Soy Garlic Korean Fried Chicken (Dakgangjeong)

Fingers picking up soy garlic Korean fried Chicken from a plate.

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Soy Garlic Korean Fried Chicken (Dakgangjeong)

Sorry Cornell Sanders, this is the only KFC that matters at our house! This Soy Garlic Korean Fried Chicken, or dakgangjeong, is shattering crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and tossed in a sweet and savory sticky glaze that’s so good, it dares you to stop at one!

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Snack

Cuisine: Asian, Korean

Servings: servings

Calories: 649kcal

Author: Mikha S.

Ingredients

MARINADE:

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

SAUCE:

3 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
3 ½ tablespoons mirin
3 ½ tablespoons brown sugar
3 ½ tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoon rice vinegar
3 ½ teaspoons sesame oil

DREDGE:

1 ¼ cup potato starch
1 tablespoons garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons water

INGREDIENTS:

1 egg
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour or cornstarch
10 garlic cloves minced
2 teaspoons ginger grated

Instructions

In a large bowl or airtight container, combine the chicken and marinade ingredients - chicken, minced garlic, grated ginger, soy sauce, mirin, & black pepper. Massage the marinate into the chicken until it’s fully absorbed. Cover & marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight. Keep the chicken cold in the fridge until dredge is ready.
In a small bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients - soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, honey, water, rice vinegar, & sesame oil. Set aside.
In a large bowl, prep the dredge by combining potato starch, garlic powder, baking powder, onion powder, & black pepper. Drizzle in water then use your fingers to mix and create crumbles in the starch.
To the marinated chicken, mix in egg and all purpose flour until just combined. Add a few pieces of chicken to the dry dredge, pressing or scrunching the dredge & its crumbles into the chicken so it really sticks. Repeat for remaining chicken & let chicken rest for 10-15 minutes while preheating your frying oil.
In a wok, heat enough oil to deep fry on medium-high heat. You’ll know it’s hot enough if you stick a wooden chopstick or spoon in the oil & it starts to sizzle. Add chicken in the oil, working in batches to avoid overcrowding. Best practice is you should be able to see the bottom of the pot. Gently stir the chicken so they don’t get stuck together while cooking. Cook for about 3-5 minutes, or until chicken is golden brown and oil is producing small bubbles instead of large violent bubbles lol. Remove and drain on a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate. Repeat for remaining chicken then rest for 5-10 minutes.
Allow oil to re-heat up to medium-high, then once hot, add chicken back in batches. Again, don’t overcrowd otherwise your chicken won’t get to maximum crispiness! Cook for 1-2 minutes, or until a slightly darker brown & only small bubbles are showing in the oil. Remove, drain on a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate.
Heat a cleaned wok or large skillet on medium heat with about a tablespoon of oil. Add the garlic and ginger & cook for a few seconds, just until they soften and become fragrant - keep a close eye so they don’t burn. Pour in the sauce and simmer for 3-5 minutes, or until it turns into a thick sticky glaze. If it’s thickened too much or turned too salty, you can add a splash of water. When tasting, be VERY careful because the sugars make the sauce molten hot. Once the glaze is your desired consistency, turn off the heat & combine with chicken until fully coated. It may look like it’s not enough, but keep tossing! Remove & garnish with toasted sesame seeds if you’re feeling fancy. Enjoy!

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!

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