Korean fried chicken with a thin, crackly crust that’s glazed with a delicious soy garlic or red spicy sauce!
I know you’re reading this because you love Korean fried chicken! It’s such a culinary pleasure to bite through the well-seasoned, crunchy crust that reveals juicy chicken underneath. This Korean fried chicken recipe will give you that thin, crispy and crunchy crust along with two delicious sauce options — soy garlic and red spicy sauce!
Also known as “the other KFC,” Korean fried chicken is highly popular in and outside of Korea. Over the last three or four decades, the Korean fried chicken industry has grown exponentially. There are fast food fried chicken chains and mom-and-pop places in uncountable numbers, each with their own techniques, secret ingredients and variations.
Among many delicious variations of fried chicken in Korea, yangnyeom chicken is one of the most popular ones. Literally meaning “seasoned chicken,” yangnyeom chicken is fried chicken smothered in a spicy red sauce. The ingredients used in yangnyeom sauce vary widely, including gochujang, ketchup, hot sauce, strawberry jam, etc. It started out being thick and heavy, but the current trend is a thinner, lighter sauce.
In Korea, Gyochon Chicken is the biggest fried chicken chain, while Bonchon is the best known Korean fried chicken chain in the U.S. Both are famous for their thin, crackly crust and two types of glazes — soy garlic and red spicy.
This Korean fried chicken recipe is my take on Gyochon and Bonchon style fried chicken.
As I mentioned in my dakgangjeong recipe, another popular type, fried chicken is often enjoyed with beer, and that combination is called ChiMaek (치맥), chi from chicken (치킨) and maek from maekju (맥주, the Korean word for beer). It’s a relatively new term that reflects the casual dining and drinking culture.
The chicken
For this recipe, I used chicken wings, separated into drumettes and wingettes/flats, but any small cut(s) of chicken works. In Korea, it’s common to cut up a small sized whole chicken for frying.
It’s common in Korea to brine the chicken in a flavorful solution for a day or two. I simply season the chicken with a little bit of salt, pepper and ginger. For best results, let it sit for 2 hours or longer (overnight to 24 hours) in the fridge.
The batter
Dry or wet batter? In my old recipe, I simply used potato starch (or cornstarch). It’s a simple way to create a thin, crispy and crunchy crust. You can still do that if you like, using 1/2 cup cornstarch or potato starch and rubbing it well on to each chicken piece. It’s a gluten free option. I included this as Batter option 1 in the recipe card.
However, in Korea, fried chicken is more commonly made with wet batter. Some people simply use frying mix (aka tempura mix) to make wet batter, and there’s even frying mix specifically made for chicken. Some use a combination of frying mix and starch to add extra crunch. Frying mix usually is seasoned and contains baking powder, so you can create it with all-purpose flour if you don’t have frying mix. I’ll add a note in the recipe card as to how you can modify all-purpose flour for this recipe.
I’ve experimented with different ratios and settled with a 2 to 1 ratio of frying mix to starch, which is 1/2 cup frying mix and 1/4 cup potato starch (or cornstarch) for this recipe.
These dry ingredients mixed with the equal amount of water (3/4 cup) creates a delicately thin crust that’s deeper in color but lighter in texture than that of starch alone. You can use a little more water for a thinner crust. Likewise, use less water for a thicker crust. To create a thin crust, I don’t dredge the chicken in the dry mix before or after dipping in the wet batter.
The crust stands up very well to the sauce. Better yet, the chicken stays crunchy for several hours even after coated with the sauce. Also, since the crust is lightly seasoned from the frying mix, the fried chicken is delicious as is without the sauce.
Frying the chicken
To deep-fry wings, the Korean technique usually calls for frying them at a relatively low temperature (320-330°F) and then fry them again at a higher temperature (350-360°F). Let the chicken cool down for a few minutes in between, so the remaining moisture escapes. The first frying can be done ahead of time. Fry the chicken in two batches for the first frying, but you can fry them all together for the second frying.
The sauce
Korean fried chicken largely comes in two different types of sauces – mild soy garlic and red spicy, although they are called differently in some cases. You can choose one or make both to have ban/ban (half/half).
You can either toss the fried chicken pieces in the sauce or hand-brush them. The latter is what famous chicken places boast about doing in order to keep the crust crunchy longer. With the brushing method, you can also adjust the amount of the sauce on each piece to your liking.
Red spicy sauce
This sweet and spicy red sauce is slightly thinner and lighter than my original yangnyeom chicken sauce if you tried it. It’s not too spicy, but you can always adjust to your taste. I use gochujang along with some hot sauce for its unique tangy flavor and heat. If you don’t want to add any extra heat, use ketchup instead of hot sauce. If you’re not using a hot sauce, add some vinegar (rice, white, or apple cider).
For the sweetness, I use a combination of honey and sugar. You can use corn syrup or oligo syrup instead. Garlic is a must, but some ginger is good too if you like.
Soy garlic sauce
This soy sauce based sauce is great especially for those who are not a fan of spicy food. Soy sauce, honey and garlic are the prominent ingredients for this sauce that creates the crispy candid exterior when glazed on the chicken.
Watch how to make it
More Chicken Recipes
Dakgangjeong (Sweet Crispy Korean Fried Chicken)
Baked Chicken Wings
Dak Bulgogi (Chicken Bulgogi)
Dak Galbi (Spicy Stir-fried Chicken)
Jjimdak (Braised Chicken)
For more Korean cooking inspiration, follow along on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 2 pounds chicken wings (about 16 drumettes and wingettes)
- 1.5 teaspoons salt (use 1 ts if using table salt)
- pinch black pepper (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 4-5 cups oil for frying about 2-inch deep (use deep, bottom heavy, medium size pot or pan)
For the dry batter option
- 1/2 cup potato starch (or cornstarch)
For the wet batter option
- 1/2 cup frying mix (aka tempura mix) or all-purpose flour with 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and optional 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or onion powder.
- 1/4 cup potato starch (or cornstarch)
- 3/4 cup water
For the red spicy sauce (See note 1)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice wine (or mirin) or other cooking wine
- 1 tablespoon or 1.5 tablespoons gochujang
- 1 tablespoon or 2 tablespoons hot sauce (sriracha, tabasco, Franks Original, etc.) You can use 2 Tbs ketchup instead along with a teaspoon vinegar, if you don't want extra heat.
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey (or 2.5 tablespoons corn syrup, rice syrup, or oligo syrup)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon honey dijon mustard - optional
- 4 tablespoons water
For the soy garlic sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice wine (or mirin or other cooking wine)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey (or 2.5 tablespoons corn syrup, rice syrup, or oligo syrup)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon vinegar (white, rice, apple cider, etc.)
- 1 teaspoon or 2 teaspoons oyster sauce - optional
- 4 tablespoons water
For the optional garnish:
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon chopped scallion
Instructions
- Wash chicken wings, and drain thoroughly. Mix with the salt, pepper, and ginger. Let it sit in the fridge for 2 hours or longer (overnight to 24 hours).
- Combine all the sauce ingredients of your choice and stir well. Boil over medium heat until it thickens slightly, about 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the heat off.
- OPTION 1 Dry batter: If using the starch only, add the potato (or cornstarch) to the chicken, and rub it onto each wing well to coat evenly. Set aside.
- OPTION 2 Wet batter: Mix the wet batter ingredients in a bowl, and stir well until smooth with no visible lumps.
- Add the oil to a deep fryer, wok, or large pot. Heat the oil to 320°F (up to 330°F). Drop the chicken in the oil, one piece at a time. If using wet batter, dip each piece in the wet batter with tongs and shake off excess batter before dropping the chicken in the oil. Fry them in two batches. Cook until lightly golden, about 6 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 350°F (up to 360°F). Add the chicken (you can do this in one batch for the second frying), and deep fry again, for about 5 minutes, until golden brown. Drain on a wire rack or in a large mesh strainer set on a bowl.
- You can either toss the fried chicken pieces in the sauce or hand-brush them. Sprinkle with the optional sesame seeds or chopped scallion to serve.
Notes
- 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
- 2 tablespoons gochujang
- 2 tablespoons corn syrup or honey
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Kim says
I made this with chicken drum sticks and the soy sauce. Batter didn’t stick much to the drum sticks. Maybe this is more for smaller chicken pieces. It did turn out nice and brown but a little more batter would off made my frying more worth the work. I am wondering how to get a thicker batter? Thanks!
Hyosun says
You can use less water for a thicker crust. To create a thin crust, I don’t dredge the chicken in the dry mix before or after dipping in the wet batter. You can try to dredge the chicken to create a thicker crust. Please see the batter section of the head notes for more.
Bryan says
I made this recipe with chicken thighs that I had on hand, and cut them into chunks to get crispy bites to resemble wings. This was such an incredible recipe that my girlfriend and I devoured! The only problem caused was fighting over the last pieces, which of course she won lol. Thank you so much for sharing your recipes with us, they are so fun to make and I felt like I was being taught by a mother who cooked with lots of love.
Hyosun says
Aww so happy you guys enjoyed this recipe! And thank you for such sweet and generous words! They filled up my heart with love.
Anonymus says
I am definitely trying these out! Is there a way to freeze them before coating?
Hyosun says
Do you mean after frying them? I haven’t tried it, but you can try to freeze them after the first frying. Defrost and fry them again before coating with the sauce. But, not sure how much time this would save. Fried food is best when they are freshly fried.
Sean Smith says
HOLY S**T!!! I made and ate these 30 min ago and I still have goosebumps and am on the verge of tears. This Korean Fried Chicken is literally the best thing I ever ate. My mind is blown. I also made a batch without the sauce which was incredible delicious as is. I’m officially addicted and will make these on the regular as they are rather easy to make.
Hyosun says
Wow I’m so happy to hear all that! And really appreciate you trying this recipe out and letting me know how much you enjoyed it. Cheers!
Anonymous says
have tried 2-3 other recipes and this is best. marinating chicken beforehand makes for tender flavor inside
PK says
Followed this recipe a few days ago and the results were mindblowing. Crispy, delicious exterior with delicious, juicy meat inside. Thank you for sharing!!
Hyosun says
Awesome! Thank you for trying it out and letting me know how it turned out.
Stephanie Neifeld says
Terrific recipe! I usually don’t like to fry food, but I make an exception for this. I use the wet batter option and the wings come out great! I also recently tried the old yangnyeom chicken sauce recipe and we loved that. Thank you!
Hyosun says
Glad to hear that! Thank you!
Katty says
The best fried chicken recipe ever easy to find ingredients and easy to make I used the wet method batter. my family keep requesting it.
Mina says
Hello! This is our go to recipe for Korean fried chicken . Thank you for the recipe . Can I make the sauces in advance and how long can I keep it ?
Hyosun says
Great to hear that! Yes you can make it in advance. It should be fine for a couple of weeks.
Joyce says
I tried the recipe last night and the soy garlic was amazing! The crunch on the chicken was perfection. It tasted just like Bonchon and Kyochon! Now I have to try the spicy flavor. Thank you so much for sharing!
Hyosun says
Awesome! So happy to hear that. Thank you for trying it out!
Rob says
I prefer the old recipe. I think that has a really good combination of flavours with the US style hot sauce and the other ingredients. Im sure the old recipe added some mustard though
Hyosun says
The old recipe is included in the note section of the recipe card. Thanks!
Gerrie says
Review don’t lie. This is by far my favorite korean recipe! I use breast part instead and have not much time to marinate but, it turned out perfect! Thank you 😊
Jewell says
This was hands down the best chicken I’ve ever had! So light and crispy and the sauce was delicious!
Hyosun says
Awesome to hear that!! Thank you for trying it out and letting me know how it turned out for you!
Sara says
I can not believe we made this at home. Best chicken wings of my LIFE
followed the recipe to a T. Thank you!
Hyosun says
Yay!!! So happy that you tried it and had the best wings of your life. Thank you so much for the great review!
Kris says
Convinced my son to go to a new highly touted Korean restaurant last night where we live and he was highly disappointed. Needless to say I’m making this tomorrow night and just started the prep (4th time now in half the months). His and my favorite Korean chicken ever.
Hyosun says
aww I’m delighted to hear that!! Thank you so much!
Cherie l says
This was absolutely the best recipe I’ve found online. I will never use another recipe again!! Followed the directions exactly as given… they were a hit during the super bowl!
Hyosun says
Oh I’m so happy to hear that!! Thank you! You just made my day.
AKASSI Genevieve says
Morning Hyosun,
My name is Genevieve and I live in Strasbourg (France). I want to just let you know that I made your fried chicken today and it was delicious. Thank you🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
Noelle Umeda says
Thank you so much for this recipe. My family loves it and the kids request it all the time.
Cclee says
Great recipes! The batter and frying the chicken twice really gave it a nice crunch. Both sauces were so yummy. Will definable again.
Hyosun says
Awesome! Thank you for taking the time to leave a feedback! Hope you enjoy it many more times.
Valerie says
Is it normal for the chicken to lose some crunch after brushing with sauce if you don’t eat it it right away?
Hyosun says
The sauce is liquid, so it will lose crunch over time, but these stay crunchy for several hours.
Brian says
I’ve tried numerous Korean fried chicken recipes and this is by and far the best one. Only comment I’d make is it takes a bit longer than 5 minutes from boil for the sauce to thicken (soy garlic in particular)
Lydia says
Finally a batter recipe that provides a perfect crunch! I don’t have fry batter so used your recipe and it was great. And the spicy sauce was just right I wish I made more. Easy recipe that is so much better than takeout and a lot cheaper! Thank you!
Dee says
This is amazing! I have been wanting to try cooking more Korean food since I love bulgogi and bibimbap so much but have had trouble finding a good place for website. I signed up for your email list and am very excited!
SOKHEN says
THANK YOU!!! I was craving real Korean Fried Chicken. Haven’t had any since I was in Korea. I can’t cook, but thanks to you I found a Bonchon place. Now if only I can find a good Naengmyeon place.
Jham says
Thank you for posting this wonderful recipe, because i loved korean food i start searching a recipe that easy to make,then i found this and made this Sweet and spicy korean fried chicken its so delicous and my famly like it too.
I am looking forward to see more such type of recipe.
Jham says
Thank you for posting this wonderful recipe,because i loved korean’s i starting to search about their food and i glad to found this Sweet and spicy korean fried chicken i tried to made this fried chicken dish and it was so delicious,
I am looking forward to see more such type of recipe.
Patricia Gilman says
I made the Korean Fried Chicken for the first time and boy was it as advertised- so crunchy and delicious. I had friends in for lunch and did a Korean lunch with Bulgogi, Kimchi Fried Rice and the Fried Chicken, best fried chicken i ever ate.
Hyosun says
So happy to heat that! Thank you so much for trying it out and for the feedback!! Sounds like it was a great lunch for you and your friends.
Pedro says
Thank you so much for this recipe. I’m Brazilian and I felt in love with Korean food because of you. The old recipe is a huge success among my friends, everyone loves it. Thank you very much for keeping it!!!
I’ll definitely try the new ones too.
Best Regards from Brazil!
Daniel says
Do you have any tips for frying with air fryer?
Pedro says
When I do it on my air fryer, i just use flour as dry better and but it on Air Fryer (max temperature). It works fine
Jane says
Not directly an answer, but I have bought a korean brand of boneless fried chicken (JMT Kitchen). The pieces are about 5cm across. The package has air fryer instructions. From frozen 180-200C, 10-12 minutes.
I’ve made a few times with a homemade sauce (including this hot and spicy one) and it works well.
Keith Izod says
Very interested as our part of France has very few ‘foreign’ restaurants or takeaways.
Would this recipe work in an airfryer? (Philips)
P.S. Book marked your page.
Pedro says
Yes, I always cook it on my Air Fryer and it’s still delicious, chicken wing have a lot of fat, so they basically fry. Just use the Dry batter.
Felina says
Hands down the best recipe I’ve found! Reminds me of what we had in Korea!
Hyosun says
Yaayyyy!! Thank you! You just made my day.
Phoenix says
I’ve got 3 lbs of sliced *deboned* chicken thighs. do you think it will come out just as good? i wasn’t sure if it could take the double frying.
Hyosun says
Yes it will be fine. Double frying too. That’s what I use for another Korean fried chicken recipe I have.
https://www.koreanbapsang.com/dakgangjeong-sweet-crispy-chicken/
Selma says
Is there a way to freeze the chicken (probably with the dry batter?). Thought about freeze it and coat them freshly in the sauce then.
Thanks in advance!
Hyosun says
If you’re talking about freezing the raw chicken, I’d suggest freezing the chicken after step 1. The batter can be easily applied after the chicken is fully defrosted. If you’re thinking about frying them and freeze, it should be okay, although not as fresh tasting. You can heat up in the air frier or refry and coat it with the sauce. But, fried food is best when it’s freshly made.
Yih Shian says
I ordered takeaway and it didn’t come with the sauce. So happy I found your recipe and had most of the ingredients on hand. It tasted even better than the store!
Jeremy Brand says
I made the Yangnyeom chicken today. The recipe was very easy to follow and the food was excellent. Thank you.
sherrie says
This recipe is seriously addicting! I’ve made it 3 times in the past 3 weeks to rave reviews (and requests to make it again).
I love that the sauce recipe is very forgiving. I substituted white vinegar for the mirin (used half the amount) and a mixture of ketchup and siracha since I didn’t have hot sauce or chili paste. Sooo good! Thank you!
Hong Luch says
I used to worked in korea for 3years.
I got interested with other korea foods like Korea Fry chicken spicy and sweet.
Now I want to learn how to cook Korea Fry Chicken like this. But I don’t know where to learn or which school that open course for this too?
Oh! I from Cambodia.
Nice go see you!
Bonnie says
I will be doubling the recipe and just realized I do not have enough honey and no corn syrup. Do you think maple syrup will work?
I am making this today for my daughter’s 12th birthday. I had planned to take her and her friends out for Korean BBQ. Since we’re confined, I wanted to do something just as special and these look amazing! Thank you!
Hyosun says
oh so sorry I didn’t see this sooner. Hope it turned out well. For your future reference, maple syrup will be delicious in this recipe.
jkay86 says
Hi Hyosun, tried this for the first time today and was very pleased with how well it turned out! Loved how sticky, sweet and spicy the sauce was. I used cornstarch to coat the chicken and it turned out well after trying, also substituted the ketchup for Siratcha sauce which gave it a little more kick. Thanks again for the recipe
Hyosun says
Glad to hear that! Yay for Sriracha!
daf says
Nice recipe. Only thing I disagree with is the overly complicated sauce with twelve ingredients . I get the same results ( as taught by a korean) with four. Still a nice one
Noel says
Maa’m,
Do you also have a video of preparing and cooking of different kind of buffalo or chicken sauce? Do you have also Facebook account or twitter?
Hyosun says
I don’t have a video. My social media buttons are on the top right hand side of the page.
Elaine Alswanger says
Made it with chicken breast. Did not deep fry it , but followed everything else.
Delicious 😋
Ebony says
How did you cook it?
Dwain says
I am making the wings now. The sauce is amazing!!
Hyosun says
Great to hear! Thanks for the great review!!!
Grant kilburn says
Thank you for this recipe. (And all the others)
Made this a few time now. You’re making me very popular.
Cheers grant
Hyosun says
Great! Thanks for letting me know!
Cheeyih Lee says
Kamsahamnida!
Kristene Rodrigues says
Cornstarch did not work for me at all. The chicken didn’t brown, and did not stay crispy once fried. This was not even close to the KFC we’ve had in restaurants. I’ll keep looking….
paulene says
this was so helpful thanks btw love you recipes
ZiedaLolo says
This recipe is a treasure and definitely our favorite!! Thank you for sharing.
Hyosun says
My pleasure! Thank you so much for stopping by and for the generous words!
rozlin says
hi, can the gochajang cili paste be replace with other chili paste? example dry chili paste?
SK says
Tried it today, it is AMAZING. Thank you so much! I added more chilli sauce and chopped 1 onion bulb instead of grating it because i love onion, still came out perfect. This is my first attempt at making korean food in general, I am so pleased that it came out so good. Thank you!
Lizzie says
Great recipe, made it last night and it was so yummy! Question: how advance can the first frying be? Could I do the first frying the night before, refrigerate and fry the second time the next day? Thanks!
Hyosun says
Thanks Lizzie! Yes you can do the first frying the night before. Bring the chicken to room temp before frying it again. Enjoy!
Bill Wilson says
I’m I missing something? You call for a teaspoon of salt and pinch of black pepper with a 1/2 teaspoon of grated ginger. Then you call for 2 pounds of chicken to marinate in those 3 ingredients! That is not make a marinade.
mar·i·nade is
a sauce, typically made of oil, vinegar, spices, and herbs, in which meat, fish, or other food is soaked before cooking in order to flavor or soften it.
verb
Hyosun says
This chicken dish is deep-fried chicken smothered in a sticky, spicy red sauce. Those are just to season the chicken pieces before frying, and there are sauce ingredients right below them in the recipe.
Carol says
Sounds delicious & easy. I’ll try it!
Thank you,
arol
How about Korean Barbeque recipe?
Hyosun says
There are plenty on the blog. See here: https://www.koreanbapsang.com/2017/07/10-korean-bbq-recipes.html
michael says
I am soooo excited to try this! I ordered Korean spices like gochujang, gochugaru and doenjang online and they arrived today ? thanks for this recipe ?
Hyosun says
That’s great! Hope you enjoy this recipe and many others using those Korean staples.
Kelly says
Thank you so much for posting this recipe! I just made this today and it tasted soooooo good! Can’t wait to make another batch of this!
Hyosun says
You’re welcome! I am happy to hear it turned out well for you. Happy Korean cooking!
lina says
just found out about your blog ! really enjoyed reading your blog and seriously gonna try this recipe ! and i wanna asked what type of soy sauce did you used ? is it sweet soy sauce or is there specific type of soy sauce ? hehe
Nick says
You are my saviour! Finally found recipe for Yangnyeom recipe. Beautiful!!
Yui Jin Lee says
Thank you …i just this site …i love Korean food
tita says
Hi! I really enjoyed your recipe, it looks detailed and neat~ I wonder is there any other way of deep frying or baking it? (i’m a newbie cook). 감사합니다! ^^
Zoë says
Thanks for your recipes – what an amazing blog! I made this fried chicken dish and it was so delicious – thank you. I posted about it on my blog and I also gave your blog a name check on my radio show (you can listen here: https://www.mixcloud.com/Resonance/lucky-cat-25th-april-2015/). I look forward to trying other recipes. Best Wishes, Zoë
Hyosun says
That’s awesome! I heard it. It was at a point about 12 minutes remaining. Thank you so much for mentioning on your radio show and for the nice words! Best wishes to you as well!
ivy says
Hi i just subscribed to ur blog and I love reading your description of each food. Makes me droll just reading it. How can I make this suitable for my 3 smaller kids?
Hyosun says
Hi ivy – Thank you for subscribing! Just use ketchup and omit the gochujang, Korean red chili pepper paste. Hope your kids like it.
Lauren says
This was amazing!!! Thank you for the recipe.
Hyosun says
Great! Thanks for letting me know. Cheers!
tammy says
Just wanted to say how much I’ve enjoyed reading your blog. I discovered it a few days ago. I hope you get that cookbook published!
Hyosun says
Welcome to my blog! And thank you! I’m glad you’ve found my blog and hope you enjoy my recipes.
Sharon Smith says
How would I adapt this recipe to bake the chicken instead of frying it?
Hyosun says
Just bake the wings in the oven once coated with starch, and then coated with the sauce. Or see this for the baked wings: https://www.koreanbapsang.com/2011/02/chicken-wings.html