Korean Fried Chicken

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.

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Asian, Korean

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 20

Marinating Time 40

Total Time 1 30

Servings

Calories 661kcal

Author Michelle

Ingredients

For the chicken:

500 g boneless chicken thigh cut into small pieces; or chicken breast
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ginger powder
½ C whole milk or buttermilk

For the wet batter:

¾ C sweet potato starch or cornstarch
¼ C all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
⅔ C sparkling/soda/carbonated water

For the yangnyeom sauce (sweet and spicy sauce):

2 tablespoon gochujang (Korean red chili pepper paste)
1 teaspoon gochugaru (Korean red chili powder) if you don't like it too spicy, omit
2 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoon rice vinegar
4 tablespoon rice syrup or honey
2 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoon grated garlic
¼ teaspoon black pepper

For the ganjang soy garlic sauce:

½ C soy sauce
12 garlic cloves minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
¼ C honey

For frying:

3-4 C peanut oil or any high-smoke point oil such as canola oil or grapeseed oil

Garnish:

2 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 green onion/scallion chopped or sliced into ribbons

Instructions

Prep the chicken:

To a large mixing bowl, add in the small chicken pieces.
Add in the seasonings: 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.
Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, and stir until slightly thickened.
Remove from heat. Set aside.
In another shallow frying pan, combine all the ganjang sauce ingredients: soy sauce, minced garlic, grated ginger, and honey.
Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, and stir until sticky and slightly thickened.
Remove from heat. Set aside.

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.
Transfer the chicken from the milk mixture and coat thoroughly with the wet batter.

Fry the chicken:

In a medium pot, heat peanut oil until it reaches a temperature of 330°F/166°C.
Drain any excess batter and add in chicken pieces. Fry in batches, about 3-4 minutes, until lightly brown.
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 350°F/177°C.
Add the fried chicken pieces and fry for another 3-4 minutes, until golden brown in color and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F/74°C.
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.
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.

Nutrition