Korean Fried Chicken

Ingredients

Chicken

• 1.2 kgchicken wings and drumettes
• 1 tbspgrated ginger
• 1 tbspsoy sauce
• 1 tspsalt
• 1 tspblack pepper
• 2 tbsprice wine

Coating

• 150 gpotato starch
• 50 gplain flour
• 1 tspbaking powder

Yangnyeom glaze

• 4 tbspgochujang
• 3 tbspketchup
• 3 tbsphoney or rice syrup
• 2 tbspsoy sauce
• 1 tbsprice vinegar
• 6 clovesgarlic, minced
• 1 tbspsesame oil

To fry

• oil, for deep frying

To serve

• pickled daikon
• toasted sesame seeds
• beer

Directions

1. Mix the potato starch, flour and baking powder. It is what gives the thin glassy shell that Korean fried chicken is known for, and flour alone gives a thicker, breadier crust.
2. Toss the chicken in the coating, pressing it on, then shake off the excess and let it sit 10 minutes. Heat the oil to 160°C (320°F) for the first fry.
3. Fry the chicken in batches for 8 to 10 minutes, until cooked through but still pale. The first fry is low and long and it is about cooking the chicken, not colouring it.
4. Lift the pieces out onto a rack and rest them for at least 10 minutes. Steam escapes from the crust and the surface dries, which is what lets the second fry go glassy.
5. Fry again for 3 to 4 minutes until deep golden and audibly crisp. For yangnyeom, warm all the glaze ingredients in a wide pan until glossy and bubbling.
6. Add the hot chicken and toss it fast, for no more than 20 seconds. Toss it quickly and serve immediately.
7. Scatter sesame seeds over and serve with pickled daikon and cold beer.

Technique

• The pickled daikon, chicken-mu, is not optional in Korea and every delivery order includes it.
• Half plain and half sauced, banban, is the standard way to order.
• It became a national institution after the 1997 financial crisis, when redundant workers opened chicken shops in enormous numbers.

Substitutions

• Cornflour in place of potato starch.
• A soy garlic glaze instead of gochujang, which is equally standard.

Variations

• Ganjang, the soy garlic version.
• Snow cheese, dusted with a powdered cheese seasoning.
• Made with boneless thigh pieces, which is common for delivery.

History

Chicken, double-fried to achieve an exceptionally crisp, thin crust, then coated in a sauce that is either soy-based or built on gochujang, Korean fermented chili paste, documented across South Korea as a dish that developed significantly during the 1970s and 1980s, adapting American-style fried chicken, introduced substantially through the American military presence in South Korea following the Korean War, into a distinctly Korean form through the specific double-frying technique and Korean sauce flavours. Its defining double-fry method, frying the chicken once and then again after a brief rest, achieves a notably crisper, less greasy crust than typically found in single-fried American versions. Korean fried chicken remains one of South Korea’s most significant and internationally successful modern culinary exports.

Frequently asked questions

What is Korean Fried Chicken?

Korean Fried Chicken is a main from South Korea: double-fried chicken glazed sweet-spicy, paired with beer and pickled radish. Chicken, double-fried to achieve an exceptionally crisp, thin crust, then coated in a sauce that is either soy-based or built on gochujang, Korean fermented chili paste, documented across South Korea as a dish that developed significantly during the 1970s and 1980s, adapting American-style fried chicken, introduced substantially through the American military presence in South Korea following the Korean War, into a distinctly Korean form through the specific double-frying technique and Korean sauce flavours. Its defining double-fry method, frying the chicken once and then again after a brief rest, achieves a notably crisper, less greasy crust than typically found in single-fried American versions. Korean fried chicken remains one of South Korea’s most significant and internationally successful modern culinary exports.

How long does Korean Fried Chicken take to make?

Korean Fried Chicken takes 30 min plus 30 min marinating of preparation and 40 min of cooking. The recipe makes 4 servings. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Korean Fried Chicken?

Yes, within limits. Cornflour in place of potato starch. A soy garlic glaze instead of gochujang, which is equally standard.

What is the most important thing to get right in Korean Fried Chicken?

The pickled daikon, chicken-mu, is not optional in Korea and every delivery order includes it.