Korean Fried Chicken Recipe hits every craving at once: ultra crispy, sticky, sweet, spicy, and garlicky in the best way. It uses simple, budget-friendly ingredients that stretch a pack of chicken into a crowd-pleasing meal in about 1 hour. I first tried a version of this in a tiny NYC spot after work, and I have chased that shatteringly crisp bite in my own kitchen ever since.
Reasons To Try This Korean Fried Chicken Recipe
This Korean Fried Chicken recipe gives you ridiculously crunchy chicken with a thin, craggy crust that stays crisp under a glossy gochujang sauce. The flavor hits sweet, salty, spicy, and tangy all at once, so every bite tastes exciting, not heavy.
You use affordable chicken wings or drumettes, plus pantry ingredients like cornstarch, soy sauce, and garlic. The recipe works for weeknights, game days, or casual parties, and you can adjust the heat level for kids or spice lovers without extra effort.
“This Korean Fried Chicken recipe tastes better than takeout and still crunches after saucing, which blew my mind. ★★★★★”
Ingredients You Need
Chicken
- 2 pounds chicken wings or drumettes, patted very dry
- Use party wings if possible so you skip cutting whole wings.
- You can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1.5 inch chunks for easier eating.
Marinade
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (use low sodium if you prefer)
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon sugar or honey
Mix these in a large bowl, then coat the chicken. This quick marinade seasons the meat and adds a light tang.
Crispy Coating
- 1 cup potato starch or cornstarch
- Potato starch gives the crunchiest crust, but cornstarch still works great.
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika
Toss the marinated chicken in this dry mix right before frying. The starch and baking powder help the crust puff and crisp.
Korean Fried Chicken Sauce
- 3 tablespoons gochujang (Korean red chili paste)
- I like brands such as Chung Jung One or Bibigo for balanced heat.
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons honey or brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
Whisk this in a small bowl. Adjust gochujang for more or less heat.
Garnishes
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- Optional: thinly sliced red chili or jalapeño for extra kick
Oil and Equipment
- Neutral frying oil, enough for 2 to 3 inches in your pot
- Heavy pot or Dutch oven
- Wire rack set over a sheet pan
- Tongs or chopsticks
- Instant read thermometer for oil and chicken
- Medium saucepan for the sauce
Tips
- Pat the chicken very dry before marinating to keep the crust crisp.
- Marinate at least 20 minutes, but keep it under 4 hours so the texture stays juicy.
- Coat the chicken right before frying so the starch does not turn gummy.
- Heat the oil to 325 to 330°F for the first fry and 350 to 360°F for the second fry.
- Fry in small batches so the oil temperature stays steady.
- Place fried chicken on a wire rack, not paper towels, to keep the crust crunchy.
- Toss the chicken in sauce right before serving, not earlier.
- Thin the sauce with a splash of water if it looks too thick to coat.
- Taste the sauce and adjust sweetness, salt, and heat before you add the chicken.
- Use an instant read thermometer and pull chicken at 165°F internal temperature.
How to Make Korean Fried Chicken
1: Marinate the chicken
Place the dried chicken pieces in a large bowl. Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, salt, pepper, and sugar. Toss everything until the chicken looks evenly coated, then cover and chill for 20 to 30 minutes while you prep the sauce and coating.
2: Mix the crispy coating
In another large bowl, whisk potato starch, flour, baking powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and paprika. Take the chicken out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes. Toss the chicken in the starch mixture, pressing the coating onto each piece so it clings and forms little craggy bits.
3: Heat the oil
Pour oil into a heavy pot so it reaches about halfway up the sides. Clip on a thermometer and heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches 325 to 330°F. Adjust the heat as needed and keep an eye on the temperature so it stays in that range.
4: First fry for tender chicken
Shake excess starch from each piece of chicken, then gently lower a few pieces into the hot oil. Fry in batches for 6 to 8 minutes, turning occasionally, until the coating turns pale golden and the chicken looks set. Transfer the chicken to a wire rack over a sheet pan and let it rest while you finish the first fry for all batches.
5: Make the Korean fried chicken sauce
While the chicken rests, place gochujang, ketchup, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, water, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil in a saucepan. Set the pan over low to medium heat and whisk until the sauce looks smooth and glossy. Let it bubble gently for 2 to 3 minutes so the flavors meld, then turn off the heat and taste for seasoning.
6: Second fry for extra crunch
Increase the oil temperature to 350 to 360°F. Fry the chicken a second time in batches for 2 to 4 minutes, until the crust turns deep golden and super crisp and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Move the chicken back to the wire rack so excess oil drips off and the crust stays crunchy.
7: Sauce and garnish
Rewarm the sauce over low heat if it thickened too much. Place the hot chicken in a large bowl, drizzle on enough sauce to coat, and toss gently until every piece glistens. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, sliced green onions, and optional chili slices, then serve right away.
Different Ways to Try It
- Gluten free: Use gluten free soy sauce or tamari and gluten free gochujang, and skip the all purpose flour in the coating.
- Lower carb: Reduce the honey or sugar in the sauce and use a low carb sweetener that tolerates heat.
- Less spicy: Cut the gochujang in half and add more ketchup or a spoon of tomato paste for body.
- Extra spicy: Add a teaspoon of Korean red pepper flakes or a little hot sauce to the gochujang sauce.
- Oven baked version: Toss marinated chicken in starch, spray with oil, and bake on a rack at 425°F until crisp, then sauce.
- Air fryer version: Air fry coated chicken at 380°F until cooked and crisp, flipping once, then toss in warm sauce.
- Veggie version: Use extra firm tofu or cauliflower florets, coat and fry or air fry, then sauce the same way.
How to Serve Korean Fried Chicken
Serve Korean Fried Chicken hot and freshly sauced so the crust stays crunchy and the glaze tastes sticky and glossy. Pair it with steamed white rice, kimchi, and quick pickled cucumbers for a full Korean style plate. Kids often love it with plain rice and a side of carrot sticks or cabbage slaw. For drinks, pour iced tea, sparkling water, or a cold citrus soda to balance the spice.
Make-Ahead and Storage Success
Fry the chicken once ahead of time, cool it on a rack, and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. When you want to serve, refry the chicken at 350 to 360°F for a few minutes to revive the crunch, then toss in freshly warmed sauce. You can also reheat in an air fryer at 375°F until hot and crisp. Store leftover sauced chicken in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheat in a hot oven or air fryer, knowing the crust will soften a bit but still taste delicious.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Pat the chicken wings and drumettes dry with paper towels and place them in a large bowl.
- Season with salt, black pepper, soy sauce, rice wine, minced garlic, and grated ginger. Toss to coat evenly, then let marinate for at least 15–20 minutes at room temperature or up to 2 hours in the refrigerator.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together potato starch, flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually whisk in the cold water until you get a smooth, slightly thick batter that can coat the chicken. Add a splash more water if it seems too thick.
- Pour the frying oil into a deep, heavy pot and heat to 325°F (165°C). Maintain enough oil depth so the chicken pieces can float without crowding.
- Dip each marinated chicken piece into the batter, letting excess drip off.
- Carefully add battered chicken pieces to the hot oil in batches, avoiding overcrowding.
- Fry for 7–8 minutes, turning occasionally, until lightly golden and partially cooked through. Remove to a wire rack or paper towel–lined tray to drain. Allow the oil to return to temperature between batches.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
- Add gochujang, ketchup, soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, and minced garlic. Stir continuously until the mixture is smooth and begins to bubble gently, 2–3 minutes.
- Stir in the rice vinegar, then reduce the heat to low and keep the sauce warm, stirring occasionally so it does not burn.
- Increase the oil temperature to 350–365°F (175–185°C).
- Return the par-fried chicken pieces to the hot oil in batches and fry for another 4–6 minutes, until deep golden brown and very crispy.
- Transfer the chicken to a clean wire rack to drain and cool slightly so the crust stays crisp.
- Place the hot, double-fried chicken in a large mixing bowl.
- Pour the warm Korean sauce over the chicken and gently toss with tongs or a spatula until each piece is evenly coated.
- Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions.
- Serve immediately while hot and crispy, alongside pickled radish and cold beer if desired.
Notes
Approximate per serving (about 1/4 of recipe): 620 calories; fat 34 g; saturated fat 9 g; carbohydrates 49 g; fiber 1 g; sugars 20 g; protein 28 g; sodium 1180 mg. Values are estimates and will vary based on exact ingredients, oil absorption, and portion size.