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Korean Fried Chicken has this magic about it, crispy on the outside, tender inside, and coated in a sticky, sweet-spicy sauce that makes you want to devour every piece. Trust me, once you make this at home, you’ll wonder why you ever bothered with takeout.
I mean, it’s not hard to pull off, either. The secret? A quick double-fry that gets that golden crunch we all dream about, and a sauce so addictive, you’ll be licking your fingers clean.
Why We’re Obsessed with Korean Fried Chicken
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings depending on size 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Easy
- Cuisine: Korean
Description
Fried chicken came to Korea after World War II, but locals didn’t stop at just frying. Nope, they leveled it up with their bold, flavorful sauces, sweet, spicy, tangy, you name it. Over time, it became a go-to dish for celebrations, late-night snacks, and even just a treat-yourself moment.
The best part? Korean Fried Chicken isn’t just about flavor (though, let’s be real, it’s epic). It’s also lighter and crunchier than most fried chicken, thanks to its double-fry technique. That means less grease and more of that satisfying crunch with every bite.
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1.4 kg of your favorite cut, wings, drumsticks, thighs (or a mix!)
- 2 Tbsp rice wine (adds a nice depth of flavor)
- 2 tsp minced ginger
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 cup potato starch or cornstarch (crucial for that crispy coat!)
- Lots of cooking oil (it’s deep-frying time)
For the Sauce
- 3 Tbsp tomato sauce
- 2–2 1/2 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste—don’t skimp on this)
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil (for that nutty finish)
Garnish
- Roasted sesame seeds
- Finely chopped green onion
Instructions
The Chicken
- Start by seasoning the chicken.
- Toss it in a bowl with rice wine, ginger, salt, and pepper.
- Let those flavors soak in while you prep everything else.
- Next up, the starch. Coat each piece of chicken until it’s evenly dusted. This is what’ll give it that unbeatable crunch.
- Heat your oil (about 175°C or 347°F is perfect).
- Fry the chicken in batches, don’t overcrowd the pot!
- After 3–5 minutes, when they’re cooked through and looking lightly golden, pull them out and drain them on some kitchen paper.
- Scoop out any bits left in the oil and crank it back up to temp.
- Fry the chicken again for 2–3 minutes.
- The second fry makes all the difference, it’s where the real crisp magic happens.
The Sauce
- While your chicken rests, make the sauce.
- Mix tomato sauce, gochujang, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, and sesame oil in a small pan.
- Warm it up over medium heat, stirring until it’s bubbling gently. That’s it. So easy.
Serving
- Now for the best part: combining everything.
- Toss the double-fried chicken in a big bowl with the sauce. Don’t rush, make sure every piece gets coated.
- Or, if you’re more into dipping, serve the sauce on the side. No wrong way to do it.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions and enjoy while it’s hot.
- The crunch, the flavor, the sticky sauce, there’s nothing like it.
Leftovers?
If by some miracle you don’t eat it all, store it in the fridge for a couple of days. It won’t be as crispy, but cold fried chicken has its own kind of charm.
Notes
Created, prepared, tried, and tested by Melanie from SA Tasty Recipes – Saffas Daily Recipes
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 527
- Sugar: 15.4 g
- Sodium: 759 mg
- Fat: 13.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.3 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 37.4 g
- Fiber: 0.7 g
- Protein: 61.4 g
- Cholesterol: 278.1 mg
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