Korean Fried Chicken

Korean Fried Chicken Recipe

Do we have any fried chicken lovers here? Fried chicken is wonderful, and it's even better when it's spicy. like this particular recipe. We're talking Crispy Korean Fried Chicken, and you are going to love it.

It's done in 30 minutes!

What is Korean Fried Chicken?

Korean Fried Chicken is chicken that has been seasoned, tossed in corn starch, then twice fried until it is extra crispy. It is then glazed with a spicy sauce made from Korean gochujang chili paste, tomato sauce, honey, vinegar, sesame oil and other seasonings.

The name can refer to any number of fried chicken dishes and servings, from bite-sized boneless appetizer portions to smaller snacks to larger fried whole chicken meals. 

The "twice fried" method characterizes Korean Fried Chicken, making it crunchier and less oily than typical American fried chicken. The chicken skin is also different from American fried chicken. It is thinner and more crackly, with much less of a thick crust.

Let's talk about how to make Korean Fried Chicken, shall we?

Korean Fried Chicken Ingredients 

• FOR THE KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN
• Chicken legs & boneless thighs (You can realistically use ANY cut of chicken for this recipe)
• Rice vinegar
• Ginger powder (or use fresh chopped ginger)
• Garlic powder (or use fresh garlic)
• Spicy red chili flakes
• Sea salt
• Black pepper
• Corn starch (or use ½ cup corn starch + ½ cup all purpose flour. Potato starch is a good alternative.)
• Peanut oil for frying (canola oil is good, or vegetable oil, or other neutral cooking oil)
• FOR THE KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN SAUCE
• Tomato sauce (you can use ketchup if you’d like)
• Gochujang (sub in sriracha if needed)
• Honey
• Brown sugar (or more to taste)
• Soy sauce
• Rice vinegar
• Garlic (use powder for a smoother sauce)
• Ginger (use powder for a smoother sauce)
• Sesame oil
• Spicy chili flakes
• FOR SERVING
• Fresh chopped herbs, green onion, spicy red pepper flakes, sesame seeds

How to Make Korean Fried Chicken - the Recipe Method

FOR THE KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN

Add the chicken to a large bowl with the rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, chili flakes, salt and pepper. Toss to evenly coat.

I am using chicken legs and boneless chicken thighs for this particular meal, but you can use any cut of chicken. Smaller pieces of chicken won't need as much frying time.

Try it with chicken wings or chopped chunks of chicken breast or thighs for more of an appetizer portion.

Next, coat the seasoned chicken evenly with corn starch in a large mixing bowl. Toss to coat nice and evenly. Set the pieces aside.

Heat the oil in a large wide pot over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. If you are unable to measure the oil temperature, add a droplet of batter to the oil. It is ready when the batter sizzles.

Do NOT bring the oil to a boil.

Fry the chicken pieces in the oil a few pieces at a time 4-5 minutes, flipping part way through. The coated skins will lightly brown.

Be careful as the oil is hot.

Remove the deep fried chicken and set the pieces onto paper towels to drain.

Bring the oil back to temp and fry each piece of chicken again for 2-3 minutes, until they crisp up. The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

Remove the chicken and again drain on paper towels in a shallow bowl or plate. Cooking times can vary based on the size of the chicken.

See how crispy the skins are? Nice and golden brown.

NOTE: I like to use my Thermapen meat thermometer from ThermoWorks (I’m an affiliate) to get the perfect temperature every time. Works great! 

FOR THE KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN SAUCE

Stir all of the ingredients in a small pot - tomato sauce, gochujang, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, minced garlic and ginger, sesame oil, spicy chili flakes.

Stir and heat through on medium-low heat.

Simmer for 5 minutes.

Coat the chicken with the sauce and garnish with chopped herbs, spicy chili flakes and sesame seeds .

Serve with the remaining sauce in a bowl for dipping.

Boom! That's it, my friends! Easy enough, right? I LOVE crispy fried chicken, especially with this wonderfully spicy and flavorful saucy glaze to finish it up.

What to Serve with Korean Fried Chicken

Korean Fried Chicken is traditionally served with pickles, pickled radishes, beer and soju, which is a distilled Korean alcohol. Finish the hot chicken with a pinch of sugar and/or salt for a flavor pop right out of the fryer.

Citrus is a nice addition as well, such as lemon or lime juice. Just a squeeze!