Korean Fried Chicken Recipe
This Korean Fried Chicken Recipe is the fried chicken that changes everything. The extraordinary crunch of the double fried coating. The sticky, deep red gochujang glaze that coats every surface with sweet, spicy and savory complexity. Furthermore, the toasted sesame seeds that add a nutty crunch on top of the already perfect glaze. Moreover, this is the fried chicken that every single person at the table fights over the last piece of.
Additionally, Korean fried chicken has become one of the most searched summer dinner ideas, picnic food ideas and quick cooking recipes on Pinterest every single year. For more wonderful Asian inspired fast food recipes, also explore our smoky Pad Thai Recipe, our crispy Crispy Fish Burger Recipe and our full Fast Food collection.
The Secret to Extra Crispy Korean Fried Chicken
The extraordinary crunch of Korean fried chicken comes from two specific techniques that set it apart from every other style of fried chicken in the world. Furthermore, both are simple and easy to master at home.
The Double Fry Method
Korean fried chicken is fried twice. Furthermore, the first fry at a lower temperature cooks the chicken through completely. The second fry at a higher temperature drives out remaining moisture from the coating and produces an extraordinary shatteringly crispy crust. Consequently, double frying produces a crust that stays crispy for significantly longer than single fried chicken, even after the sauce is applied.
Potato Starch vs Flour
Korean fried chicken uses potato starch rather than flour as the primary coating. Moreover, potato starch produces a significantly lighter, crispier and more delicate crust than flour. Additionally, it absorbs less oil during frying. Consequently, the finished chicken is crispier, less greasy and more refined than flour coated versions.
The Gochujang Glaze for This Recipe
The gochujang glaze is what makes Korean fried chicken unforgettable. Furthermore, gochujang is a Korean fermented chili paste with a complex, deeply savory, slightly sweet and moderately spicy flavor that is entirely unique and irreplaceable.
Building the Glaze
The glaze combines gochujang with honey or rice syrup, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and a touch of sesame oil. Moreover, cooking the glaze briefly in a pan caramelizes the sugars and deepens the flavor dramatically. Consequently, a cooked glaze is significantly more complex and glossy than one assembled cold.
Sauce vs Dry Seasoning
Traditional Korean fried chicken comes in two styles. The sauced version tossed in gochujang glaze is yangnyeom chicken. Furthermore, the dry seasoned version with just salt and pepper is a lighter, more refined style called plain or seasoned chicken. Additionally, you can serve half the batch sauced and half plain to satisfy everyone at the table.
The Best Chicken Cuts for This Recipe
Chicken wings and drumettes are the most traditional and popular cut for Korean fried chicken. Furthermore, their high skin to meat ratio produces more of the extraordinary crispy coating per bite. On the other hand, boneless chicken thigh pieces cut into chunks are a more family friendly option that is equally delicious and easier to eat.
How to Make This Korean Fried Chicken Recipe
The method runs in clear stages. First, marinate and coat. Then first fry. Rest the chicken briefly. Second fry. Finally, toss in glaze and garnish. The full method is in the recipe card below.
What to Serve with Korean Fried Chicken
This Korean Fried Chicken Recipe is spectacular on its own. However, these accompaniments create a complete Korean inspired feast:
Perfect Pairings
- Steamed jasmine rice and quick pickled daikon radish alongside for a complete Korean meal
- Thinly sliced cabbage slaw with sesame dressing as a cooling and crunchy contrast
- A cold beer or our vibrant Watermelon Agua Fresca alongside for the most refreshing summer pairing
- Our crispy Onion Rings Recipe alongside for the ultimate fried food spread
- Extra gochujang dipping sauce and a bowl of steamed edamame for a complete Korean bar snack spread
Easy Variations for This Korean Fried Chicken Recipe
Korean Fried Chicken Sandwich — Place glazed chicken thigh pieces in a brioche bun with kimchi slaw and sriracha mayo. Moreover, this Korean fried chicken sandwich is one of the most viral food trends on Pinterest right now.
Honey Butter Korean Chicken — Toss the fried chicken in a honey butter and mild soy glaze instead. Furthermore, the sweet buttery version is enormously popular with younger audiences and equally addictive.
Air Fryer Korean Chicken — Spray the coated chicken generously with cooking oil spray. Air fry at 200 degrees C for 20 minutes turning halfway. Consequently, this lighter version produces a surprisingly impressive crust with significantly less oil.
Vegan Korean Fried Cauliflower — Replace chicken with large cauliflower florets using the same coating and glaze method. Additionally, this plant based version is one of the most popular vegan Korean food recipes on Pinterest with excellent reason.
Make This Korean Fried Chicken Recipe Tonight
In conclusion, this Korean Fried Chicken Recipe is the most crispy, addictive and deeply satisfying fried chicken you can make at home. Therefore, whether it is a summer dinner, an epic picnic food spread or a party snack, this recipe always creates an unforgettable impression. Browse more of our wonderful Fast Food recipes and share your results in the comments below!
Korean Fried Chicken Recipe
Double fried chicken with a shatteringly crispy potato starch crust tossed in a sticky sweet and spicy gochujang glaze. The most addictive fried chicken ever made.
Ingredients
- The Chicken
- 1 kgChicken wings, separated at the joint OR boneless thigh piecesWings produce more crispy coating per bite - the most traditional choice
- 1 tspSalt
- 1 tspWhite pepper
- 1 tspGarlic powder
- 1 tspGinger powder
- The Crispy Coating
- 120 gPotato starchPotato starch produces a dramatically crispier and lighter crust than plain flour
- 2 tbspPlain flour
- 1 tspBaking powder
- 1/2 tspSalt
- 750 mlNeutral oil for deep frying
- The Gochujang Glaze
- 3 tbspGochujang pasteAvailable in Asian supermarkets - the essential ingredient for authentic flavor
- 3 tbspHoney or Korean rice syrup
- 2 tbspSoy sauce
- 1 tbspSesame oil
- 3 clovesGarlic, finely minced
- 1 tspFresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 tbspRice wine vinegar
- To Garnish
- 2 tbspToasted sesame seeds
- 3Spring onions, thinly sliced
- As desiredSliced fresh chili and extra gochujang for dipping
Equipment
Method for This Korean Fried Chicken Recipe
- 1 Season and coat the chicken: Pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels. Furthermore, removing all surface moisture is critical for a crispy coating. Season with salt, white pepper, garlic powder and ginger powder. Toss well to coat. Mix the potato starch, flour, baking powder and salt in a shallow bowl. Dredge each piece of chicken in the coating, pressing firmly on all sides and shaking off any excess.
- 2 Make the gochujang glaze: Combine gochujang, honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, minced garlic, grated ginger and rice wine vinegar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 2 minutes stirring until the glaze is smooth and slightly thickened. Furthermore, cooking the glaze briefly caramelizes the sugars and deepens the flavor dramatically. Set aside. The glaze can be made ahead and stored refrigerated for up to 1 week.
- 3 First fry at 160 degrees C: Heat oil to 160 degrees C in a deep heavy pot. Fry the chicken in batches for 8 to 10 minutes until cooked through and very lightly golden. Do not overcrowd the pot. Remove and drain on a wire rack. Rest for 5 minutes. Furthermore, this first fry at lower temperature cooks the chicken completely through without darkening the coating. Consequently, the second fry at higher heat focuses entirely on creating the crust.
- 4 Second fry at 190 degrees C: Increase the oil temperature to 190 degrees C. Fry the chicken again in batches for 3 to 4 minutes until deeply golden and shatteringly crispy. Moreover, the second fry drives out the remaining moisture from the coating and creates the extraordinary glass like crunch that defines Korean fried chicken. Drain on a wire rack and rest for 2 minutes.
- 5 Toss in glaze and serve: Warm the gochujang glaze gently in its saucepan. Pour over the fried chicken in a large bowl and toss until every piece is evenly coated and glistening. Pile onto a serving plate. Scatter toasted sesame seeds generously over the top. Add sliced spring onions and fresh chili. Serve immediately with extra gochujang dipping sauce alongside. Furthermore, Korean fried chicken is always best eaten within 10 minutes of glazing while the crust is at its most dramatic crunch.
Nutrition (Per Serving - based on 4 portions with glaze)
* Nutritional values are estimates per serving. Air fryer version reduces fat by approximately 10g and calories by approximately 90 kcal per serving.
Notes
- Always use potato starch not plain flour alone. Potato starch is the most important coating ingredient in this recipe. Furthermore, it produces a significantly lighter, crispier and more delicate crust than flour. Consequently, replacing it with flour produces a noticeably heavier and less impressive finished coating.
- Pat the chicken completely dry before coating. Surface moisture is the enemy of crispiness. Furthermore, any water on the chicken surface creates steam during frying which prevents the coating from crisping properly. Consequently, thoroughly drying the chicken with paper towels is always the first step.
- Use a kitchen thermometer for both frying temperatures. The difference between 160 degrees C and 190 degrees C produces dramatically different results. Furthermore, oil that is too cool produces greasy soggy chicken while oil that is too hot burns the coating. Consequently, a thermometer is essential for consistent results every time.
- This recipe serves 4 generously. To serve 8, double all quantities and fry in more batches. Furthermore, keep the first batch warm in a 150 degrees C oven while frying the second. Glaze all batches together just before serving for the most dramatic impact.
- The gochujang glaze keeps in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Furthermore, making a double batch of glaze and storing it means Korean fried chicken can be on the table even faster next time. Consequently, having the glaze ready in advance is an excellent meal prep strategy for regular Korean chicken nights.
Tips for the Perfect Korean Fried Chicken Recipe Every Time
- Rest the chicken between the two fries. The 5 minute rest after the first fry allows the internal steam to settle. Furthermore, resting prevents the coating from puffing up and potentially cracking during the second fry. Consequently, a rested first fry produces a more uniform and structurally intact crust after the second fry.
- Fry in small batches always. Overcrowding the oil drops the temperature dramatically and produces steamed rather than fried chicken. Furthermore, small batches maintain the correct oil temperature throughout each fry. Consequently, every piece of chicken receives the same quality of frying regardless of which batch it is in.
- Toss in the glaze immediately before serving. Glazed Korean fried chicken softens within 10 to 15 minutes as the sticky sauce penetrates the coating. Furthermore, glazing too far in advance produces a soft, less impressive crust. Consequently, always glaze the chicken as the absolute last step just before bringing it to the table.
- Add a tablespoon of vodka to the coating mixture. The alcohol evaporates rapidly in the hot oil and leaves behind tiny pockets in the coating that produce extra crispiness. Furthermore, vodka is a professional kitchen trick for achieving an extraordinary crust. Consequently, it is worth trying for an even more impressive result.
- Serve with ice cold beer or a chilled soft drink. Korean fried chicken is traditionally served with beer in Korea in a combination called chimaek. Furthermore, the cold carbonation of beer cuts through the richness of the fried chicken and the heat of the gochujang glaze beautifully. Consequently, the drink pairing is as important to the full Korean fried chicken experience as the food itself.