Korean Fried Chicken {Yangnyeom Chicken}
Try this finger-licking-good recipe for spicy Korean fried chicken (KFC) - double fried until extra crispy, then tossed in a sticky, sweet and spicy sauce.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 2 pounds chicken about 16 drumettes and wingettes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- pinch black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1/2 cup potato starch or corn starch (or deep-frying mix)
- 5-6 cups oil for frying
For the sauce:
- 2 tablespoons grated onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons rice wine or mirin
- 2 - 3 tablespoons hot sauce I used Frank’s Original
- 4 tablespoons chili sauce or ketchup I used Heinz chili sauce
- 2 tablespoons gochujang Korean red chili pepper paste
- 2 tablespoons corn syrup or honey
- 1 tablespoon sugar or more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon honey dijon mustard - optional
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
For the garnish:
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Wash chicken wings, and drain thoroughly. Mix with the salt, pepper, and ginger. Marinate for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Heat a pan over medium-low heat. Add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and then the onion, garlic, and ginger. Stir for a minute until fragrant. Add all other sauce ingredients, and stir well. Simmer until it thickens slightly, about 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the heat off.
- Remove any excess water from the marinated chicken. Add the potato (or corn) starch to the chicken, and toss well to coat evenly.
- Add the oil to a deep fryer, wok, or large pot. Heat the oil to 320°F. Using tongs or chopsticks, drop the chicken in the oil, one piece at a time. Fry them in two batches. Cook until lightly golden, about 5 to 7 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken wings. Remove them with a wire skimmer or a slotted spoon. Drain on a wire rack or in a large mesh strainer set on a bowl.
- Reheat the oil to 370°F. Add the chicken (you can do this in one batch for the second frying), and deep fry again, for 2 to 3 minutes, until lightly golden brown. Drain on a wire rack or in a large mesh strainer set on a bowl.
- Heat the sauce over medium-low heat. Add the chicken, and stir well until the chicken wings are evenly coated. Sprinkle with sesame seeds to serve.
Notes
Add 1 teaspoon gochugaru (Korean red chili pepper flakes), preferably fine grounds, to the sauce ingredients, if you like it very spicy. You can grind coarse gochugaru in a spice grinder if you don't have fine grounds.
If you let the oil temperature go up too high, turn the heat off until it cools down to the desired temperature.
If you let the oil temperature go up too high, turn the heat off until it cools down to the desired temperature.