• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to privacy navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Jo Cooks

Simple - Easy - Comfort

Join my free recipe email club!
Free eBook
  • Recipe Index
  • Cookbook
  • ABOUT JO
  • Contact
  • Facebook Instagram Pinterest Twitter YouTube
  • Dinner Ideas
  • Instant Pot
  • Slow Cooker
  • 30 Minute Meals
  • One Pot
  • Desserts
  • closeup shot of coconut chicken on a serving platter.
    Coconut Chicken
  • overhead shot of a plate stacked with buttermilk fried chicken
    Buttermilk Fried Chicken
  • a plate full of rice topped with ginger chicken
    Ginger Chicken
  • overhead shot of korean bbq chicken
    Korean BBQ Chicken
  • a bowl of copycat changs mongolian
    Mongolian Beef
Home / Recipes
30 minutes
4.54 from 39 votes
17 Comments

Korean Fried Chicken

Jump to RecipePrint RecipeJump to Video
  • 110
  • 984
by: Joanna Cismaru
02.16.20
Updated: 11.10.20

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Korean Fried Chicken – juicy, yet crispy pieces of chicken coated in a sweet and spicy sauce. An easy fried chicken recipe with a fiery kick making for the perfect meal or appetizer. This chicken truly is perfect for any occasion.

korean fried chicken in a skillet garnished with red chilis and green onions

If you love fried chicken, I strongly advise you to try this Korean fried chicken recipe! The chicken stays tender and juicy on the inside while maintaining that crispy, crunchy skin we all know and love. It has an added kick from the gochujang used in the sauce which makes this dish incredibly bold in the flavor department.

Recently hubs and I have been going to this restaurant that has this incredible Korean fried chicken and I just had to recreate this recipe at home. I think I came pretty close to the restaurant version. Did I mention that it is also extremely simple to make? Because it is!

I love recipes where I get to experiment with different flavors and ingredients from all over the world, right in the comfort of my own home. Korean fried chicken has now become a staple dish at my house, we make it at least once a week.

overhead shot of korean fried chicken on a white platter garnished with chilis and green onions

What is Korean fried chicken?

Korean fried chicken or “KFC“, refers to a variety of different fried chicken dishes from South Korea. Generally referred to as “chikin” it is used in popular dishes such as huraideu-chikin and spicy yangnyeom-chikin.

Korean fried chicken is drastically different than what we are used to, using an Asian frying technique that renders out the fat in the skin – transforming it into a thin, crispy crust. The sauce is then absorbed, adding bold flavors without making it soggy. In South Korea, fried chicken is consumed as a meal, an appetizer, anju (a Korean term for food consumed with alcohol), or as an after-meal snack. In other words, this chicken is so good you’ll want to eat it ALL the time.

Ingredient Notes

overhead shot of ingredients needed to make korean fried chicken
  • Chicken – I used boneless, skinless breasts – cut into 1 inch pieces. I have also made this with chicken thighs, I used a meat mallet to cut through the bones. You can use whole chicken thighs as well.
  • Egg – Large, beaten.
  • Cornstarch – To get that nice crispy skin. You can substitute with flour, but you’ll need to double the amount and possibly double fry to get that crispy texture.

Korean Sauce

  • Butter – I used unsalted because we’ll get plenty of sodium from the sauce.
  • Gochujang Sauce – You can use any of your favourite hot sauce but I find that Sriracha or Sambal Oelek are the most similar in flavor. Gochujang is a red chili paste that is savory, sweet and spicy. I usually find this in the Asian aisle of my grocery store, or visit your local Asian market.
  • Honey – You can substitute with agave or maple syrup.
  • Brown Sugar – You can use regular granulated sugar or mix 3 tbsp of granulated sugar with a tsp of molasses to make brown sugar.
  • Soy Sauce – I used low sodium.
  • Garlic – Fresh is best! Minced.
  • Ginger – I used fresh, minced. You can use dried if you don’t have fresh. To keep your ginger lasting a long time, simply store it in a ziploc bag or plastic bag and freeze it. When you’re ready to use, just grate it.
  • Rice Vinegar – If you don’t have rice vinegar, you can use apple cider vinegar instead.
  • Sesame Oil – most light oils and nut oils will work as a substitute (light olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, sunflower oil) it just won’t have as much of that toasted sesame flavor. You can add toasted sesame seeds to the light oil to help with the flavor.

Garnish

  • Green Onions – Sliced.
  • Toasted Sesame Seeds
  • Red Chilis – Sliced.
process shots showing how to make korean fried chicken

How to make Korean fried chicken

  1. Coat the chicken – Toss the chicken pieces through the egg first, then dredge through the cornstarch.
  2. Cook the chicken – Add oil to a heavy bottom pan and heat to 375 °F. Add chicken to the pan and fry in batches about 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Transfer the chicken to a paper towel lined plate and repeat with remaining chicken.
  3. Make the sauce and toss with chicken – Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds or until aromatic. Stir int he brown sugar and honey and cook for about 1 minute until the brown butter dissolves. Add the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil and gochujang sauce to the skillet and stir. Cook for 30 seconds then add the chicken to the skillet and toss well with the sauce.
  4. Serve – garnish with green onions, toasted sesame seeds and red chilis. Serve hot.
korean fried chicken over a bed of sticky white rice

How to serve

The traditional pairing to Korean fried chicken is pickled radish and an abundance of beer or soju; but I like to serve mine over a nice, simple sticky rice! Add this chicken to a stir-fry, atop a fresh salad or eat it as an appetizer as is. The flavor profile of this Korean fried chicken will blow your mind – you’ll want to eat it with a shovel, no matter how you serve it.

If you want some easy to make ideas on what to serve with your chicken, try these recipes!

  • Coconut Rice
  • Chow Mein
  • Easy Fried Rice
  • Instant Pot Rice
closeup of korean fried chicken

Can I make this in advance?

Absolutely! You can prep your chicken and sauce the night before, store them both separately and covered in the fridge and just fry them up before serving! Quick and easy.

Leftovers

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Cooked chicken will start to grow bacteria so don’t leave it sitting out for longer than 1 hour.

If you want to extend the “shelf life” of cooked chicken, you can freeze it in a covered airtight container, heavy-duty freezer bags, or wrap tightly with aluminum foil or freezer wrap. Keep in mind, you may lose some quality if freezing.

To reheat leftovers, pop them in the microwave or back into a skillet or wok until heated through.

overhead shot of korean fried chicken in a black skillet

Did you love this recipe? Try these!

  • Korean Beef Stir Fry
  • Korean Style Pork Chops
  • Skillet Chicken Satay
  • Korean BBQ Chicken
  • Korean Beef Rice Bowls
  • Sweet and Spicy Korean Meatballs

Looking for more recipes? Follow on… My Newsletter Pinterest Facebook Instagram

A wooden spoon tossing Korean fried chicken in a skillet

Korean Fried Chicken

4.54 from 39 votes
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 30 mins
Author: Joanna Cismaru
Serves: 6
Print Pin Rate
Korean Fried Chicken – juicy, yet crispy pieces of chicken coated in a sweet and spicy sauce. An easy fried chicken recipe with a fiery kick making for the perfect meal or appetizer. This chicken truly is perfect for any occasion.

Equipment

  • 12-inch Cast Iron Skillet
  • Glass Mixing Bowl Set (3 piece)

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs chicken breasts boneless and skinless, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 large egg beaten
  • ½ cup cornstarch
  • vegetable oil for frying

Korean Sauce

  • 3 tbsp butter unsalted
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger minced
  • ¼ cup honey
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce low sodium
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp gochujang

Garnish

  • green onions
  • toasted sesame seeds
  • red chilis sliced
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Toss the chicken pieces through the egg first, then dredge through cornstarch.
  • Add about 3 inches of oil to a heavy bottom pan and heat to 375°F.
  • Add chicken to the pan and fry in batches about 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Transfer the chicken to a paper towel lined plate and repeat with remaining chicken.
  • Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds or until aromatic. Stir in the brown sugar and honey and cook for about 1 minute until the brown butter dissolves. Add the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil and gochujang sauce to the skillet and stir. Cook for 30 seconds then add the chicken to the skillet and toss well with the sauce.
  • Serve garnished with green onions, toasted sesame seeds and red chilis.

Video

Recipe Notes

  1. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Cooked chicken will start to grow bacteria so don’t leave it sitting out for longer than 1 hour.
  2. If you want to extend the “shelf life” of cooked chicken, you can freeze it in a covered airtight container, heavy-duty freezer bags, or wrap tightly with aluminum foil or freezer wrap. Keep in mind, you may lose some quality if freezing.
  3. To reheat leftovers, pop them in the microwave or back into a skillet or wok until heated through.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1servingCalories: 466kcal (23%)Carbohydrates: 33g (11%)Protein: 34g (68%)Fat: 22g (34%)Saturated Fat: 13g (81%)Cholesterol: 143mg (48%)Sodium: 372mg (16%)Potassium: 629mg (18%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 21g (23%)Vitamin A: 279IU (6%)Vitamin C: 3mg (4%)Calcium: 25mg (3%)Iron: 1mg (6%)
Course:Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine:Korean
Keyword:fried chicken, korean fried chicken
Tried this recipe? Rate it belowtag @jocooks on instagram and hashtag it #jocooks!

Meet Joanna Cismaru

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

30 recipes from around the world cover.

Never miss a recipe!

Subscribe and get a FREE dinner recipes ebook!

side view shot of tongs holding up a scoop of aglio e olio from a pot
Previous Post
Aglio e Olio
overhead shot of cheesy mashed potatoes in a crock pot
Next Post
Crockpot Mashed Potatoes

Primary Sidebar

Joanna Cismaru

Hey there!

I'm Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

Read More…

My Cookbook

Order Now: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indie Bound | Books-A-Million

Never miss a recipe!

Subscribe and get a FREE dinner recipes ebook!

Sign me up

Dinner Recipes

a wooden spoon lifting a salisbury steak out of the skillet

Salisbury Steak

closeup of beef stew in a dutch oven with a ladle inside.

Beef Stew

overhead shot of zucchini lasagna in a baking dish

Zucchini Lasagna

a white bowl full with american goulash and a fork inside stacked on top of an empty bowl

American Goulash (Chop Suey)

two plate with sloppy joes and buns next to a greens salad

Sloppy Joes

beef barley soup in a white bowl with a spoon inside.

Beef Barley Soup

overhead shot of chicken broccoli and rice casserole in a pot

One Pot Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

creamy chicken lazone in a skillet garnished with parsley.

Chicken Lazone

Popular Now

a hand dipping a chicken tender in ranch dressing

Air Fryer Chicken Tenders

a fork stabbing a garlic butter steak bite in a skillet full of them

Garlic Butter Steak Bites

a prime rib roast sliced on a plate

Prime Rib Roast

side view shot of a cinnamon bun with a bite taken out of it on a plate

Cinnabons Cinnamon Rolls

side view shot of a hand dipping a piece of naan bread into the bowl of chicken tikka masala

Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala

close up of the layers on the homemade croissant

Homemade Croissants

overhead shot of crusty bread loaf

No Knead Bread

side view shot of two halves of a chicken salad sandwich stacked on a plate exposing the centers

The Best Chicken Salad

Jo Cooks...

Flavors from around the world

No matter what household we have all grown up in, there is something that has brought us all together here and that is a love and appreciation of food. Food that is from cultures and cuisines across the world has always been a staple of the blog. I'm excited to bring you all a taste of each corner of the earth, every last bite seasoned to perfection and served up with love - from my kitchen to yours.
spring rolls cut in half in a black bowl with peanut sauce.

Asian

overhead shot of a fork with spaghetti twirled around it in a plate full of spaghetti.

Italian

tex mex seasoning in a tiny wooden spoon.

Mexican

sweet cheese buns stacked on top of each other with the top one broken in half.

Romanian

sideview shot of butter chicken on a plate over white rice garnished with parsley

Indian

overhead of falafel on a plate with tzatziki, feta, tomatoes and onions.

Middle Eastern

Trending Now

overhead shot of oven baked chicken breasts in a baking dish

Baked Chicken Breast

overhead shot of oven baked chicken thighs in a pan

Oven Baked Chicken Thighs

a whole roast chicken surrounded by potatoes

Roast Chicken

a prime rib roast sliced on a plate

Prime Rib Roast

Browse All
  • Easy Dinners
  • Instant Pot
  • 30 Minute Meals
  • Chicken Recipes
  • Desserts
  • Recipe Index

Featured On

today logo.
huffpost logo.
the washington post logo.
jezebel logo.
countryliving logo.
good housekeeping logo.
lifehack logo.
buzzfeed logo.
mashable logo.
woman's day logo.
health logo.
better homes & gardens logo.
delish logo.
healthline logo.
nbc news logo.
blogloving logo.
university of washington logo.
shape logo.
Facebook Instagram Pinterest Twitter YouTube
  • Recipe Index
  • Cookbook
  • About Jo
  • Contact
  • visit my other site: Craving Home Cooked
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Statement
© 2021 · All Rights Reserved · Back to Top
Opens in a new window Opens an external site Opens an external site in a new window

Subscribe and get a free dinner recipes ebook!

2205shares
  • 110
  • 984