Korean Fried Chicken Recipe
Korean Fried Chicken Recipe — double-fried for shattering crispness, coated in yangnyeom sauce. The science behind the crunch.
What's in this recipe
Ingredients
Base recipe makes 4 servings
- 1wholechicken (about 4 lbs), cut into 10 pieces
- 70gkosher salt
- 30gsugar
- 900gAP flour
- 100gtapioca starch (or potato starch)
- 30gseasoning cure mix (from above)
- 2Tbspgarlic powder
- 2Tbsponion powder
- 1Tbspcayenne pepper
- 1Tbspblack pepper
- 1Tbspturmeric
- 1Tbspcurry powder
- 4cupsneutral oil for frying (peanut or soybean)
Substitutions
No exact match? These work.
Whole chickenChicken wings, boneless thighs, or pre-cut pieces
Tapioca starchPotato starch or cornstarch
Peanut oilSoybean oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil
Kosher saltFine sea salt (use 2/3 the amount)
Equipment
- Large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
- Deep fryer thermometer (essential)
- Wire cooling rack (not paper towels)
- Fine mesh ladle (for skimming oil between batches)
- Meat thermometer
- Kitchen shears
- Large mixing bowl
How to Make It
Cure the chicken: mix 70g kosher salt, 30g sugar, and 5g MSG (optional) in a bowl. Rub this mixture all over the chicken pieces. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Make the spice blend: combine garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, black pepper, turmeric, and curry powder. Add 30g of this mix to the flour-starch dredge (the 3% rule). Reserve the rest.
Make the dredge: combine 900g AP flour and 100g tapioca starch in a large bin. Add the 30g seasoning mix. Whisk to combine.
Remove chicken from fridge 20 minutes before frying. Pat each piece completely dry with paper towels. Dredge each piece in the flour mixture, pressing firmly. Shake off excess. Let rest on a rack for 5 minutes.
First fry: heat oil to 330°F (165°C) in a heavy pot. Fry chicken in batches for 6-7 minutes until lightly golden. Do not crowd the pot. Transfer to a wire rack. Let rest for at least 30 minutes.
Second fry: heat oil to 385°F (195°C). Fry the rested chicken for 1-2 minutes until deep golden and shattering crispy. The crust should crackle when you tap it.
Make yangnyeom sauce: combine ½ cup corn syrup, 3 Tbsp ketchup, 1 Tbsp gochugaru, 1½ Tbsp soy sauce, 2 Tbsp minced garlic, 1 Tbsp gochujang, and 2 Tbsp sugar in a saucepan. Simmer until bubbly, about 2 minutes.
Toss the hot fried chicken in the sauce until evenly coated. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve immediately with pickled radish (chicken mu).
About this dish
Korean fried chicken is the dish that broke the internet before the internet knew what breaking meant. It is thin, shattering, glass-like crust over juicy bone-in chicken, tossed in a sweet-spicy glaze that clings to every crackle. The double fry is the technique that makes it possible, and once you understand why it works, you will never go back to single-fried chicken.
The science is simple. The first fry at a lower temperature cooks the chicken through. The rest between fries lets moisture from the center migrate to the surface, making the crust soggy. The second fry at a higher temperature drives that moisture out and sets the crust into something that cracks when you bite it. The difference between crunchy and crispy is the difference between your molars and your front teeth. Korean fried chicken is crispy.
What Makes Korean Fried Chicken Different
The batter is the first difference. Korean fried chicken uses a thin coating of flour and starch — usually potato starch or tapioca starch — rather than the thick, bready batter of American fried chicken. The starch creates a crust that is almost transparent, and because it is gluten-free, it stays crispy longer. The flour provides structure. The starch provides the shatter.
The second difference is the sauce. Yangnyeom chicken is coated in a glaze made from corn syrup, gochujang, ketchup, garlic, and sugar. The corn syrup gives it a glossy sheen without hardening — sugar alone would crystallize and crack. The sauce is not a dip. It is a coating, tossed with the chicken in a hot pan so it caramelizes slightly and clings to every crevice.
The third difference is the pickled radish. Chicken mu — cubed Korean radish in a vinegar-sugar-salt brine — comes with every order of Korean fried chicken. It is the palate cleanser. The acid and crunch cut through the richness of the fried chicken, and you will eat half the container before the chicken is gone.
What to Serve Korean Fried Chicken With
Korean fried chicken is drinking food. It is what Koreans order when they go out for beer and soju — the combination is called chimaek (치맥), short for chicken and maekju (beer). The crispy, salty, sweet chicken and the cold, clean beer are made for each other.
For a full meal, serve with steamed rice, kimchi, and the pickled radish. If you are making yangnyeom chicken, toss it in the sauce just before serving — the crust will soften if it sits in sauce too long. Serve the sauce on the side if you want to keep the crust shattering.
Leftovers reheat in the oven at 375°F for 10 minutes. The microwave will destroy the crust. But the oven restores some of the crunch, even if it will never be quite as crisp as fresh.
Kimchi and pickled radish cut the grease. If you want the stir-fried, saucy chicken instead, make dak galbi. For the other methods, see Korean chicken recipes.
Nutrition per serving
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Korean fried chicken different from American fried chicken?
Korean fried chicken uses a thin, starch-heavy batter that is double-fried. The result is a shattering, glass-like crust that stays crispy even under sauce. American fried chicken has a thick, bready coating. Korean style is crispy, not crunchy.
Why do you double fry Korean fried chicken?
The first fry cooks the chicken through. The rest between fries lets moisture migrate to the surface, making the crust soggy. The second fry drives that moisture out and creates the shattering crispness.
What starch is best for Korean fried chicken batter?
Potato starch or tapioca starch. They are gluten-free, which means a thinner, crispier crust. A blend of AP flour and starch in a 90/10 ratio gives the best balance.
What is chicken mu (pickled radish)?
Cubed Korean radish pickled in vinegar, sugar, and salt. It is the palate cleanser that every Korean fried chicken meal comes with. The acid and crunch cut through the richness of the fried chicken.
Can I skip the double fry at home?
Yes, if you get the batter right. Use starch in the dry mix, add vodka to the wet batter, and fry at 350F until golden. The double fry is the restaurant approach for making large batches ahead of time.