Dakgangjeong (Korean Popcorn Chicken)
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
40 mins
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Total Time
1 hr
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Servings
8 people
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Calories
467 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Appetizer
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Cuisine
Korean
Dakgangjeong (Korean Popcorn Chicken)
Description
The chicken thighs are diced and seasoned with ginger paste, salt, pepper, rice wine, egg white, and oil, then coated with a flour and cornstarch blend infused with onion powder and salt. The pieces are deep-fried twice: first lightly golden to cook through, then fried again for a crisp exterior while remaining juicy inside.
The signature Dakgangjeong sauce combines chili sauce, gochujang, ketchup, garlic, rice syrup, sugar, chili oil, rice vinegar, and sweet rice wine for a glossy, sticky coating rich with sweet, savory, and spicy flavors. Tossing the fried chicken in this sauce creates a layered effect of crispness and glaze.
This dish is typically served as a snack, appetizer, or part of a meal, offering a tactile contrast between crisp fried chicken and a flavorful sauce. It is often garnished with optional chopped peanuts for texture and nutty flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 lb chicken thighs diced into bite size pieces
- 1/4 cup peanut optional, finely chopped
- neutral cooking oil for deep-frying, generic cooking oil
For chicken coating
- 1/2 cup cake flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
For chicken seasoning
- 2 tsp ginger paste
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp sweet rice wine mirim
- 1 egg beaten, white
- 1 tbsp neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
For dakgangjeong sauce
- 6 tbsp chili sauce
- 2 tbsp gochujang Korean chili paste
- 1 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tbsp garlic minced
- 6 tbsp rice syrup or dark corn syrup, Korean (jocheong
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp Chili oil
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp sweet rice wine mirim
Instructions
To make the chicken coating
- Mix all the ingredients well. Reserve 2 tablespoon of the mixture on the side. Put the rest of coating mixture in a zip bag and set aside.
To season the chicken
- Put chicken in a large mixing bowl, add reserved 2 tablespoon of chicken coating, ginger, salt, pepper, rice wine, egg white, and oil. Mix with your hand to coat evenly.
To deep-fry
- Heat oil to 340˚F. Add chicken into the coating mixture in a zip bag; shake well to coat evenly. Shake off the excess coating from chicken pieces.
- Deep-fry chicken in small batches, about 2-3 minutes, until they are lightly golden. As you deep-fry, stir them with metal tongs or a wire skimmer to keep them from sticking to each other. Shake off excess oil as you take the chicken pieces out of the oil.
- After the first frying is over, do the second frying until they get deep golden brown; about 2 minutes. Keep them on a wired rack to prevent them from getting soggy.
To make dakgangjeong sauce
- Combine chili sauce, Korean chili paste, ketchup, Korean rice syrup, sugar, garlic, chili oil, rice vinegar, and rice wine in a skillet.
- Bring the sauce to boil over medium high heat until it thickens to a glaze consistency, stirring constantly.
- Add chicken and toss well to coat with the glaze. To garnish, sprinkle with chopped peanuts. Serve hot.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 467 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 467kcal | 23% |
| Carbohydrates | 36g | 12% |
| Protein | 22g | 44% |
| Fat | 27g | 42% |
| Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 5g | 29% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 13g | 65% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 111mg | 37% |
| Sodium | 576mg | 24% |
| Potassium | 359mg | 8% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 18g | 36% |
| Vitamin A | 183IU | 4% |
| Vitamin C | 3mg | 3% |
| Calcium | 26mg | 3% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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