Name: Slow-Cooker Korean Chicken Wings
Total time: 5 h
Cuisine: KoreanAsia
Ingredients: 4 pounds chicken wings , cut at joints and trimmed, wingtips discarded; 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger; 3 garlic cloves , minced; 1 teaspoon pepper; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 cup sugar; 1/4 cup gochujang; 1/4 cup water; 2 tablespoons soy sauce; 1 tablespoon sesame oil

Why This Recipe Works

You might not consider making chicken wings in your slow cooker, and for good reason: The gentle heat of the slow cooker is great for achieving meltingly tender wings but terrible at producing a good crisp coating. However, great wings are possible in the slow cooker with a little re-imagination. To add serious flavor, we first tossed the wings with a hefty blend of spices and aromatics. We then cooked the wings on low for 4 to 5 hours, which ensured they remained moist and became perfectly tender. For a crisp exterior, a few minutes under the broiler was all it took. We found that basting the wings with sauce while they broiled kept the skin from fully crisping. Instead, we broiled the wings sans sauce and gently tossed them with it after broiling.

Before You Begin

Gochujang, a Korean chile-soybean paste, can be found in Korean markets and in some supermarkets. If you can't find gochujang, substitute an equal amount of Sriracha sauce and add only 2 tablespoons of water to the sauce. This recipe can easily be doubled in a 7-quart slow cooker; you will need to broil the wings in two batches.

Instructions

Lightly coat slow cooker with vegetable oil spray. Toss chicken with 5 teaspoons ginger, two-thirds of garlic, pepper, and salt in slow cooker. Cover and cook until chicken is tender, 4 to 5 hours on low.

Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element; heat broiler. Set wire rack in aluminum foil-lined rimmed baking sheet; coat with vegetable oil spray. Transfer chicken to prepared rack. Broil chicken until lightly charred and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through broiling.

Whisk sugar, gochujang, water, soy sauce, sesame oil, remaining 1 teaspoon ginger, and remaining garlic in large bowl until sugar is dissolved. Gently toss chicken with sauce to coat. Serve.