Korean Fried Chicken
Korean fried chicken comes down to two things: a thin, glassy crust and a sticky sweet-spicy glaze. We fry the wings twice — first to cook them through, then in hotter oil to crisp the shell — and only then toss them in a sauce of gochujang, honey and garlic. The crunch holds up even under the glaze, as long as you serve it straight away.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 1 h 5 min
- Servings
- 4
- Level
- Medium
- Per serving
- 730 kcal
Ingredients
For the chicken
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What to use instead
Boneless thighs cut into 5 cm pieces work instead of wings — give them 6–7 minutes for the first fry. Swap the honey for rice syrup, as in Korea.
For the glaze
Makes: 4 servings
Shopping list
The ingredients for the servings you chose — copy them or send them to a messenger. Tick what you already have at home: only the rest goes on the list.
Method
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Step 1: Prep the wings
Cut the wings at the joints into drumettes and flats, saving the tips for stock. Pat them very dry with paper towels and season with the salt and pepper.
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Step 2: Make the batter
Mix the starch, flour and baking powder, pour in the ice-cold water and stir into a thin batter, like pancake batter. Add the wings and toss until each is thinly coated.
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Step 3: First fry
Heat the oil in a deep pan (no more than a third full) to 160°C (320°F). Fry the wings in batches of 6–8 for 8–10 minutes until pale golden. Transfer to a rack.
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Step 4: Cook the glaze
While the wings rest, combine the gochujang, ketchup, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic and water in a small pan. Simmer over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until bubbling and slightly thickened. Take off the heat and stir in the sesame oil.
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Step 5: Second fry
Heat the oil to 180–190°C (355–375°F) and fry the wings in batches for another 2–3 minutes until deep golden and very crisp. The meat next to the bone must reach at least 74°C (165°F).
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Step 6: Toss in the glaze
Tip the hot wings into a large bowl, pour over the warm glaze and toss briskly until each one is coated in a glossy layer.
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Step 7: Serve right away
Pile onto a plate, sprinkle generously with sesame seeds and green onion and serve while the crust is still crunchy.
Tips & variations
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Tip
Never leave hot oil unattended and keep a lid nearby. Lower the wings into the oil away from you so it doesn’t splash towards your hands.
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Swap
Boneless thighs cut into 5 cm pieces work instead of wings — give them 6–7 minutes for the first fry. Swap the honey for rice syrup, as in Korea.
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Variation
For soy-garlic chicken, replace the gochujang and ketchup with 2 tbsp soy sauce and add 2 more garlic cloves.
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Storage
Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheat in a 200°C (400°F) oven for 10 minutes. The crust won’t be as crisp, but the flavour holds up.
Nutrition
| 1 serving | Whole dish 4 servings | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 730 kcal | 2,920 kcal |
| Protein | 40 g | 160 g |
| Fat | 45 g | 180 g |
| Carbohydrates | 42 g | 168 g |
Approximate values calculated from standard ingredient data.
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