Description
Crispy and flavorful Korean Fried Chicken made with marinated chicken strips coated in a seasoned flour mix, deep-fried to golden perfection, and tossed in a spicy-sweet gochujang sauce. Perfect for a delicious and satisfying meal that balances crunch and bold Asian-inspired flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Marinade
- 4 chicken breasts (approx 700g or 1.5lb), sliced into long thick strips
- 240 ml (1 cup) buttermilk
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1/4 tsp garlic salt
Crispy Coating
- 180 g (1 1/2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic salt
- 1/2 tsp celery salt
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
Frying Oil
- Oil for deep frying (at least 1 litre / 4 cups) – avocado oil recommended, sunflower or canola oil also suitable
Sauce
- 2 tbsp gochujang paste
- 2 tbsp honey
- 4 tbsp brown sugar
- 4 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 2 tsp minced ginger
- 1 tbsp oil (avocado oil, sunflower, or canola)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
Garnish
- 3 spring onions, sliced into thin strips
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 1/2 tsp chilli flakes (red pepper flakes)
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken: Place the chicken strips in a bowl. Add buttermilk, salt, white pepper, and garlic salt. Mix thoroughly, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight to tenderize and infuse flavor.
- Prepare for Frying: Preheat your oven to a low heat setting to keep cooked chicken warm. Heat a large pan with at least 1 liter (4 cups) of vegetable oil or prepare your deep fryer. Test the oil temperature by dropping a small cube of bread; it should rise quickly with bubbling indicating the oil is hot enough.
- Make the Crispy Coating: In a small bowl, combine plain flour, salt, black pepper, garlic salt, celery salt, dried thyme, paprika, baking powder, and chilli flakes. Mix well to distribute spices evenly.
- Coat the Chicken: Remove chicken from the marinade, allowing excess buttermilk to drip off. Dredge each piece thoroughly in the crispy coating mixture, ensuring full coverage. Place coated pieces on a tray. Repeat for all chicken strips.
- Deep Fry the Chicken: When oil is hot, gently add 5 to 6 chicken tenders at a time, avoiding overcrowding to maintain oil temperature and crispiness. Fry for 3-5 minutes until the chicken turns golden brown and is cooked through. Check doneness by cutting a piece to ensure no pink remains inside.
- Keep Chicken Warm: Transfer fried chicken to a tray and place in the oven to keep warm and crispy while you fry the remaining pieces. For extra crispiness, refer to special tips provided in the recipe notes.
- Make the Sauce: Combine gochujang paste, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, minced garlic, minced ginger, vegetable oil, and sesame oil in a saucepan. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes until thickened and glossy.
- Toss Chicken in Sauce: Pour the hot sauce over the fried chicken and toss carefully to coat every piece evenly with the spicy-sweet glaze.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle sliced spring onions, chilli flakes, and sesame seeds over the coated chicken. Serve immediately for best flavor and crunch.
Notes
- Marinating the chicken longer (up to overnight) results in more tender and flavorful meat.
- Testing oil temperature with bread ensures the oil is hot enough for frying; this helps achieve a crispy crust without absorbing excess oil.
- Do not overcrowd the pan when frying to maintain oil temperature and avoid soggy chicken.
- Keeping cooked chicken in a low oven helps maintain crispiness while finishing the batch.
- Use neutral oils with high smoke points like avocado, sunflower, or canola oil for frying.
- Adjust the amount of chilli flakes in the coating and garnish to your preferred spice level.
- For extra crispy chicken, consider double dredging the pieces or letting the coating rest before frying.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Korean
Keywords: Korean fried chicken, crispy fried chicken, gochujang chicken, Korean recipe, fried chicken recipe, spicy chicken, homemade Korean chicken
