This recipe for Korean Fried Chicken features lightly battered, flavorful tender bites of chicken, double fried to golden brown perfection. They're glazed in two ways, with a sweet and spicy gochujang sauce or soy garlic sauce.

What is Korean fried chicken?

Also known as the "other KFC," Korean fried chicken consists of small, bite-sized boneless pieces of chicken coated in a batter and deep-fried twice.

After frying, the chicken is coated in a sauce which gives it flavor.

There are many varieties of seasoning flavors, but the most popular in Korea are yangnyeom-chikin (yangnyeom chicken), which means "seasoned chicken" in Korean and is a red, sticky gochujang-based sauce with sweet and spicy elements.

Another popular variety is ganjang-chikin (soy sauce chicken), which is flavored with savory soy sauce and garlic.

Why you'll love this recipe

This recipe for Korean Fried Chicken is not only tasty, but it's:

Worth the effort: takes some time to marinate, but you'll know what goes into your fried chicken.

Cost efficient: making fried chicken at home is more economical than ordering take out.

Crunchy: double frying the chicken ensures that the exterior texture is crisp and crunchy.

Flavorful: the chicken is coated with a delicious glaze that seeps into all the crevices.

Delicious: enjoy Korean Fried Chicken anytime as an appetizer, late-night snack, or as part of a main meal.

Ingredients you'll need

Chicken

• boneless chicken: you can use either chicken thighs or chicken breast, cut into small bite-sized pieces
• sea salt
• black pepper
• garlic powder
• ginger powder
• whole milk: you can also use buttermilk if you like, which will help tenderize the chicken even further

Wet batter

• sweet potato starch: or cornstarch; you can use regular potato starch, but do not use tapioca starch as a substitute; this produces that light and crisp exterior
• all-purpose flour: regular plain flour
• sparkling/soda/carbonated water: adds lightness to the batter
• garlic powder
• sea salt
• baking powder: is a leavening agent that creates lightness

Yangnyeom sauce (sweet and spicy sauce)

• gochujang: is a Korean red chili pepper paste; if you don't like spicy, you can substitute with ketchup for a similar effect
• gochugaru: Korean red chili powder; if you don't like it too spicy, you can omit
• soy sauce: regular soy sauce adds savory flavor to the chicken
• rice vinegar: is a clear-colored vinegar that adds tang and acidity
• rice syrup: or substitute with honey or granulated sugar (use 3 Tbsp)
• sesame oil: toasted; adds flavor and aroma
• brown sugar: for depth of flavor; you can also use molasses
• grated ginger
• grated garlic
• black pepper

Ganjang (soy garlic sauce)

• soy sauce: regular soy sauce
• garlic cloves: minced or grated fresh garlic
• grated ginger: use fresh ginger
• honey: adds sweetness to the sauce; you can use rice syrup if you like

For frying

• peanut oil: or choose a high-smoke point oil such as canola oil or grapeseed oil

Garnish

• sesame seeds
• green onions/scallions

You can find these ingredients in Asian supermarkets or Korean grocery stores.

How to make Korean fried chicken

Prep the chicken

To a large mixing bowl, add in the small chicken pieces.

Add in the seasonings: sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder and ginger powder and stir to combine.

Let the chicken marinate in the fridge for 20 minutes.

Add in the milk and mix again, ensuring the chicken is fully submerged.

Place chicken back into the refrigerator and let it sit for another 20 minutes.

Make the sauces

In a shallow frying pan, combine all the yangnyeom sauce ingredients: gochujang (Korean red chili paste), gochugaru (Korean red chili powder), soy sauce, rice vinegar, rice syrup (or honey), sesame oil, brown sugar, grated garlic, grated ginger, and black pepper (Step 1 below).

Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, and stir until slightly thickened.

Remove from heat.

In another shallow frying pan, combine all the ganjang sauce ingredients: soy sauce, grated garlic, grated ginger, and honey.

Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, and stir until sticky and slightly thickened.

Remove from heat.

Make the wet batter

In a bowl, combine sweet potato starch, all-purpose flour, garlic powder, salt, baking powder and give it a good stir.

Pour in the carbonated water and whisk until incorporated (Step 2 below).

Transfer the chicken from the milk mixture and coat thoroughly with the wet batter (Step 3 below).

Fry the chicken

In a medium pot, add peanut oil and heat until it reaches a temperature of 330F.

Drain any excess batter and add in chicken pieces. Fry in batches, about 3-4 minutes, until lightly brown (Step 4 below).

Remove chicken with a slotted spoon and place onto a sheet pan lined with paper towel.

Repeat with the remaining chicken.

Once the first fry is complete, increase the temperature of the frying oil to 350F.

Add the fried chicken pieces and fry for another 3-4 minutes, until golden brown in color and reaches an internal temperature of 165F.

Once again, remove the fried chicken with a slotted spoon and place onto paper towel to drain.

Repeat with the remainder.

Coat the chicken

Place the pan with the yangnyeom sauce on medium-low heat and warm up the sauce.

Add in about half of the fried chicken, lightly stirring to coat the chicken in the sauce (Step 5-6 below).

Remove from heat and garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onions.

Repeat with the ganjang soy garlic sauce, with the remaining half of the fried chicken.

Serve immediately with pickled radish (chicken-mu).

How to serve

Korean Fried Chicken is best served immediately after it is fried.

Serve with quick-pickle pickled radish (chicken-mu).

Pair Korean fried chicken with other appetizers such as: sotteok, tteokkochi, gimbap (Korean seaweed rice rolls), crispy pajeon, loaded fries, or tater tots.

How to store

Store any leftover KFC in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

It will lose its crispness over time. Once the sauce is coated on the chicken, it's best to enjoy immediately.

If you are serving at a later time, you can keep the fried chicken separate from the sauces.

How to reheat and use leftovers

Reheat the fried chicken in the oven at 350F for 10-15 minutes to crisp up before adding the sauces.

You can chop up the Korean fried chicken into smaller pieces and use it in kimchi fried rice.

Alternatives

You can make popcorn chicken by cutting the pieces even smaller and battering and frying the same manner.

In a twist, you can use the same sauces to flavor Korean Fried Chicken wings.

Expert tips

Don't overcrowd the pot: work in batches to fry up the chicken.

Ensure the frying oil is at the correct frying temperature: use a kitchen thermometer to check the temperature.

Double fry the chicken: first fry at a temperature of 330F, and then increase the oil temperature to 350F for the second fry to lock in that crispy, crunchy golden brown crust.

Use a medium sized pot: you'll require less oil to fry. If you use a larger pot, you will require more oil. You can use a deep-fryer if you have one.

Caution: Do not use too small of a pot as that can be dangerous and may cause the oil to overflow. 

Other delicious Korean recipes you may like

Be sure to check out these recipes:

Korean Spicy Pork Bulgogi (Jeyuk Bokkeum)

Gimbap (Korean Seaweed Rice Rolls)

Korean-Style Hot Dogs

Sotteok (Skewered Korean Rice Cakes with Sausages)

Korean Loaded Fries With Bulgogi Beef & Kimchi

Let me know if you try out this recipe -- tag me on Instagram @siftandsimmer or leave me a comment/rating below!

Adapted from Korean Bapsang.