Korean Fried Chicken Recipe

If you’re saving money by not ordering takeout every time a craving strikes or just trying to get more adventurous in the kitchen, this Korean Fried Chicken Recipe is exactly what you need. It’s one of our favorite better-than-takeout chicken recipes that is way easier to make than you’d expect and packs the most incredible flavor and satisfying crunch.

Our method of double-fried chicken wings adds an extra crispy layer and whether you use the spicy Korean gochujang sauce or the sweet and tangy honey-soy sauce (or both!), every bite is rich, indulgent, and seriously addicting. Whip up a batch of these impressive chicken wings for your next game-day spread, chicken dinner, or appetizer at home!

How to Make Korean Fried Chicken

Sweet-Gochujang Sauce Ingredients

Sweet-Gochujang Sauce Process

1. Place all ingredients into a bowl and whisk together until fully incorporated. Set aside.

Sweet-Soy Sauce Ingredients

Sweet Soy Sauce Process

2. honey-soy sauce: Place all ingredients into a bowl and whisk together until fully incorporated. Set aside.

Wings Ingredients

Wings Process

3. Preheat oil to 350˚F. Pat wings dry. Sift together the potato starch (or cornstarch), flour, and salt into a mixing bowl.
4. Whisk in cold water until fully incorporated and no lumps remain.

5. Dip each wing into the batter and shake to remove any excess (the batter will form a very thin layer around the chicken).
6. Carefully drop each battered wing into the hot oil and fry for 5 to 6 minutes (this will have to be done in batches). Drain fried chicken pieces onto paper towels or a baking sheet lined with a cooling rack.

7. Once all wings have been fried (and wings have rested 15 to 20 minutes), place wings back into the fryer, in batches, and fry a second time (double fry) for 5 to 7 minutes or until light golden brown and crispy. Lightly season with salt.
8. Add half the Korean fried chicken wings to the gochujang sauce and toss together until all wings are evenly coated.

9. Add half the Korean fried chicken wings to the sweet-soy sauce and toss together until all wings are evenly coated.
10. Transfer wings to a large platter. Top the gochujang wings with sesame seeds and crushed peanuts and the honey-soy wings with sesame seeds and green onion. Serve immediately.

Why Double Fry the Chicken?

Double frying the battered chicken plays a large role in the extra crunchy coating for the fried chicken. Frying draws moisture out, so it’s great for creating an extra crispy skin! Unfortunately it can dry the chicken meat out. By removing the chicken pieces from the heat and allowing them to rest, you let the chicken come back to room temp. Then when you double fry the chicken, the skin can continue to expel moisture, while the meat will have time to come back up to temperature and finish cooking, without drying out.

Why We Use a Starch and Rice Flour Blend for Our Korean Fried Chicken Recipe

All-purpose flour is commonly used to batter and fry chicken, but because of the high gluten content of wheat flour, it tends to absorb too much of the oil, making the batter less crispy than we like.

Using a combination of rice flour and potato or cornstarch, you’ll get an ultra-light and crunchy coating, even with sauce slathered on top. This combination of starch and rice flour absorbs less oil during frying, keeping the coating crunchy without getting soggy.

Tips and Tricks for Success

• Make sure your chicken is dry before dipping the wings into the wet batter. If it’s too wet, the batter may not adhere to all of the chicken.
• Use a thermometer to check the oil if your fryer doesn’t have one built in. A temperature of 350˚F to 375˚F is ideal. If the temperature is too hot, the outside will burn before the chicken cooks through, and if it’s not hot enough, the batter will absorb too much oil and not become crispy.
• Don’t skip the second fry! The first deep frying session cooks the chicken through, but the layer of batter is still quite thin. By adding another thin layer, you get the desired ultra-crunchy, golden-brown coating without drying out the meat!
• Fry the chicken in batches to avoid overcrowding the fryer. If they’re too close together, the chicken may stick together. As tempting as it is to pack the fryer full and save time, don’t make this mistake!
• Choose the sauce you like most, or use both! Gochujang is a traditional Korean sauce made from fermented red chillis. It has a smoky, sweet flavor with a kick of spice. If you want something milder and sweeter, honey-soy is perfect. If serving to a crowd, we recommend using both!

How to Reheat Leftovers

Fried chicken always tastes best right after it’s made, but if you happen to have leftovers, this is the best way to reheat them so you can still enjoy crunchy, crispy Korean fried chicken the next day:

In the air fryer: This is our preferred method for the crispiest chicken wings. Preheat the air fryer to 375˚F and air fry the leftover chicken wings for 5 minutes, flip them, and air fry for another 5 minutes or until crispy and warmed through.

In the oven: Preheat your oven to 350˚F and spread the chicken wings out on a prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through.

What to Serve with Korean Fried Chicken?

Need a side or another appetizer that complements this recipe? Try any of our favorites:

• Pickled red onions
• Kimchi fried rice
• Spicy ramen noodles
• Bibim nengmyun
• Fried rice
• Garlic noodles
• Potstickers
• Roasted radishes
• Tteokbokki

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