Korean Fried Chicken (Dakgangjeong)
About this recipe
Korean Fried Chicken, or Dakgangjeong, is a crispy and crunchy delight coated in a sticky, sweet, and spicy sauce. This version is quick to prepare, using bite-sized pieces of boneless chicken that cook up fast, making it perfect for a snack or a meal.
The sauce combines familiar flavors like soy sauce, sesame oil, and gochujang for a kick, ensuring each piece of chicken is well-coated and bursting with flavor.
Ingredient notes
- You can use chicken thighs, breasts, or wings, but wings will take longer to cook.
- If you don't have potato starch, cornstarch is a suitable substitute for dredging the chicken.
- Honey can replace corn syrup in the sauce, but reduce the amount since honey is sweeter.
Tips from Korean Bapsang’s video
- Dredging the chicken in potato starch helps achieve a light and crispy crust. Let the starch absorb moisture from the chicken before frying.
- Double frying the chicken is key to getting it extra crispy; fry it once until lightly golden, then again until golden brown.
- Test the oil temperature by dropping in a piece of cornstarch; it should bubble up when ready.
Good to know
- How many servings does this recipe make?
- This recipe serves 4.
- Can I double the recipe?
- Yes, the recipe is easy to double; just use two or three pounds of chicken.
- What can I use instead of gochujang?
- If you want to make it mild, you can swap gochujang with another tablespoon of soy sauce or use ketchup.
No life story here — the video and the recipe are the whole point. All credit to Korean Bapsang: watch the original on YouTube.
The recipe
Ingredients
Steps
- 1
Prepare the chicken by removing visible fat and cutting it into bite-sized pieces.
- 2
Season the chicken with salt, pepper, minced garlic, and minced ginger. Mix well and let it marinate for a bit.
- 3
In a bowl, combine soy sauce, rice wine (mirin), sesame oil, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, corn syrup (or honey), gochujang, and additional minced garlic and grated ginger to make the sauce. Bring to a boil and then simmer until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.
- 4
Dredge the marinated chicken pieces in potato starch or cornstarch, ensuring they are well coated.
- 5
Heat oil in a deep pot to around 325-330°F (163-165°C). Test the oil with a piece of cornstarch; it should bubble up when ready.
- 6
Fry the chicken in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the pot. Fry until lightly golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Remove and let drain.
- 7
Reheat the oil and fry the chicken a second time until golden brown and crispy. Remove and let drain again.
- 8
Heat the sauce and add the fried chicken, mixing well to coat each piece.
- 9
Garnish with coarsely chopped peanuts or seeds before serving.
Heads up — we had to guess a little:
- Used '1 to 2 tablespoons' for garnish based on common usage in similar recipes.
Credit where it’s due: this recipe was transcribed from Korean Bapsang’s original video on YouTube. Follow them there — it’s their dish.
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