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Korean Fried Chicken
5 from 15 votes

Korean Fried Chicken

Korean Fried Chicken features bite-sized marinated chicken pieces coated in a light wet batter made with sweet potato starch, flour, and sparkling water, then deep-fried to a crispy exterior. It is finished with either a sweet-spicy yangnyeom sauce or a sticky ganjang soy garlic sauce. The chicken is garnished with sesame seeds and green onions, delivering crunchy, flavorful bites with contrasting sauces.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Additional Time
40 mins
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 661 kcal
Course: Side Dish, Main Course, Appetizer
Cuisine: Asian, Korean

Ingredients

For the chicken:
  • 500 g chicken thigh cut into small pieces; or chicken breast, boneless
  • ¼ teaspoon salt sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ C milk or buttermilk, whole
For the wet batter:
  • ¾ C sweet potato starch or cornstarch
  • ¼ C all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ⅔ C sparkling water also known as soda or carbonated water
For the yangnyeom sauce (sweet and spicy sauce):
  • 2 tablespoon gochujang Korean red chili pepper paste
  • 1 teaspoon gochugaru if you don't like it too spicy, omit, korean red chili powder
  • 2 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 4 tablespoon rice syrup or honey
  • 2 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoon brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon ginger grated fresh
  • 2 teaspoon garlic grated
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the ganjang soy garlic sauce:
  • ½ C soy sauce
  • 12 garlic minced, cloves
  • 1 teaspoon ginger grated fresh
  • 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 chopped or sliced into ribbons, or scallion

Instructions

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

Nutrition Information

Calories 661kcal (33%) Carbohydrates 86g (29%) Protein 26g (52%) Fat 25g (38%) Saturated Fat 7g (35%) Polyunsaturated Fat 6g (35%) Monounsaturated Fat 10g (50%) Trans Fat 0.1g (5%) Cholesterol 126mg (42%) Sodium 1915mg (80%) Potassium 477mg (10%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 30g (60%) Vitamin A 348IU (7%) Vitamin C 3mg (3%) Calcium 174mg (17%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 661

% Daily Value*

Calories 661kcal 33%
Carbohydrates 86g 29%
Protein 26g 52%
Fat 25g 38%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Polyunsaturated Fat 6g 35%
Monounsaturated Fat 10g 50%
Trans Fat 0.1g 5%
Cholesterol 126mg 42%
Sodium 1915mg 80%
Potassium 477mg 10%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 30g 60%
Vitamin A 348IU 7%
Vitamin C 3mg 3%
Calcium 174mg 17%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.