Name: Korean Fried Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 Chicken Breasts; 1 teaspoon Salt; 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper; 1 1/2 teaspoon Crushed Garlic and Ginger; Juice of 1/2 lemon; 50 g Flour; 50 g Cornstarch; 1 teaspoon Salt; 120 ml Water; 1 l Vegetable Oil; 1 tablespoon Chili Flakes; 1 tablespoon Paprika; 1 tablespoon Crushed Garlic and Ginger; 1 tablespoon Ketchup; 1 1/2 tablespoon Soy Sauce or Worcester Sauce; 3 1/2 tablespoon Honey; 1 Spring Onion; 30 g Peanuts

Korean Fried Chicken is truly a game-changer when it comes to flavor and texture. What sets it apart is the ultra-crispy, golden-brown coating, which is achieved through the magic of double frying. This technique ensures that each piece has the perfect crunch, while still keeping the chicken tender and juicy on the inside. Furthermore, the sweet and spicy glaze sauce takes the chicken to the next level, adding layers of bold and addictive flavor.

Recipe

I first discovered Korean Fried Chicken at a restaurant in London, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Over time, it quickly became one of my all-time favorite dishes, and I now enjoy recreating it at home. What I love most is that it’s surprisingly simple to make, requiring no fancy ingredients. In fact, with just a few staples like ketchup, honey, and soy sauce, along with the technique of double frying, you can achieve that crispy, flavorful chicken you crave.

What I love most about this recipe is how customizable it is. You can adjust the spice level of the sauce to suit your taste, and you can serve it with rice, noodles, or even stuff it into bao buns for a fun twist. Whether you’re making it for a casual dinner or serving it to impress guests, Korean Fried Chicken never disappoints. It’s the perfect balance of crispy, juicy, sweet, and spicy, a must-try for any fried chicken lover!

Jump to:

⭐Why You'll Love This Korean Fried Chicken
🧾Korean Fried Chicken Ingredients
👩🏻‍🍳How to Make Korean Fried Chicken
💭Tips for Recipe Success
🍗More Chicken Recipes!
🍛More Appetizer Recipes!
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

⭐Why You'll Love This Korean Fried Chicken

Easy but impressive: It may seem like a special dish, but it’s actually pretty easy to make, and I’m sure everyone will be impressed when you serve it!
Crispy outside, juicy inside: The double frying makes the chicken extra crispy while keeping the inside nice and tender. It’s that perfect crunch you’ll love with every bite!
Delicious sauce: The sweet and spicy sauce is so good! It’s got that perfect balance of tangy ketchup, honey, and a little kick from the chili flakes.

🧾Korean Fried Chicken Ingredients

Here’s the breakdown of what’s in this Korean Fried Chicken recipe:

For the Chicken and Marinade:

Chicken Breasts: I go for chicken breasts as they’re lean, easy to cut into bite-sized pieces, and soak up the flavors really well. You can use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts.
Salt & Black Pepper: These two are simple but essential! They bring out the natural flavor of the chicken and make sure it’s not bland.
Crushed Garlic & Ginger: This combo is a must! It adds a deep, warm, slightly spicy flavor that makes the chicken taste amazing, even before frying.
Lemon Juice: I love adding lemon juice as it helps tenderize the chicken and gives a little fresh tang that balances out the richness later.

Coating:

Flour & Cornstarch: Mixing these two is the secret to getting that super crispy coating.
Salt: A little salt in the batter ensures the crispy outside has flavor, not just the chicken inside.
Water: This helps turn the dry ingredients into a batter that sticks perfectly to the chicken.
Vegetable Oil: The key to deep frying! It cooks the chicken evenly and gives that golden, crunchy outside.

For the Korean Fried Chicken Sauce:

Chili Flakes & Paprika: These give the sauce a little heat and smokiness. I love how they add just the right amount of spice without being overpowering.
Crushed Garlic & Ginger: Just like in the marinade, they bring a bold, punchy flavor that makes the sauce rich and full of depth.
Ketchup: I use ketchup because it gives the sauce a nice tangy sweetness and helps make it thick and smooth.
Soy Sauce or Worcester Sauce: This adds that deep, savory umami flavor that balances out the sweetness from the honey.
Honey: I love how honey makes the sauce sticky and glossy while adding just the right amount of sweetness to counter the spice.

Garnish:

Spring Onion: It adds a fresh, slightly sharp bite that cuts through the richness of the sauce and fried chicken.
Peanuts: I like throwing in some peanuts as they bring an extra crunch and a little nutty flavor that works so well with the sweet and spicy sauce.

See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

👩🏻‍🍳How to Make Korean Fried Chicken

These step-by-step instructions and photos will help you to visualize how to make this recipe. See the recipe card for a printable version of this recipe.

1. Dice the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and marinate with salt, black pepper, crushed garlic, ginger, and lemon juice for at least 30 minutes.

2. In a separate bowl, mix flour, corn-starch, salt, and water to create a batter, then dip the marinated chicken pieces into the batter, ensuring they are fully coated.

3. Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan or fryer to 350°F (180°C), and fry the coated chicken pieces until golden brown and crispy. Remove the chicken, drain excess oil, and fry again for an even crispier texture.

4. In a small bowl, mix chili flakes, paprika, garlic, ginger, ketchup, soy sauce (or Worcestershire sauce), and honey. Cook the sauce until it thickens and becomes glossy. Toss the fried chicken in the sauce and garnish with chopped peanuts and spring onions before serving.

💭Tips for Recipe Success

Double fry for extra crunch: The first fry cooks the chicken, but the second fry makes it super crispy. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes after the first fry, then fry it again until golden brown. This is the secret to that perfect crunch!

Use cornstarch in the batter: Mixing flour with cornstarch makes a huge difference. Cornstarch gives the coating that extra crispiness you want in Korean fried chicken. Just flour won’t do the trick!

Make sure the oil is hot enough: If the oil isn’t around 350°F (180°C), the chicken will absorb too much oil and turn greasy instead of crispy. I always test by dropping a little batter in, if it sizzles and floats, it’s ready!

Don’t drown the chicken in the sauce: I coat just enough to get that bold, sticky flavor without making the chicken soggy. Too much sauce takes away the crunch, and that’s the best part!

Storage: Store leftover Korean fried chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep the sauce separate, and reheat in the oven or air fryer for the best crispiness.