Crispy-coated Korean Fried Chicken (the other KFC) is smothered in a sweet, spicy sauce that’s absolutely addictive!
The best Korean Fried Chicken recipe is easy to make and has rich, complex flavors! Buttermilk-battered chicken tenders loaded with tons of seasonings are pan-fried to a golden brown and served with a sticky sauce made of honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and Gochujang spicy chili. This sauce is a game-changer!
Korean Fried Chicken – The OTHER KFC!
Korean-style fried chicken (KFC) almost defies description! It’s part Asian-style boneless chicken wings, part General Tso’s chicken, and part sesame chicken, but the Gochujang sauce is the magic ingredient that makes it distinctively delicious!
Fried chicken has been very popular in Korea for more than 50 years! It’s a take-out staple, a vendor-made street food, and a family favorite! It’s served as an appetizer, eaten for dinner with rice or noodles, or loaded onto bao buns for the best sandwich ever!
Other Recipes to Serve with Recipe Title
- Cucumber and Onion Salad is tangy and fresh and beautifully balances the sticky sweetness of Korean Fried Chicken!
- You can’t go wrong with this Asian Ramen Salad that’s light, crispy, and full of flavor!
Ingredients
Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breast (cut into strips) is absolutely ideal for making Korean Fried Chicken!
Marinade: Buttermilk is the foundation for this marinade, seasoned with garlic pepper, sea salt, and ground pepper for a great flavor!
Coating: The chicken strips are coated with all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and pepper, plus a plethora of pantry seasonings like paprika, garlic powder, thyme, chili flakes, celery salt, ground ginger, and cayenne—so yum!
Sauce: The sticky sauce is the star of this show! It’s made from honey, brown sugar, low-sodium soy sauce, sesame oil, minced garlic, ketchup, and Gochujang (Korean chili paste/sauce). This stuff is spectacular!
Garnish: Sesame seeds and sliced green onions. Finish this dish with a crunchy tang and gorgeous presentation!
How to Make Korean Fried Chicken
STEP ONE: Whisk together the marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and stir to coat. Then cover the bowl in plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours to overnight.
STEP TWO: When ready to begin cooking, preheat the oven to 200 degrees F to keep the cooked chicken warm, as you’ll cook in batches. Pour about 2 inches of vegetable oil into a deep-sided pan and place over medium heat. While the oil is heating up, mix all the ingredients for the coating together in a medium mixing bowl.
STEP THREE: Remove the chicken from the fridge and strain off the excess buttermilk. Then, coat about 1/3 of the chicken with the flour mixture. (You will coat the remaining chicken in batches while the previous pieces get fried.) Set the breaded, uncooked chicken on a plate.
STEP FOUR: Place half of the chicken pieces (about 1/2 pound) in the hot oil, ensuring space between them. (It will take 5-6 batches to cook all the chicken.) Cook for about 4 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Place the cooked chicken on a paper towel-lined plate to drain the oil, and then transfer to a baking sheet in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining chicken.
STEP FIVE: Add all the sauce ingredients to a small saucepan and stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium heat and then lower to a simmer. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce becomes thick and sticky.
STEP SIX: Remove the chicken from the oven. Use a pastry brush to coat each piece of chicken thoroughly with the sauce. Then, garnish with sesame seeds and green onion. ENJOY!
Tips for Success
- If you aren’t keeping the chicken warm in the oven, add the sauce as soon as it comes out of the frying pan. Waiting until the chicken has cooled before adding the sauce can cause the breading to break off.
- Before marinating, soak the raw chicken in a saltwater solution (2-3%) to infuse the chicken with extra flavor and ensure extra juicy meat!
- Use a ziplock plastic bag to “shake” the coating evenly and easily onto all the chicken.
What is Gochujang Sauce?
Gochujang Sauce is the not-so-secret ingredient to Korean Fried Chicken, but you may have never heard of it before! Gochujang (pronounced just like it looks – Go-Chew-Jang) is a red chili paste fermented to give it a sweet and spicy taste. It’s very popular in Korean cooking and is an amazing addition to many of your favorite Asian marinade recipes! Now that you’ve read about it, you’ll notice it on the grocery store shelves!
What Do You Serve with Korean Fried Chicken?
The beauty of this sweet, sticky, spicy, savory chicken is that it goes with almost everything and yet it securely stands alone! Traditionally, KFC is eaten as a street food with nothing but a good beer. But it’s also served as an appetizer and a main course! So, obviously, a side of rice noodles or fried rice is perfect! Steamed dumplings, spring rolls, and pickled veggies are also great traditional sides! And best of all, the perfect Korean accompaniment for fried chicken is kimchi!
Other Best Ever Chicken Recipes!
- Air Fryer Fried Chicken
- Honey BBQ Chicken Wings
- Nashville Hot Chicken
- Southern Oven-Fried Chicken
- Honey Mustard Chicken Kabobs
- Sesame Chicken
Equipment
- Deep Sided Skillet or Large Pot
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 2-3 inch strips
- Vegetable oil for frying
Coating
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon celery salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
Sauce
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 3 tablespoons Korean chili sauce (gochujang)
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup light brown sugar not packed
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
Garnishes
- Sesame seeds
- Green onions sliced
Instructions
- To a large mixing bowl, add the buttermilk, salt, pepper, and garlic powder and whisk together. Add the chicken pieces and stir to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and marinate in the fridge for 3 hours or overnight.
- When you are ready to start cooking, preheat your oven to 200 degrees F so you can keep the fried chicken warm while you’re cooking the subsequent batches.
- Pour enough oil to fill a deep-sided pan about 2 inches up the side and place over medium heat. (You may have to adjust the temperature from time to time to maintain a 350-degree F oil temperature as it will drop a bit with each new batch).
- While the oil is heating, whisk together all ingredients to make the coating in a medium mixing bowl.
- Take the chicken out of the fridge and either strain the excess buttermilk from the chicken or just shake off each piece as you take it from the bag. Coat each piece of chicken seasoned flour and set aside on a plate. (I bread 1/3 of the chicken to start and then begin cooking. Then I bread the other piece while the previous batch is frying.)
- When the oil is hot enough, place about 1/2 pound of chicken in the pan, you don't want to overcrowd. (I usually end up cooking the chicken in 5-6 batches total.) Cook for about 4 minutes or until an instant read thermometer reads 165 degrees F internal temperature. Thinner pieces will cook faster, so keep an eye on them.
- Use a spider strainer or tongs to remove the chicken from the hot oil. Place the pieces on a paper towel-lined plate for a few minutes to drain any excess oil. Then transfer the chicken to a baking sheet in the warm oven. Repeat frying until all of the chicken is cooked.
- Make the sauce by adding all the ingredients to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and then lower to a simmer. Stir often for 5 minutes until the sauce becomes thick and sticky and coats the back of a spoon.
- Use a pastry brush to coat the fried chicken in the sauce (see note). Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onion before serving warm.
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