Best 7 Family Style Korean Fried Chicken Recipes

KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• For the marinade: Combine the chicken wings, garlic, ginger, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and several grinds of pepper in a large bowl and pour the soju over the wings. Toss to coat, then set aside for 30 minutes to 1 hour at room temperature.
• For the sauce: Meanwhile, combine the gochujang, sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, sesame oil, gochugaru, garlic and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, lower the heat and cook until the garlic is fragrant and the sauce is slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the rice vinegar. Set the sauce aside.
• For the batter: Fill a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot with 3 to 4 inches of oil. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer registers 350 degrees F.
• Whisk the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, curry powder and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups cold water and whisk until the batter is smooth and very thin (about the consistency of half-and-half). If needed, add more cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to thin the batter.
• Remove about a third of the chicken wings from the soju marinade and dip in the batter, letting any excess drip off. Then, using tongs, hold the chicken halfway in the hot oil for 1 to 2 seconds before letting go completely, as this prevents the wings from sticking to the bottom. Adjust the heat as necessary to maintain a temperature between 300 and 325 degrees F. Stir occasionally to prevent the wings from sticking. Fry the wings until the coating is crisp but not browned, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove to a rack set on a baking sheet to drain. Let the oil temperature return to 350 degrees F. Dredge and fry the remaining chicken wings in 2 batches.
• Remove any floating debris and cooked batter from the oil with a hand-held strainer. Increase the oil temperature to 375 degrees F. Working in batches, fry the chicken again until the coating is browned and very crisp, 4 to 6 minutes. Adjust the heat as necessary to maintain the temperature above 350 degrees F. Remove the wings with tongs and transfer to a clean rack set on a baking sheet. Let stand for 1 minute to allow the coating to set. Brush all over with the sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve immediately.

FAMILY-STYLE KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Whisk eggs, soy sauce, and sugar together in a large bowl.
• Combine cornstarch, flour, sesame seeds, and salt in a separate bowl. Whisk in egg mixture. Fold green onions and garlic into the batter.
• Stir chicken into the batter until each piece is coated. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator, 8 hours to 2 days. Stir 1 to 2 times per day.
• Fill a heavy saucepan with 1 1/2 to 2 inches of oil. Heat on medium-high heat until a small amount of batter sizzles when dropped in.
• Stir chicken again to coat evenly with batter. Fry in batches until deeply browned, about 3 minutes per batch. Drain on a large plate lined with paper towels or newspapers.

KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Stir chicken, onion, garlic, fine salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper together in a bowl until chicken is coated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate, 4 hours to overnight.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 340 degrees F (171 degrees C).
• Whisk cornstarch, flour, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt together in a large bowl. Gradually whisk ice water into flour in until mixture resembles a smooth pancake batter. Transfer chicken to batter and stir to coat chicken completely.
• Working in batches, cook chicken in preheated oil for 4 minutes. Transfer cooked chicken to a cooling rack.
• Increase oil temperature in the deep-fryer or large saucepan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Working in batches, cook chicken again in hot oil until golden brown and crispy on the outside, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to drain.

ULTIMATE KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• For the pickled radish cubes: Combine the rice vinegar, water, superfine sugar and salt in a large bowl, whisking until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Add the radish cubes and toss to coat. Leave at room temperature, covered, for 24 hours. Then refrigerate.
• For the pre-coating: In a large bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, salt, baking powder and pepper. Add the chicken and toss well until evenly coated in all areas. Transfer the chicken to a rack, shaking the chicken well to get rid of any excess coating. Let rest, uncovered, for 1 hour.
• For the gochujang sauce: Combine the brown sugar, chile paste, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger and garlic in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and allow to cook over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside.
• For the sweet soy sauce: Heat the soy sauce, brown sugar, mirin, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, chile flakes and garlic in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved; allow to simmer for 3 minutes. Mix the cornstarch with 1 1/2 tablespoons water and whisk into the sauce. Bring to a boil, and then remove from the heat and set aside.
• For the batter: Pour enough oil into a 6-quart Dutch oven to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer inserted in the oil reads 350 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, matzo meal, flour, chile flakes, salt, garlic granules, onion granules and baking powder. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the water, vodka and chile paste. Just before frying, whisk the wet mixture into the dry mixture. The consistency should be relatively thin and runny.
• Working in 2 batches, dip each piece of chicken into the batter, letting excess batter drip off. Suspend the chicken in the oil for a couple of seconds for it to set before letting it slip completely into the oil, otherwise the chicken will fall and stick to the bottom of the pot. Fry the chicken until golden brown and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes per batch. Transfer to a wire rack to drain as done.
• Serve with the sauces on the side.

DAKGANGJEONG (닭강정 / KOREAN SWEET, CRUNCHY FRIED CHICKEN)

Steps:

• Make the chicken:
• Mix the chicken pieces, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl. Transfer to a large zipper-lock bag, add the potato starch, close the bag, and mix well by flipping the bag over and back again until the chicken is well coated.
• Place a large mesh strainer over a bowl.
• Heat 2 inches vegetable oil in a large, deep pan or wok over medium-high heat until it reaches about 340°F, 8 to 10 minutes. If you don't have a thermometer, test it by dipping a tip of a chicken piece into the oil. If it bubbles, it's ready. Carefully add the chicken to the oil one piece at a time, working in batches to avoid overcrowding.
• Deep-fry, turning the chicken with tongs, until all sides are light golden brown and crunchy, 10 to 12 minutes. As each piece is done, transfer it to the strainer. Once the chicken has drained, transfer it to a large bowl. Repeat with the rest of the chicken, making sure to bring the oil back up to 340°F between batches.
• Return the oil to 340°F over high heat and carefully add all the chicken-there's no need to work in batches this time. The chicken will look a little soggy at first. Deep-fry, turning occasionally, until all the chicken pieces are dark golden brown and very crunchy, another 10 to 13 minutes. Transfer the chicken pieces to the strainer or a rack to drain, then place in a large bowl.
• If using the peanuts, place them in a slotted spoon or a small mesh strainer, carefully dip them into the hot oil, and fry for 15 to 30 seconds, just until light golden brown. Transfer to a small bowl.
• Make the sauce and serve:
• Mix the rice syrup, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, and mustard in a small bowl.
• Heat a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the oil, garlic, ginger, and chili peppers and stir for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until the garlic is a little crispy and fragrant. Add the soy sauce mixture and stir. Let it bubble for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture is shiny and a little sticky. Remove from the heat if not using right away and reheat until bubbling when ready to finish the chicken.
• Add the chicken and peanuts (if using) to the bubbling sauce and toss with a wooden spoon to coat nicely. Sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds and a few teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes (if using). Transfer to a large plate or platter and serve. The chicken will remain crunchy for several hours if left at room temperature, or you can cover and refrigerate it for up to 3 days.

KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a medium-size bowl, combine grated onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Add chicken and toss to coat well. Cover and set aside to marinate for about 1 hour.
• In a large bowl, stir together chili paste, ketchup, sugar, sesame seeds and lemon juice. Taste and adjust flavors to get a spicy-sweet-tangy finish. Set aside.
• Pour oil into a large heavy pot to a depth of 1 1/2 inches. Heat to 350 degrees. Combine flour and cornstarch in a shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper.
• Working in batches to avoid crowding, lift chicken from marinade, dredge lightly in seasoned flour and cornstarch, gently drop into oil and fry for 5 to 7 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crisp. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining chicken, checking oil temperature between batches.
• For wings only, when all pieces are done, increase oil temperature to 375 degrees and refry in batches for 30 to 60 seconds, until very crisp. Drain once more on paper towels. While chicken is still hot, brush thickly with chili sauce. Serve hot, sprinkled with sesame seeds.

KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet and place near stove. Set deep-fry thermometer in a heavy wide pot, then pour in oil to a depth of 1 1/2". Heat over high until thermometer registers 350ºF.
• Meanwhile, toast sesame seeds in a small skillet over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until lightly golden, 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool; set aside.
• Heat sesame oil in same skillet over medium. Add ginger and scallion whites. Cook, stirring frequently, until scallions are tender, about 1 minute. Whisk in gochujang and brown sugar, bring just to a simmer, then remove from heat. Add 1/4 cup water; whisk to combine. Transfer sauce to a large bowl and cover to keep warm; set aside.
• Whisk cornstarch, flour, salt, baking powder, and a generous pinch of pepper in another large bowl. Add vodka and 1/2 cup cold water, then whisk until a smooth, loose batter forms. Add chicken and toss to coat.
• Using tongs, remove chicken from batter, letting excess drip back into bowl. Transfer to hot oil and cook, working in batches if needed, stirring occasionally with a slotted spoon to keep pieces from sticking together, and adjusting heat as needed to maintain 350ºF, until chicken is golden and crispy, 6-8 minutes per batch.
• Transfer fried chicken to prepared rack. Add chicken to reserved sauce and carefully toss to coat. Transfer to a serving platter. Top with reserved toasted sesame seeds and scallion greens.