Korean Fried Chicken Recipe

Korean fried chicken topped with sesame seeds & green onions on a black plate.

5 from 1 vote

Korean Fried Chicken Recipe

The weekend has started & there’s no better way to celebrate than with a basket of shatteringly crispy spicy Korean Fried Chicken! No boring dinners are allowed on the weekends & this is how you make a legendary finger-licking feast with one simple recipe!

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Main Course, Snack

Cuisine: Asian, Korean

Servings: servings

Calories: 624kcal

Author: Mikha S.

Ingredients

MARINADE:

3 pounds chicken wings patted dry
5 garlic cloves minced
1 teaspoon ginger grated
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

DREDGE:

1 cup potato starch
1 tablespoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
3 ½ tablespoons water
1 egg
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour or cornstarch

SAUCE:

3 tablespoons gochujang
3 tablespoons ketchup
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon gochugaru
1 tablespoon sesame oil
5 garlic cloves minced
1 teaspoon ginger grated

Instructions

In a large bowl or airtight container, combine the chicken wings, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, mirin, and black pepper. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour, up to overnight for better flavor! Keep the chicken cold in the fridge until the dredge is ready & you’re about ready to fry.
Make the sauce in a small bowl by combining gochujang, ketchup, rice vinegar, honey, brown sugar, mirin, soy sauce, water, gochugaru, and sesame oil. Mix until the brown sugar has dissolved, then cover and set aside.
In a large bowl, make the dredge by combining potato starch, garlic powder, onion powder, baking powder, and black pepper. Mix well, then drizzle in water and use your finger to break up the clumps to create little craggily nuggets. These turn super crispy when frying!
Remove chicken from the fridge, then add in an egg and all-purpose flour to the chicken. Mix until JUST combined & there’s no more streaks of flour - don’t overmix. Add a few pieces of chicken to the potato starch, scrunch on the dredge, then shake off excess. Repeat for remaining chicken, then let chicken sit for about 5-10 minutes while heating your frying oil.
Heat a medium-sized pot or large wok on medium heat with enough oil for a deep fry. Once hot, add chicken in batches to avoid overcrowding; a general rule of thumb is you should be able to see the bottom of the pot. Fry for 3-5 minutes, or until chicken is golden brown and the oil bubbles are small and less frequent. Cooking time may slightly vary depending on the wing size. Remove & drain chicken on a wire rack or paper-towel lined plate. Repeat for remaining chicken then rest for 5-10 minutes.
Reheat the oil (the oil temperature will drop when frying the chicken) to medium-high, then double fry the chicken to make them extra crispy! Add chicken in batches to avoid overcrowding. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until extra golden and crispy. Transfer to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil and allow them to cool while making the sauce.
Heat a large pan or clean wok on medium heat. Add about 1 tablespoon of oil then add garlic and ginger. Saute for a few seconds, until it becomes fragrant, then pour in sauce. Stir until well combined then simmer for 3-5 minutes or until it’s slightly thickened into a glaze. If it thickens too much & turns too sweet or salty, add a small splash of water.
Toss together the sauce and chicken wings until well coated. Transfer to a serving plate, sprinkle with sesame seeds if you’re feeling fancy, then enjoy asap!

Notes

Potato Starch: This is key to creating that iconic crunch in Korean fried chicken! Find it at your local Korean or Asian market, or online. Cornstarch is nowhere as crispy, so it's definitely worth the extra effort grabbing it!
Gochujang: This Korean chili paste comes in various spice levels, so make sure to grab the one that suits your spice tolerance.
Key Tips:
- Maximize Crispiness: Avoid overcrowding the pan to maintain high oil temperature & double fry for maximum crispness.
- Easy Cleanup Setup: Use an oil splatter screen to prevent messy oil splatters for faster cleanup. No extra time spent on kitchen cleaning!

Nutrition