Korean Fried Chicken
Double-fried chicken pieces with a paper-thin crust in a sticky Gochujang glaze.
- Preparation
- 20 min
- Cook/bake time
- 25 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 684 kcal
- Servings
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cooking & baking
- 25 min
Double-fried chicken pieces with a paper-thin crust in a sticky Gochujang glaze. The second fry at a higher temperature drives the residual moisture out of the breading and makes it so crispy that it still crunches even under the sauce. Sweet, spicy, salty and definitely not for good manners.
Why this works
During the first fry, the meat cooks and the breading loses most of its water. During the resting period, further residual moisture steams from the inside to the surface. The second, hotter round dries out exactly this moisture and vitrifies the starch layer. The result is a crust with so little residual water that it still crunches for minutes even under a moist glaze.
Step-by-step instructions
- 1
Prepare the chicken
Pat the chicken pieces really thoroughly dry, this is crucial for the later crust. Mix them with salt and ginger powder and let them stand for ten minutes. Then toss them in the cornstarch until each piece is completely and evenly powdered white. Tap off excess starch, because loose remnants burn in the oil.
- 2
First fry
Heat the oil to 160 °C and fry the chicken in batches for about eight minutes. At this rather low temperature, the meat cooks gently without the breading getting too dark. The pieces still look pale now, that is exactly right. Place them on a wire rack and let them rest for at least five minutes.
- 3
Second fry
Increase the oil temperature to 190 °C and fry the pieces a second time, this time only two to three minutes, until they are deep golden brown and audibly crispy. This second round is the real secret: It evaporates the remaining moisture in the crust and makes it glassy and crunchy.
- 4
Cook the glaze
Meanwhile, whisk Gochujang, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic and sesame oil in a wide pan and let everything boil down bubbling over medium heat for one to two minutes, until the sauce becomes slightly syrupy and throws bubbles. It should be sticky, but still flow, so that it wraps evenly around the chicken.
- 5
Glaze and serve
Remove the pan from the heat, add the hot chicken and toss it quickly until every piece shines. Work fast and serve immediately, because the longer the meat lies in the glaze, the more the crust softens. Sprinkle sesame seeds and scallions over it and provide plenty of napkins.
Our best tips
- Cornstarch instead of flour results in the typical thin, glassy crust. Flour makes it thicker and softer.
- Do not skip the resting period between the two frying rounds, during this time moisture migrates from the inside to the surface and then evaporates in the second round.
- Only glaze half and serve the other half plain with salt, so those cautious of spice also get their turn.
Tasty variations
Soy Garlic
Instead of the spicy glaze, boil down 4 tablespoons soy sauce, 3 tablespoons honey, 6 grated garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon rice vinegar.
From the air fryer
Cook at 200 °C for 22 minutes, turning twice. Less crispy than fried, but significantly less complicated.
Nutrition facts
| Calories | 684 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 44 g |
| Carbohydrates | 38 g |
| – of which sugar | 18 g |
| Fat | 38 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
Estimated, not calculated – why
Here some of the ingredients never reach the plate: most frying oil stays in the pan, and in a stock the solids are strained off. How much of it ends up in the food cannot be calculated – counting a litre of oil would quintuple the figure, leaving it out would describe a dish baked without fat. So this is an editorial estimate rather than a total that would look dependable without being so.
A guide value, not a lab measurement: no two onions weigh the same, and fat content varies from pack to pack.
Frequently asked questions
What is Gochujang?
A fermented Korean paste made from chili, glutinous rice and soybeans. It is spicy, but at the same time sweetish and deeply savory and cannot simply be replaced by sambal.
Can I use chicken breast?
Possible, but wings and thighs remain significantly juicier due to the higher fat content. Fry breast in pieces for only six minutes in the first round.
How does the chicken stay crispy longer?
Serve the glaze separately as a dip instead of tossing it in. This way the crust remains intact until the last piece.
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