limit of what most people can handle. Carolina Reaper registers 1.5-2.2 million Scoville units, so even the small amount used here creates serious heat. Start with half the reaper powder if you're unsure.
Can I make these less intense but still very hot?
Replace the reaper powder with 1/2 teaspoon ghost pepper powder or 1 teaspoon scorpion pepper powder for extreme but slightly more manageable heat.
Why use both gochujang and reaper powder?
Gochujang provides the fermented depth and Korean flavor profile, while reaper powder adds the extreme heat. Using reaper alone would create one-dimensional pain without the complex, sweet-savory base that makes these wings actually delicious.
Heat profile
Challenge-level spice
The heat is the event here, so keep your garnishes and sides ready to balance it.
Skill level
Intermediate
A little sequencing matters, but nothing here should feel restaurant-only.
Cooking mode
Planned but practical
Give yourself a little space to cook and this lands in the sweet spot between special and repeatable.
Best moment
Great for repeat meals
Cook once, eat well now, and still have enough left for another sharp meal.
Cook this with
Three useful buys before you start
These are the highest-signal buys for this specific recipe: one sauce, one pantry staple, and one tool that genuinely makes the dish easier to repeat.
Sauce
Los Calientes Rojo
Heatonist · Best for tacos
Use this when you want a brighter finishing hit next to the deeper flavors already built into reaper gochujang wings with sesame scallions.
Get the sauce used herePantry
Chung Jung One Gochujang Paste
Flavor builder
Layered heat with umami. Fermented chili paste for noodles, wings, marinades, and that sweet-savory Korean backbone.
Grab the pantry stapleGear
Fermentation Jar Kit
DIY hot sauce
Homemade sauce projects. A clean starter kit for building fermented hot sauces and pepper mash at home.
Use this toolPair this with
The right bottle for this recipe
These sauce picks are matched to the dish itself, not dropped in at random. Use them to finish, sharpen, or push the heat where it helps.
Los Calientes Rojo
Use this when you want a brighter finishing hit next to the deeper flavors already built into reaper gochujang wings with sesame scallions.
A balanced, smoky-red sauce that hits the sweet spot between everyday usability and enough bite to stay interesting.
Torchbearer Garlic Reaper
It brings enough heat to cut through the richer bites without flattening the rest of the dish.
An extremely hot garlic-forward sauce that somehow keeps real flavor structure under all that reaper pressure.
Shop the pantry
Staples for this flavor lane
Flavor builder
$8-$15Chung Jung One Gochujang Paste
Layered heat with umami. Fermented chili paste for noodles, wings, marinades, and that sweet-savory Korean backbone.
Check price on AmazonChar-ready marinade
$8-$14Nando's Medium Peri-Peri Sauce
Chicken, skewers, and grilled vegetables. The bottle to grab when chicken needs acid, garlic, and real heat before it hits the grill or broiler.
Check price on AmazonClean chile hit
$7-$12Huy Fong Sambal Oelek
Fried rice, noodles, and spicy sauces. Straight chili paste for fried rice, noodle sauces, mayo mixes, and dishes that want heat without sweetness.
Check price on AmazonGear that pays off
Tools that make this easier to repeat
DIY hot sauce
$20-$35Fermentation Jar Kit
Homemade sauce projects. A clean starter kit for building fermented hot sauces and pepper mash at home.
Check price on AmazonFast heat
$35-$70Carbon Steel Wok
High-heat noodles and fried rice. Built for smoky stir-fries, chili oil noodles, and any dinner that needs real burner contact.
Check price on AmazonCook next
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Pantry, gear, and bottle picks that fit this meal
Fresh verde
Cholula Green Tomatillo Hot Sauce
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