Korean fried chicken - double-fried perfection
Korean fried chicken, often shortened to KFC, has taken the world by storm. What sets it apart from other fried chicken is the extra-thin, glassy crisp crust and the sticky, flavour-packed sauce brushed on at the end. It is crispy, sweet, spicy and completely irresistible.
The secret: double frying
The trick behind the signature crispiness is deep-frying the chicken twice. The first round cooks the chicken, while the second round, after a short rest, makes the crust extra crisp and light. The result stays crispy even after the sticky sauce goes on.
What you need
- Chicken wings or pieces
- Potato starch or cornstarch for extra crispiness
- Oil for deep-frying
- For the sauce: gochujang, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, honey and rice vinegar
How to make it
- Toss the chicken pieces in potato starch with a little salt.
- Deep-fry at about 160 degrees until just cooked through, and let them drain.
- Raise the temperature to 190 degrees and fry them once more until golden and crispy.
- Simmer gochujang, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, honey and rice vinegar into a glossy sauce.
- Toss the hot chicken in the sauce just before serving.
The classic sauce
The best-known version is yangnyeom, a sweet and spicy sauce based on gochujang. If you want a milder version, you can make a sauce of soy sauce, garlic and honey. Both give that signature glossy, sticky finish.
Tips for the best result
Use potato starch or cornstarch instead of wheat flour for the lightest, crispiest crust. Don't add too many pieces to the oil at once - the temperature drops and the chicken turns greasy. And toss the chicken in the sauce at the very end, so it stays crispy.
Serving
Serve Korean fried chicken with pickled radish, kimchi and a cold drink. It is perfect finger food for Friday night or when you have guests.
Get the ingredients at FUDI
At FUDI you'll find gochujang, soy sauce, potato starch and pickled radish - everything you need to make Korean fried chicken at home. It is a guaranteed hit that turns any evening into a party.
