The BEST Korean Fried Chicken (Dak Gangjeong)
The BEST Korean Fried Chicken. Double frying -- in small batches -- and a light coating of potato starch keep these wings irresistibly crispy and crunchy. A soy garlic sauce will leave you licking your fingers. Juicy chicken wings with an unbeatable crunch!
Servings: 4 as snack
Calories: 608kcal
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
Frying ingredients:
- 1/2 cup potato starch or corn starch
Sauce ingredients:
- 1/4 cup neutral oil (Peanut or Vegetable 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
Garnish:
- sesame seeds
- 2 green onion chopped
- 2 Tbsp cilantro chopped
Instructions
Instructions:
- Marinate chicken. 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.
- Add potato starch. Right before frying, add potato starch and mix thoroughly with 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 vegetable oil.) The goal is to add enough oil for the chicken wings to float in the pot and not stick to the bottom.
- Deep fry 1st time. Wait until the oil temperature reaches 380F. Then, add the chicken wings in batches until golden and crispy, about 6-8 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.
- Deep fry 2nd time. 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 measuring cup. Mix throughly with a spoon and set aside.
- Prepare the minced garlic and ginger. Set aside.
- Make glaze/sauce. Heat a wok or deep stock pot over medium-high heat and add oil. (I use oil from deep frying but be careful, it's hot.) When hot but not smoking, add chili flakes, garlic, and ginger. Mix around with a spatula or wooden spoon until fragrant and crispy looking, about 1 minute.
- Add the corn syrup mixture and mix until the sauce bubbles vigorously, about 2-4 minutes. Turn off the heat.
- Add the chicken wings. Transfer deep fried chicken wings to the wok, directly on top of the sauce. Toss with a spatula or wooden spoon until each wing is coated in sauce.
- Garnish and serve. Transfer to a platter and garnish with sesame seeds and green onion and/or cilantro Serve with ice cold beer!
Notes
Korean Fried Chicken can be made with regular chicken. For best flavor and texture, I recommend smaller-sized chicken with bones and skin. The smaller pieces and inclusion of skin and bone will ensure extra juicy and crispy fried chicken. My recommendations:
- Chicken wings and drummettes
- Chicken thighs and breast (with skin and bone) cut into smaller, bite-sized pieces.
- Chicken drumsticks. Look for smaller ones!
Nutrition
Serving: 0g | Calories: 608kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 3830mg | Potassium: 471mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 256IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 2mg