I was lucky enough to share the green room with Chef David Chang of Momofuku while we were both cooking on View From The Bay television show in San Francisco. If you’ve never heard of David Chang, he’s the guy that Anthony Bourdain calls the one of the best chefs in the world.” And if you’re familiar with Bourdain, the bad-boy of food television, you can insert a couple of f-bombs in that sentence. In fact, you could probably throw in a few f-bombs for Chang as well.
Back in the green room, David was sprawled out on the couch in slouchy jeans, sleepy eyes, head in hands moaning, “Damn, I’m so hung over,” and his co-author Peter Meehan chimes in, “yeah, we drank about 100 shots last night.” And here I am sitting perkily on the other couch, amped up on an energy drink, in my perfectly pressed shirt, sparkly silver jewelry and 12-ounces of hairspray.
Was I intimidated, being in the presence of the most talked about restaurant chefs in America? Not one bit. And it had nothing to do with my Red Bull wings. David Chang is so down to earth, warm and big-brother friendly (uh…wait. I think I’m older). We exchanged signed cookbooks, a big hug and even a smiley photographic moment.
To get a glimpse of Chang’s brilliance, pick up his 
Momofuku cookbook where he reveals recipes from three of his restaurants including his famous pork belly buns recipe. While most of the recipes aren’t really practical for the average home cook (anyone know where I can get a whole pig’s head?) the ones that are simple enough are worth the price of the book. We made the Octo Vinaigrette recipe and tossed them with baked chicken wings (instead of twice-fried, 10-step version that’s in the book) for one of the very best chicken wings I’ve ever laid lips on.
Chicken Wings with Momofuku Octo Vinaigrette Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken wings, tips saved for another use
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
- 2 tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh chili pepper
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons canola, vegetable or grapeseed oil
- 1/4 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F. Line a baking pan with parchment paper (or spray the pan with cooking spray). Place the chicken wings on the parchment paper in single layer. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning the chicken wings over halfway during cooking process.
- While chicken is baking, make the vinaigrette. Combine together the remaining ingredients in a large bowl (large enough to fit all of the wings)
- Toss the chicken wings in the vinaigrette to coat.
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And more…
For dessert, why not try David Chang’s Crack Pie? Only Martha Stewart could wrangle the recipe.
Inuyaki makes the Momofuku Pork Belly Buns
Serious Eats has Momofuku Brussels Sprouts
Andrea of Vietworld Kitchen tries the Momofuku Slow Poached Eggs
Momofuku Ginger Scallion Noodles by The Amateur Gourmet
Did you try this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the recipe card below and leave a review in the comment section! I always appreciate your feedback and I know other readers do, too!
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Hi- love your recipes and site! Where is this recipe located? Sorry, but cannot find the link to it anywhere.
These are awesome!
We made these but instead of using the vinaigrette at the end, we marinated the wings in it, saving a small amount to toss over them once cooked.
Amazing!
I’m buying the cookbook! This recipe is amazingly simple, fast, and scrumptious! Hats off to Chef David Chang!! Licking my f..King fingers!
I never heard of this guy either and I can see why. A mediocre to poor recipe in my opinion that bears little resemblance to the picture posted. The sauce is water uninteresting and water-thin. Will not stick to the wings unless you can add something. I suggest adding 10 minutes to oven cooking (adds a little interesting crispness) and then transfer the wings and sauce to the wok. Cook on high heat for a few minutes to thicken. Passible at that point…
I agree that cooking time needs to be added. 15 minutes on my attempt. As far as being watery, this is a vinaigrette, not a sauce. It was very good and since the vinaigrette didn’t have contact with the raw chicken I am using the left over liquid to marinate shrimp for grilled skewers tonight. This recipe is a keeper if you don’t want a thick sauce or a fried coating, not that those are bad things.
Thank you Al!
Jaden- these wings look amazing!
Would this taste just a delicious when grilled?
Memorial Day bbq is coming up! 🙂
I love this dressing for the wings but would like to use it on chicken breasts or even chicken thights. Do you think this would taste good in a non-wing alternative?
Thanks,
Anna
Jaden – whatever I make from your website it always turns out so delicious. This is my 2nd time making this and it was even better the second time. The only change I made was that I bake it longer than suggested because I like my wings to be really crispy. The sauce really makes the whole dish, I was thinking about making it with shrimp next time, Thank you 🙂
I finally got around to making the wings and the sauce is great, but….I miss the crunch. Yes, I would have loved having the wings shaken in flour and deep fried, but whose heart can take that abuse? So, with every batch I made, I cranked up the oven to give the wings a little more crisp. 500° convection produced the best crunch. After the cooking spray failed to keep the wings from sticking, I went straight for the recommended parchment for all batches there after. Thanks for turning me on to David Chang. I look forward to trying his other creations and, hopefully, eat at one of his places when I’m in NYC.
Hi,
Thanks for sharing the recipe. Tried it yesterday and it tasted great! One question though, did you use the grill mode? Coz my wings didn’t brown at all after baking for 20 minutes.
http://dreamersloft.blogspot.com/2011/03/chicken-wings-with-momofuku-octo.html
I just made these last night again too! My wings do brown but just a bit. Not too much. You can turn on the broiler for the last 3-4 minutes of cooking if you want them to brown.
I love this recipe!!! I have made it a few times for parties. I omit the chilli for the kids. Everyone loves it and they ask me for the recipe and I proudly tell them where I got it from. Your website is inspiring for food lovers and cooks all over the world. Thank you.
thank you Lina! glad you enjoyed the wings – it’s my fav too.
Grill, then toss in Octo Vin
Sorry! Just one more question…
Should I grill it first then toss it in octo vin or should I marinate it in octo vin then grill it?
Thanks so much! I love love love your blog!
Do you think this would work with grilled chicken wings? I have a cook out to go to this weekend and I love the octo vin so much I want to use it again but don’t know if it’s going to work. Please advice! Thank you in advance 🙂
Absolutely!
Outstanding. I made these last night. I believe they are one of the best things I’ve ever put into my mouth.
I love your site for good food!!
So…we don’t have to put anything on the chicken before baking it? All the flavor comes from the sauce that we will put on the baked chicken afterwards?
that is correct.
This recipe is so good! Ok, I’m guilty I deep fried the wings instead of baking ( ok, I’ll accept the booo) then used the sauce. Next time I will bake it. Thank you for this delicious recipe.
Wings are meant to be fried not baked so you did it perfect. Baking only comes about from lack of equipment.
I just made this recipe for lunch today and nothing ‘s left, all gone, all eaten. Thanks for sharing.
Made these last week using the oven roasting method you outlined. Couldn’t be easier and the vinagrette delivered good flavor. They didn’t last long.
Holy balls. I AM SO JEALOUS. I would be so excited to meet that man. LORD.
I have been eyeing the cookbook at the bookstore for so long. The layout, chapters, everything is great. Can’t wait to cook these chicken wings.
I just got the Momofuku cookbook for Christmas this year and I am anxious to give it a try. Actually, it is sitting on my shelf of cookbooks right next to yours at this very moment in my Tokyo apartment 🙂
These look awesome and Chang is pretty brilliant. If you haven’t seen the “No Reservations” episode where Bourdain visits Chang, do so.
That said, they’ve said some things that seem a little off. Sure, Alice Waters as poster child for local, organic is long-running, but Bourdain called her “Pol Pot in a mumu”. Really? She’s on par with a brutal dictator? I only mention it here because it was part of a panel discussion wherein Bourdain and Chang basically called the SF Bay area worthless with regards to food. Mind-blowingly generalizing and a bit off (though not off with the regards to Silicon Valley, Manresa excepted).
These sound so awesome. Yum. And if you happen to have a real Latino grocery anywhere near you – you might be able to actually find a whole pig’s head! There’s a grocery near me that sells them – along with any other part of a pig or cow that you might want. I generally have to use my best Spanglish to communicate with the butchers though!
“David Chang is so down to earth, warm and big-brother friendly (uh…wait. I think I’m older).”
But you look younger! I’m going to see if I can make this without the vinegar and replace it with lemon juice mixed with white wine.
Murasaki – because the sauce is not cooked, you don’t want to use white wine – otherwise the wings will taste alcohol-y
I’m so going to make these on Christmas day. Thanks for the recipe and it’s great to hear so many people are enjoying these wings.
Sounds amazing. Amazing.
love david chang, and will be trying his wings out!
Those Look Awesome! Can’t wait to try those out!
Oh gosh, those do look good. Wings are always a big hit around here and I don’t think you can have too many ways to prepare them.
I just made these. Do it now people. Insanely delish. Paired with Momofuku Brussels Sprouts and David Chang’s ramen noodles with ginger scallion sauce (and some pickled cucumber on the side). Great, great meal. Thanks, Jaden for inspiring me!
Yummy! I love chicken wings. And this looks so tasty!!
Looks so delicious!
You know, I was pretty darn proud of the sriracha wings that I fire roasted on the Egg last night and you just HAD to go and “one up” me 😉
They look great! (but I still am proud of mine, lol)
I should know better than to ready my favorite food blogs when I’m hungry. Especially when I’m sitting in an office and can’t cook ANYTHING for another 7 hours!
Now THESE are my type of chicken wings! I guess I should get that cookbook – I hear such great things about it! (PS: LOL at the 12 ounces of hairspray! You do look amazing!)
this seems great…we’ve made his ginger scallion sauce and steak ssam..so looks like this is next!
now, i know what to make for the weekend. looks mighty good! great pic of you and david c. but then, you always look good, dahlink!
I’m definitely adding this one to my to-cook list 😀
I tried this and it was really good. That octo vinaigrette is to die for!
Like Betty said, you can get pig heads (and feet) and chicken feet, as well as cow, sheep and lamb heads in many Mexican grocery stores and butcher shops this time of year. I saw them all over the place when I was in the Pilsen/Little Village neighborhood on the south side of Chicago recently. Hell yeah, I took pictures of them!
Hola Jaden,
Christmas time in Mexico, and whole pig heads are everywhere at the butcher shops. Its used to make pozole, a favourite fiesta dish to share with friends and family on christmas eve. So, hope on a plane and come down for some!
These wings are simply OUTSTANDING! The vinaigrette alone can be used on vegetables or rice or on just a spoon. So good!
Not to knock Chang, as I love his food, but as I’m reading this I’m thinking, this looks awfully familiar – realized that, to the 1/4 teaspoon, it’s a recipe we used to make when I was in college (mid-70s) that we got from , I’m pretty sure, one of the Time-Life international cookbooks…. guess it brings credence to the saying that everything that a chef does in the kitchen has probably been done before.
I always bake my chicken wings too, I have a large stoneware bar pan that works perfect for it. This recipe sounds great! I love fresh ginger and garlic! Nice picture of you two:)
is the sesame oil toasted or not?
yes, Asian sesame oil is always toasted!
Love that you transformed a David Chang recipe to 3 steps. That’s my kind of cooking!
Sounds like a recipe to try for the holidays. The picture makes me soo hungry!
Fun! That Octo Vin is one of my favorite dressings ever. I’ve used chicken wings with the Momofuku Fried Chicken recipe’s brining, steaming and frying method, and it works beautifully. But really, it’s all about the Octo Vin. It’s pure genius!
Love David Chang. That’s so great you got to meet him. The wings just sound fabulous – I’ve clipped this to my Evernote!
ok, the rice wine vinegar takes care of it then. Is it 1/4 cup of rice wine vinegar (doesn’t mention in recipe). I thought it might be spoons hence suggested the lemon.
oops thanks for catching~j
Jaden
Wow..just in time for the holidays and the Sunday football games. This recipe looks so simple but I know the taste would hit the right spot! I was thinking, squeezing some lemon right at the end, how would that work since you have already made this dish?
nah. the vinaigrette is perfect enough, no need for more acid (sour)