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Korean Fried Chicken (Yangnyeom Chicken)
4.8 from 327 votes

Korean Fried Chicken (Yangnyeom Chicken)

Korean Fried Chicken (Yangnyeom Chicken) features crispy fried chicken wings coated in a spicy and tangy sauce made from ingredients like gochujang, soy sauce, garlic, and honey. The wings are seasoned and marinated before coating with either a dry starch or wet batter, then deep-fried to a golden crisp. You can choose between a red spicy sauce or a soy garlic sauce to finish the wings, resulting in a versatile dish with bold flavors. The method allows for a thick, sticky glaze that balances heat and sweetness with savory notes.

Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Marinating
2 hrs
Total Time
2 hrs 45 mins
Servings: 4 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Korean

Ingredients

For the chicken:
  • 2 pounds chicken wings about 16 drumettes and wingettes
  • 1.5 teaspoons salt use 1 tsp if using table salt
  • pinch black pepper or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon ginger grated
  • 4-5 cups cooking oil about 2-inch deep (use deep, bottom heavy, medium size pot or pan, for frying
For the dry batter option
  • 1/2 cup potato starch or cornstarch
For the wet batter option
  • 1/2 cup tempura mix or all-purpose flour with 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and optional 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or onion powder, aka frying mix
  • 1/4 cup potato starch or cornstarch
  • 3/4 cup water
For the red spicy sauce (See note 1)
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons rice wine or mirin or other cooking wine
  • 1 tablespoon gochujang
  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce You can use 2 Tbs ketchup instead along with a teaspoon vinegar, if you don't want extra heat, or sriracha, tabasco, Franks Original, etc., 2 tablespoons
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons honey or 2.5 tablespoons corn syrup, rice syrup, or oligo syrup
  • 1 tablespoon garlic minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon honey dijon mustard optional
  • 4 tablespoons water
For the soy garlic sauce
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons rice wine or mirin or other cooking wine
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons honey or 2.5 tablespoons corn syrup, rice syrup, or oligo syrup
  • 1 tablespoon garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon vinegar white, rice, apple cider, etc
  • 1 teaspoon oyster sauce optional
  • 4 tablespoons water
For the optional garnish:
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds
  • 1 tablespoon scallion chopped

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Wash chicken wings, and drain thoroughly. Mix with the salt, pepper, and ginger. Let it sit in the fridge for 2 hours or longer (overnight to 24 hours).
  2. Combine all the sauce ingredients of your choice and stir well. Boil over medium heat until it thickens slightly, about 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the heat off.
  3. OPTION 1 Dry batter: If using the starch only, add the potato (or cornstarch) to the chicken, and rub it onto each wing well to coat evenly. Set aside.
  4. OPTION 2 Wet batter: Mix the wet batter ingredients in a bowl, and stir well until smooth with no visible lumps.
  5. Add the oil to a deep fryer, wok, or large pot. Heat the oil to 320°F (up to 330°F). Drop the chicken in the oil, one piece at a time. If using wet batter, dip each piece in the wet batter with tongs and shake off excess batter before dropping the chicken in the oil. Fry them in two batches. Cook until lightly golden, about 6 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken wings. Remove them with a wire skimmer or a slotted spoon. Drain on a wire rack or in a large mesh strainer set on a bowl.
  6. Reheat the oil to 350°F (up to 360°F). Add the chicken (you can do this in one batch for the second frying), and deep fry again, for about 5 minutes, until golden brown. Drain on a wire rack or in a large mesh strainer set on a bowl.
  7. You can either toss the fried chicken pieces in the sauce or hand-brush them. Sprinkle with the optional sesame seeds or chopped scallion to serve.

Notes

  • The thicker old yangnyeom chicken sauce involves cooking onion, garlic, and ginger with oil before adding other sauce ingredients and simmering until it thickens.
  • For extra spice, add 1/2 teaspoon gochugaru or dried red chili peppers to the sauce as it cooks.
  • Marinate chicken wings for at least 2 hours, up to 24 hours, to enhance flavor and texture before frying.