Kimchi-Crusted Crispy Mochiko Chicken Wings RECIPE

with sweet furikake topping

May 08, 2025

So because of how much everyone in my family LOVED the pickle-brined chicken wings (recipe here), I decided to try a round of brining chicken wings in “kimchi liquid”.

However, after they were done brining (which I had just dumped the entire container of kimchi in - juice, cabbage pieces and all), I decided to keep the kimchi cabbage pieces with the raw chicken wings and batter them all together.

THAT WAS THE BEST IDEA EVER, because it just so turned out that I created our most favorite chicken wings yet!!!!

The mochiko rice flour does allow a bit of a gelatinous texture, but the overarching texture is still CRIPSY!! It’s a perplexing juxtaposition that blew our minds…love these SO MUCH.

HERE ARE THE INGREDIENTS THAT I USE:

3 lbs. raw chicken wings (I try to get as many “flats” as possible if I can request from local butcher/market, since it makes it easier to wrap the cabbage pieces around while battering)
14 oz. spicy red napa cabbage kimchi package
1/2 cup gluten-free all purpose baking flour
1/2 cup Mochiko rice flour
1/4 cup potato starch
1 and 1/2 glass club soda (about 10.2 oz total)
3 pinches of salt
Nori Komi Furikake Rice Seasoning (for topping, don’t skip!!)

& HERE IS WHAT I DO:

Place the raw chicken wings in a Ziploc bag or a container, then dump in the entire package of kimchi (cabbage pieces and all of the juice).

Let them marinate/brine in the refrigerator, for at least three hours, but preferably overnight.

Once ready to cook, take the container out of the refrigerator, get a disposable food-safe glove and one by one, take each chicken wing out and pat dry with paper towel, keeping all of the kimchi pieces too, and place into a new dry Ziploc bag or container.

Discard the liquid left over from the brining container/bag.

Then, add 1/2 cup of gluten-free all purpose baking flour into the new dry bag and toss chicken wings/kimchi pieces until evenly coated.

Place a pot on the stove, heat up on medium and add avocado oil—enough to cover 1/4 of each chicken wing while frying.

In a separate bowl, make a liquid batter with the 1/2 cup mochiko rice flour and 1/4 cup potato starch, plus an entire glass and a half of club soda, and three pinches of salt. Mix until there are no chunks, you want a VERY liquid, viscous-water-like wet batter texture.

Preheat the oven to 400*.

Once the avocado oil has reached between 350* and 375* (use an infrared thermometer), then dip each chicken wing in the wet batter, and place into the frying oil. DO NOT OVERCROWD. I usually fry about 6 at a time. Keep the kimchi cabbage pieces on/wrapped around the chicken wings when battering and placing them down to fry.

See below for how I use my hands to press it all together/make it wrapped:

Fry long enough for the flour to cook and to get a nice brown/golden color on all sides. While continuing, remove and place each wing on a wire cooling rack with paper towels underneath to allow excess oil to drip off.

Let rest on baking cooling rack while finishing frying all of the wings. Now you could decide to fry them until cooked completely, but I prefer to fry about 1/2 to 3/4 way done, then finish cooking through baking in the oven.

This is for a few reasons— 1.) allows excess oil to drip off before consuming & 2.) better juiciness/tender meat overall IMO, when first frying to the exact golden color desired, and then baking to bring internal temperatures to at least 165*. They always end up perfectly juicy this way and NOT dry internally!

Once all of the chicken wings are golden brown, then line two baking sheets with parchment paper and transfer the chicken wings, still on the cooling racks, onto the baking sheets.

Try to remove as much excess oil as possible, before placing into the oven to bake for about 20 minutes, or until internal temperatures are cooked through.

Once done, immediately top with Nori Komi Furikake Rice Seasoning—while still hot, so it sticks well!