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.

📝 Ingredients

• 500 g boneless chicken thigh (cut into small pieces; or chicken breast)
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp ginger powder
• 1/2 C whole milk (or buttermilk)
• 3/4 C sweet potato starch (or cornstarch)
• 1/4 C all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2/3 C sparkling/soda/carbonated water
• 2 Tbsp gochujang (Korean red chili pepper paste)
• 1 tsp gochugaru (Korean red chili powder) (if you don't like it too spicy, omit)
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 4 Tbsp rice syrup (or honey)
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 tsp grated garlic
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 C soy sauce
• 12 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 1/4 C honey
• 3-4 C peanut oil (or any high-smoke point oil such as canola oil or grapeseed oil)
• 2 tsp sesame seeds
• 1 green onion/scallion (chopped or sliced into ribbons)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- Prep the chicken: ---
2. 2To a large mixing bowl, add in the small chicken pieces.
3. 3Add in the seasonings: salt, black pepper, garlic powder and ginger powder and stir to combine.
4. 4Let the chicken marinate in the fridge for 20 minutes.
5. 5Add in the milk and mix again, ensuring the chicken is fully submerged.
6. 6Place chicken back into the refrigerator and let it sit for another 20 minutes.
7. 7--- Make the sauces: ---
8. 8In 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.
9. 9Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, and stir until slightly thickened.
10. 10Remove from heat. Set aside.
11. 11In another shallow frying pan, combine all the ganjang sauce ingredients: soy sauce, minced garlic, grated ginger, and honey.
12. 12Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, and stir until sticky and slightly thickened.
13. 13Remove from heat. Set aside.
14. 14--- Make the wet batter: ---
15. 15In a bowl, combine sweet potato starch, all-purpose flour, garlic powder, salt, baking powder and give it a good stir.
16. 16Pour in the carbonated water and whisk until incorporated.
17. 17Transfer the chicken from the milk mixture and coat thoroughly with the wet batter.
18. 18--- Fry the chicken: ---
19. 19In a medium pot, heat peanut oil until it reaches a temperature of 330°F/166°C.
20. 20Drain any excess batter and add in chicken pieces. Fry in batches, about 3-4 minutes, until lightly brown.
21. 21Remove chicken with a slotted spoon and place onto a sheet pan lined with paper towel.
22. 22Repeat with the remaining chicken.
23. 23Once the first fry is complete, increase the temperature of the frying oil to 350°F/177°C.
24. 24Add 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.
25. 25Once again, remove the fried chicken with a slotted spoon and place onto paper towel to drain.
26. 26Repeat with the remainder.
27. 27--- Coat the chicken: ---
28. 28Place the pan with the yangnyeom sauce on medium-low heat and warm up the sauce.
29. 29Add in about half of the fried chicken, lightly stirring to coat the chicken in the sauce.
30. 30Remove from heat and garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onions.
31. 31Repeat with the ganjang soy garlic sauce, with the remaining half of the fried chicken.
32. 32Serve immediately.