Description
This Spicy Korean Fried Chicken recipe features crispy, tender chicken pieces marinated in a flavorful blend of gochujang, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and chili flakes, then coated in a seasoned flour and batter mix before being deep-fried to perfection. Finally, the chicken is tossed in a spicy-sweet sauce made from gochujang, brown sugar, and fresh chillies, and garnished with sesame seeds and spring onions for an authentic Korean-inspired dish bursting with bold flavors.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken
- 4 chicken breasts, cut into small pieces (or thighs, use whichever you prefer)
Marinade
- 2 tablespoons gochujang
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/2 tablespoon minced ginger
- 2 teaspoons chili flakes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
Coating
- 250g plain flour
- 250g corn flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 80ml water
- 2 eggs
Sauce
- 120ml water
- 5 tablespoons gochujang
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons chili flakes
- 2 green chillies, chopped (such as Thai chili peppers)
Extras
- Sesame seeds, to sprinkle on top
- 1 spring onion, finely chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken: In a large bowl, combine the chicken pieces with all the marinade ingredients—gochujang, soy sauce, lemon juice, minced garlic, minced ginger, chili flakes, salt, and white pepper. Mix thoroughly to ensure all pieces are coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight for deeper flavor infusion.
- Prepare the coating: In a bowl, mix together the plain flour, corn flour, salt, garlic powder, and white pepper. This will be your dry coating mixture.
- Make the batter: Take half of the flour mixture and place it in a separate bowl. Add the eggs and 80ml of water, whisking well to create a smooth batter that is slightly thin but thick enough to coat the chicken. Adjust the consistency by adding more flour if too thin or more water if too thick.
- Coat the chicken: Add the marinated chicken to the batter, mixing well so each piece is evenly coated. Remove a piece, shake off any excess batter, then dredge it thoroughly in the remaining dry flour mixture, pressing the flour to adhere well to the chicken.
- Repeat coating: Continue coating all the chicken pieces in this manner. Place the coated chicken pieces on a wire rack to rest while you prepare to fry.
- Heat the oil: Preheat oil in a deep pan or fryer to 180°C (356°F). The oil should be deep enough to fully submerge the chicken pieces for even frying.
- Fry the chicken: Carefully fry the coated chicken in batches to avoid overcrowding, cooking each batch for approximately 8 minutes. Cooking time depends on the size and thickness of the pieces—ensure the chicken is cooked through by cutting a piece if unsure. The coating should be golden brown and crispy.
- Drain the chicken: Remove the fried chicken from the oil and place it on a wire rack to drain excess oil and maintain crispiness.
- Make the sauce: In a pot, combine water, gochujang, brown sugar, chili flakes, and chopped green chillies. Bring to medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once it reaches a boil, let it simmer for 1-2 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Coat the chicken in sauce: Toss the fried chicken pieces in the prepared sauce until well coated. Transfer to a serving plate.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle sesame seeds and chopped spring onion over the coated chicken. Serve immediately and enjoy this spicy Korean fried chicken hot, perfect as a flavorful appetizer or main dish.
Notes
- You can use chicken thighs instead of breasts for juicier results.
- Adjust the amount of chili flakes and fresh chillies according to your preferred spice level.
- Make sure the oil temperature stays around 180°C for perfect frying; too low and the chicken will be greasy, too high and it might burn.
- Allow the chicken to rest on a wire rack after frying to keep it crisp.
- This chicken is best enjoyed fresh but can be reheated in the oven to retain crispiness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 250g)
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
