Korean Fried Chicken (Dakgangjeong)
User Reviews
4.9
-
Prep Time
45 mins
-
Cook Time
1 hr
-
Total Time
1 hr 45 mins
-
Servings
6
-
Calories
652 kcal
-
Course
Main Course
-
Cuisine
Korean
Korean Fried Chicken (Dakgangjeong)
Description
The chicken is first marinated briefly with salt, white pepper, ground ginger, toasted sesame oil, and water to enhance its seasoning. Meanwhile, a coating mixture of potato starch and panko is moistened to create clumps, offering a textured crust. The chicken pieces are dredged thoroughly in this coating for even coverage.
In hot vegetable oil heated to 325°F (163°C), the chicken is fried in batches for varying times depending on size and cut, just until lightly golden. The chicken drains before a second frying and then is finished by tossing in a freshly prepared soy garlic glaze. This glaze combines sautéed shallots, garlic, optional dried chilies, soy sauce, water, mirin, rice vinegar, brown sugar, gochujang, Dijon mustard, and optionally toasted sesame seeds for a complex sweet-savory-spicy balance.
The result is crispy yet sticky chicken with a flavorful glaze, suited for serving as a snack or main dish. Frying twice ensures a crunchy crust without oiliness while preserving moist interior meat.
The recipe includes notes on using leftover frying oil and offers alternative oven-frying instructions for a less greasy approach. Nutrition details are based on using whole chicken wings as the protein.
Ingredients
For the chicken & marinade:
- 3 pounds chicken we used: 1¼ pounds chicken breast and 1¾ pounds chicken wings, tenders, wings, drumsticks and/or thighs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil (toasted)
- 2 tablespoons water
For the coating & frying:
- 1/3 cup potato starch
- 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons water
- 4-5 cups vegetable oil (for frying, can also use canola or peanut oil)
For the soy garlic glaze:
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 shallot finely minced, small
- 7 cloves garlic (minced
- 3 dried chili peppers (optional)
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2/3 cup mirin
- 1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon gochujang
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds optional, toasted
Instructions
Marinate and dredge the chicken:
- Add the chicken to a large mixing bowl along with the salt, white pepper, ginger, sesame oil, and 2 tablespoons of water. Mix thoroughly and set aside for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the coating. In a shallow bowl, combine the potato starch and panko. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of water over the top, and mix with your hands. This creates some clumps in the dry mix to give more texture to the coating.
- Toss the chicken in the marinade once more to ensure the pieces are evenly moist. Dredge chicken pieces until they’re completely coated.
Fry the chicken for the first time:
- Heat 4-5 cups of oil in a deep pot to 325°F/163°C. The oil should ideally fill the pot about halfway, so hot oil won’t overflow or splatter too much while frying.
- Fry the chicken in batches until lightly golden, 2-3 mins for nuggets, 3-4 mins for tenders, 6-8 mins for whole wings, 4-6 mins for drumettes and flats, and 9-11 mins for drumsticks or bone-in thighs. Drain on a cooling rack placed over a sheet pan, and between batches, remove any particles left in the oil using a strainer.
Make the glaze:
- In a saucepan over medium low heat, add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, along with the shallot, garlic, and dried chili peppers (if using, for optional spice). Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the shallots are translucent. If using the dried chili peppers, you can de-seed them and chop them, or simply chop and include the seeds for an extra spicy kick. If you’d like to keep your sauce more mild, omit them entirely.
- Next, add the soy sauce, water, mirin, rice vinegar, light brown sugar, gochujang, and dijon mustard.
- Stir and bring the sauce to a simmer, stirring continuously (4-5 minutes). When the sauce has come to a simmer, remove from the heat, cover, and set aside to keep warm.
Re-fry chicken and toss in sauce:
- For the second and final fry, bring the oil temperature up to 375°F/190°C. Fry the chicken in batches—1 minute for bone-in pieces and 30 seconds for boneless pieces. Drain on a cooling rack.
- Once you’ve fried all the chicken for the second time, add it to a large bowl, and pour the sauce over the top. Toss the chicken in the sauce until the pieces are well-coated. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top if desired, and serve!
Notes
- Nutrition is calculated using whole chicken wings weighing 3 pounds total.
- See accompanying tips for proper handling and reuse of leftover frying oil.
- Alternative cooking instructions include oven-frying to reduce oil use.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 652 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 652kcal | 33% |
| Carbohydrates | 29g | 10% |
| Protein | 25g | 50% |
| Fat | 50g | 77% |
| Saturated Fat | 29g | 145% |
| Cholesterol | 94mg | 31% |
| Sodium | 906mg | 38% |
| Potassium | 351mg | 7% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 11g | 22% |
| Vitamin A | 246IU | 5% |
| Vitamin C | 3mg | 3% |
| Calcium | 62mg | 6% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
You'll Also Love
