Enjoy a taste of Korean Street Food, get the secret to ultra-crispy, flavorful Korean fried chicken at home with this easy double-fried recipe.
This recipe delivers irresistibly crunchy, tender chicken that's perfect on its own or tossed in your favorite sauce. The secret lies in a flavorful overnight marinade and a double-fry technique that guarantees an extra-crispy exterior, just like your favorite Korean fried chicken spot!
Ingredients
Directions
Marinate the Chicken: In a medium bowl, combine the quartered chicken thighs, grated onion, minced garlic, fine sea salt, and 2.5g black pepper. Stir thoroughly until all the chicken pieces are well coated. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, or ideally, overnight, to allow the flavors to meld.
Prepare for Frying: When ready to cook, fill a deep-fryer or a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan with enough vegetable oil to submerge the chicken pieces. Heat the oil to 170°C (340°F).
Mix the Batter: In a separate large bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, self-rising flour, granulated sugar, 2.5g black pepper, and 1.25g salt until well combined.
Create the Batter: Gradually pour the very cold water into the dry batter mixture, whisking continuously, until you achieve a smooth consistency similar to a thin pancake batter.
Coat the Chicken: Add the marinated chicken pieces directly into the prepared batter. Stir gently to ensure every piece is completely coated.
First Fry (Blanching): Working in small batches to avoid overcrowding the oil, carefully place the coated chicken into the preheated oil. Fry for 4 minutes. The chicken will be cooked through but not yet deeply golden.
Rest and Reheat: Use a slotted spoon or tongs to transfer the partially cooked chicken to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain. Allow the oil in your fryer or saucepan to increase its temperature to 190°C (375°F).
Second Fry (Crisping): Once the oil is hotter, return the chicken to the hot oil in batches. Fry again for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the chicken is beautifully golden brown and achieves an extra-crispy exterior.
Final Drain: Transfer the finished crispy chicken to a clean wire rack to drain any excess oil before serving.
The secret to truly crispy Korean fried chicken lies in two critical areas: the batter and the double-fry technique. For an ultra-crisp coating that shatters when you bite it, a chef's tip is to add about 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder to your dry ingredients, and swap some of the cold water for very cold club soda in the batter. The baking powder creates a light, airy structure, and the carbonation inhibits gluten formation, resulting in a less chewy crust. Crucially, after the initial 4-minute fry, let the chicken rest on the wire rack for at least 10 minutes before the final fry. This rest period forces moisture to the surface of the chicken, which is then instantly vaporized during the high-heat second fry, locking in that signature crunch.
For serving, remember that oil temperature control and batch frying are key to preventing a soggy result. Never overcrowd the pot, as this drops the oil temperature and leads to greasy chicken.
Finally, Korean fried chicken is traditionally served with pickled radishes (mu-saengchae); the refreshing sweet-and-sour flavor of the pickles cuts through the richness of the fried chicken perfectly, completing the authentic Korean experience.
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