Best Homemade Korean Fried Chicken
About this recipe
Korean fried chicken is a crispy, flavorful dish that's loved for its juicy meat and crunchy exterior. This recipe from Nick's Kitchen takes it up a notch with a double frying technique and two delicious sauces: Yangnyeom and soy garlic.
The marinade, which includes rice wine or a mix of apple juice and rice vinegar, smashed garlic, and ginger, ensures the chicken stays juicy while frying. Plus, the addition of pickled daikon radish serves as a perfect palate cleanser, balancing the richness of the chicken.
Ingredient notes
- You can substitute rice wine with apple juice and rice vinegar if needed.
- Rice syrup can be replaced with honey in the sauce.
Tips from Nick's Kitchen’s video
- Cut the chicken into uniform 2-inch chunks for even cooking.
- Double frying at different temperatures ensures the chicken is cooked through and achieves a crispy texture.
- Using potato starch in the dredge helps create a shatteringly crispy crust, similar to that of perfect French fries.
Good to know
- How long should I marinate the chicken?
- Marinate the chicken at room temperature for 30-60 minutes.
- What are the two sauces for the chicken?
- The two sauces are Yangnyeom sauce and soy garlic sauce.
- Why is potato starch used in the dredge?
- Potato starch gives the chicken a shatteringly crispy crunch.
- What temperature should I fry the chicken at?
- First fry at 300°F (150°C) for cooking, then increase to 350°F (175°C) for crisping.
No life story here — the video and the recipe are the whole point. All credit to Nick's Kitchen: watch the original on YouTube.
The recipe
Ingredients
Steps
- 1
Combine rice wine (or apple juice and rice vinegar), smashed garlic, grated ginger, salt, and pepper in a bowl to create the marinade.
- 2
Cut the boneless skinless chicken thighs into 2-inch chunks and add them to the marinade, ensuring they are fully coated.
- 3
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the chicken marinate at room temperature for 30-60 minutes.
- 4
Prepare the pickled radish by combining water, rice wine vinegar, sugar, and salt in a pot over high heat. Bring to a boil until the sugar and salt dissolve.
- 5
Pour the pickling liquid over the sliced daikon radish, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- 6
For the Yangnyeom sauce, combine Gochujang, sugar, rice syrup, ketchup, soy sauce, minced garlic, rice vinegar, Gochugaru, and toasted sesame oil in a pan over medium heat. Cook for 6-7 minutes until glossy.
- 7
For the soy garlic sauce, heat toasted sesame oil in a pan over low heat, add minced garlic, and stir for 2-3 minutes to avoid burning.
- 8
Add soy sauce, sugar, rice syrup, and mirin to the garlic, increase heat to medium, and cook for 4-5 minutes until thickened, stirring constantly.
- 9
Prepare the dry dredge by coating the marinated chicken pieces in potato starch, ensuring they are fully coated.
- 10
Heat oil in a deep fryer or pot to 300°F (150°C) and fry the chicken in batches for 6-8 minutes until cooked through, then place on a wire rack to drain.
- 11
Increase the oil temperature to 350°F (175°C) and fry the chicken again until golden brown and crispy, monitoring the temperature closely.
- 12
Toss the fried chicken in the Yangnyeom sauce or serve with the soy garlic sauce on the side. Garnish with chopped green onions and toasted sesame seeds, and serve with pickled radish.
Heads up — we had to guess a little:
- Estimated quantity for daikon radish based on typical serving size.
- Estimated quantity for sauces based on common recipes.
Credit where it’s due: this recipe was transcribed from Nick's Kitchen’s original video on YouTube. Follow them there — it’s their dish.
Are you Nick's Kitchen? Claim this page or ask us to take it down. Your call, always.
