A thin, crackly batter for maximum crunch. A spicy, sweet sauce that will leave you licking your fingers. The BEST Korean Fried Chicken recipe!!

One year for Thanksgiving, Halmoni asked if we could skip the traditional turkey. Turkey was dry and tasteless, in her opinion. Why not make something really special instead — like Galbi and Korean Fried Chicken?

So that’s what we did. We grilled Galbi. And we double-fried chicken to crispy, crackly, lip-smacking perfection. Can you guess what was the overall favorite when everyone sat down to eat? Yup, Korean Fried Chicken!

Since then, I’ve felt a certain freedom during the holidays. Tradition aside, why not make something that’s truly spectacular but completely non-traditional?

Everyone likes turkey. But do you know what people absolutely love? FRIED CHICKEN. And the Korean version is SO delicious!

What makes Korean Fried Chicken different? And so delicious?

Korean Fried Chicken is fried TWICE for maximum crunch and crispiness. Double frying chicken renders out the fat, resulting in chicken that is impossibly crunchy.

Korean Fried Chicken also has a thin, crackly batter. Instead of a thick, heavy batter that leaves you feeling weighted down, Korean Fried Chicken is non-greasy and light.

Then there’s the sauce. Sauce is kind of a big deal to Koreans and there’s lots of different kind. But my favorite flavor? A basic salty-sweet-spicy sauce (soy sauce + ginger + garlic + corn syrup + chile flakes) that’s all kinds of tasty addictiveness!

Make your next holiday meal special with this Korean Fried Chicken recipe! Everyone will love this finger-licking, lip-smacking dish!

How to Make Korean Fried Chicken:

Marinate the chicken. Preferably overnight but even 30 minutes works.

Right before frying, add the potato starch. That’s what makes it so crispy and crunchy. (You can substitute with corn starch but regular flour will NOT produce the same result.)

Fry the chicken wings twice. The first fry will result in golden and crispy looking wings.

The second fry will result in darker, golden-brown wings and a crunchier coating.

Make the sauce. Coat the chicken wings in the sauce. Garnish and serve. Enjoy!

Print Recipe

Korean Fried Chicken

A thin, crackly batter for maximum crunch. A spicy, sweet sauce that will leave you licking your fingers. The BEST Korean Fried Chicken recipe!!

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time1 hr

Marinating Time30 mins

Total Time1 hr 40 mins

Course: Appetizer, Booze Food, Party Food, Snack

Cuisine: Korean

Keyword: Korean Fried Chicken

Servings: 4

Author: The Subversive Table | Lis Lam

Equipment

• candy thermometer
• Cast Iron Dutch Oven
• Cooling Rack + Sheet Pan

Ingredients

Marinade Ingredients:

• 2 lb chicken wings
• 11/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp ginger powder
• 1/2 tsp curry powder (optional)

Frying ingredients:

• 1/2 cup potato starch or corn starch

Sauce ingredients:

• 1/4 cup neutral oil (I used grapeseed oil)
• 2-3 Tbsp Chinese chile flakes from Asian Grocer (depending on taste)
• 1 inch ginger minced
• 6 cloves garlic minced
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 1/2 cup corn syrup

Garnishes (optional):

• sesame seeds
• 1 green onion chopped
• 1 Tbsp cilantro chopped

Instructions

Instructions:

• Place chicken wings in a large bowl. Add garlic, curry powder, and salt. Mix throughly. Cover and refrigerate, preferably overnight. If cooking right away, do not refrigerate but keep at room temperature.
  
• Right before frying, add potato starch and mix thoroughly with your hands. The potato starch should stick to the chicken wings in a thin coating. Feel free to pat the starch onto the chicken wings firmly with hands.
  

Prepare for deep frying:

• Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Set aside.
• Attach a thermometer to the side of a deep, cast iron Dutch oven. Another alternative is a regular pot with high sides. Add 2-3 inches of cooking oil with a high smoking point. (I use grapeseed oil.) The goal is to add enough oil for the chicken wings to float in the pot and not stick to the bottom.
  
• Wait until the oil temperature reaches 380F. Then, add the chicken wings in batches until golden and crispy, about 8-10 minutes. The temperature will initially dip but keep the oil temperature at 350F for the rest of the cooking time. Drain wings and set aside.
  
• Now it’s time for the second fry. The temperature of the oil will not dip down as much as the first fry. Fry the (already-fried) chicken wings in batches until they are darker and golden-brown in color, about 8-10 minutes per batch, at 350F. The wings are done when they look shrunken and compacted with a very crispy coating. Drain and set aside.
  

Prepare the sauce:

• Add corn syrup, soy sauce, and rice vinegar in a small bowl. Mix throughly with a spoon and set aside.
• Prepare the minced garlic and ginger. Set aside.
• Heat a wok or deep stock pot over medium-high heat and add oil. When hot but not smoking, add chile flakes, garlic, and ginger. Mix around with a spatula or wooden spoon until fragrant and crispy looking, about 1-2 minutes.
• Add the soy sauce mixture and mix until the sauce bubbles vigorously, about 2-4 minutes. Turn off the heat.
• Add the chicken wings and mix with a spatula or wooden spoon until each wing is coated in sauce. Heap onto a platter and garnish with sesame seeds and green onion and/or cilantro Serve with rice, kimchi, and beer.
  

Notes

*I reuse deep-frying oil.  When the oil has cooled to room temperature, drain over a fine mesh sieve into a glass jar with a tight fitting lid.  The oil should keep indefinitely.  (If you feel squeamish about re-using oil this way, just remember that restaurants re-use oil all the time, too.)    

More Korean Food Inspiration:

Korean Donuts

Galbi Jjim aka Korean Braised Short Ribs

Korean Beef Bulgogi

Budae Jjigae aka Army Base Stew