Korean Fried Chicken

If you’re a fan of Korean fried chicken, then you know that the perfect Korean fried chicken wings comprise a blend of sweet, spicy, and sticky sauce, juicy, tender, and flavorful meat, and golden, crispy skin.

In this recipe, I’ll show you my secret tips on how to make the ultimate crispy and flavorful Korean fried chicken wings.

It all starts with a simple salt water solution that infuses the chicken with a savory seasoning overnight. Then, coat the chicken in a batter made with Korean fried chicken mix and cold water, giving it an irresistible crunch. Finally, double fry the wings for extra crispiness and toss them in a delicious gochujang sauce for an added kick of flavor.

This recipe is sure to become a favorite for anyone who loves Korean fried chicken or just wants to try something new and delicious.

EQUIPMENT

• mixing bowl (for marinating the chicken)
• heavy-bottomed pot (for deep frying)
• food thermometer (for monitoring the oil temperature)
• wire rack (for cooling the chicken wings)
• gallon Ziploc bag (for dredging the flour)
• nonstick frying pan (for making the gochujang sauce)

INGREDIENTS for Korean fried chicken

• 16 chicken wingettes (can also use drumettes)
• 500 g cold water (about 2 cups)
• 15 g salt (about 2½ tsp)
• 1 tsp Korean chili powder (While it appears red in color, it’s not that spicy.)
• ½ tsp garlic powder (You may replace it with 1 tsp of freshly chopped garlic.)

Coating

• 240 g Korean fried chicken mix (1½ cup; for the batter)
• 240 g cold water (1 cup)
• 240 g Korean fried chicken mix (1½ cup; in the bag)

Other

• vegetable oil for frying (fill the medium pot half full)

Sweet & Spice Sauce (for 8 chicken wingettes)

• 3 tbsp gochujang
• ½ tbsp Korean chili powder
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp ketchup
• 4 tbsp honey (or light corn syrup)
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• 1 tsp sesame seeds

Step-by-step INSTRUCTIONS 

1. In a large bowl, mix the salt, Korean chili powder, and garlic powder (or freshly chopped garlic) with cold water until completely dissolved.

2. Add the chicken wingettes/drumettes to the salt water solution, making sure they are completely submerged. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 8 hours.

3. The next day, remove the chicken wings from the salt water solution and place them on a plate.

4. Mix the Korean fried chicken mix and cold water in a bowl using an equal weight ratio, and whisk them together until fully combined.

5. Pour the batter onto the chicken wingettes, then flip each one so that they are evenly coated with the batter.

6. Add Korean fried chicken mix into a gallon Ziploc bag, place 6 chicken wingettes (batter-coated) into the bag and seal it tightly, leaving some air inside.

7. Shake the bag vigorously until the chicken wingettes are evenly coated with the flour mixture.

8. Take out the chicken wingettes from the Ziploc bag and gently shake off any excess flour mixture. Transfer the coated chicken wingettes onto a large plate. Repeat the process with the remaining chicken wingettes, doing six at a time, until they are all coated with the flour mixture.

9. Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pot to 320°F.

10. Gently add the chicken wingettes to the hot oil and fry them for approximately 3 minutes, or until they turn golden brown and crispy. Adjust the heat level to maintain the oil temperature around 320°F. Place the fried chicken wingettes on a wire rack to drain any excess oil. (Depending on the pot size, you may need to fry the chicken wingettes in multiple batches.)

11. After placing all the chicken wingettes on the wire rack to cool down, increase the temperature of the oil to 355°F. Gently add the chicken wingettes back into the hot oil and fry for another minute, or until they turn crispy and golden brown.(Depending on the pot size, you may need to fry the chicken wingettes in multiple batches.)

12. Remove the chicken wingettes from the oil and place them on a wire rack to drain any excess oil.

13. Add all the sauce ingredients to a nonstick frying pan, stir and thicken the sauce over low heat until bubbling. Toss the fried chicken wingettes with the sauce until they are evenly coated. Serve hot.

Tips for making the perfect Korean fried chicken

1. marinate the chicken in 3% salt water solution

One of the key tips for making perfect Korean fried chicken is to soak the chicken in a 3% salt water solution overnight before cooking. This step not only infuses the chicken with flavor but also helps to keep the meat moist and tender while it cooks. The 3% concentration of salt in the water is a commonly used ratio for brining because it effectively seasons the meat without making it too salty.

In this recipe, we will need to soak the chicken wings in a mixture of salt, Korean chili powder, garlic powder, and cold water for at least 8 hours. So, be sure to give yourself enough time to let the chicken wings sit in the brine before moving on to the next step of the recipe.

2. Use Korean fried chicken mix for the batter

Korean fried chicken mix is a pre-made flour mixture that is typically used for making crispy fried chicken in Korean cuisine. The exact ingredients can vary by brand and recipe, but it typically contains a mixture of flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and various spices such as garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.

As we all know, the key to achieving the ideal crispy texture of Korean fried chicken is to create a thick and even batter. Fortunately, if you have Korean fried chicken mix available, making the perfect batter is effortless – just combine Korean fried chicken mix and cold water at an equal weight ratio of 1:1.

If you don’t have Korean fried chicken mix on hand, you can make a substitute batter by mixing 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp salt garlic powder, 1/4 tsp Korean chili powder, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1/2 cup cold water, and 1 egg.

If possible, I strongly suggest using Korean fried chicken mix if you are able to find it on Amazon or at your local Asian markets. This is because not only does it make the dish easy to prepare, but it also provides an authentic flavor that cannot be replicated with other substitutes.

3. Coat the flour mixure with a Ziploc bag

By placing the chicken wingettes in a large Ziploc bag with the Korean fried chicken mix, sealing the bag, and then shaking the bag vigorously, you create a more consistent and even coating of flour mixture on each piece of chicken.

Comparing with dredging the chicken wings in flour on a plate, this ziploc method also helps to prevent clumping and ensures that the flour mixture adheres well to the chicken wings, resulting in an even and crispy coating when fried.

I coated the 16 chicken wingettes in 3 batches to avoid overcrowding the bag and ensure that all the chicken wingettes are evenly coated with the flour mixture.

4. Double Frying the chicken wings

Double frying is a technique for achieving a crispy exterior and juicy interior in fried chicken. The first frying at a lower temperature (320°F) allows the chicken to cook through without becoming overly browned or crispy. The second frying at a higher temperature (355°F ) then crisps up the exterior without overcooking the interior.

Consistently monitoring and maintaining the oil temperature is crucial when using the double frying technique. When you add raw chicken wings to the hot oil, the oil temperature will rapidly drop, so it’s important to quickly raise the heat to bring the temperature back up to 320°F. Once the desired temperature is reached, the heat can be lowered to maintain a consistent oil temperature.

5. Sweet and spicy gochujang sauce

You may notice that this recipe yields 16 fried chicken wingettes while the sauce provided is only for 8 chicken wingettes.

It is because that the Korean fried chicken wingettes are already flavorful and delicious even without the gochujang sauce. If you’d like to try different textures and flavors of Korean fried chicken, you can coat half of the fried chicken wingettes with the sauce. But if you prefer to skip making the sauce, it’s totally fine as the crispy fried chicken by itself is still enjoyable.

While my homemade gochujang sauce has a shiny and red appearance, it has a sweet and mildly spicy flavor instead of being intensely hot. However, if you are not fond of spicy food, you can opt for a sweet and savory Korean chicken sauce like this one.

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