• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • About
  • Contact Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter

Dinner at the Zoo

  • All Recipes
  • Dinner
  • Appetizers
  • Dessert
  • One Pot Meals
  • Slow Cooker
  • Asian Food

Home » Appetizers » Korean Fried Chicken

Published: February 24, 2019 Last Modified: March 3, 2019 By Sara 48 Comments

Korean Fried Chicken

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Korean Fried Chicken Recipe | Fried Chicken | Korean Chicken #chicken #friedchicken #appetizer #dinner #dinneratthezoo

This Korean fried chicken is chicken thighs in a crispy coating that are tossed in a sweet, spicy and savory sauce. A unique meal or snack that’s totally delicious!

If you’ve never had Korean fried chicken before, you’re missing out! Once you try it, you’ll be hooked. Looking for more Asian fried chicken recipes? Be sure to check out my sesame chicken and Chinese lemon chicken.

Korean Fried Chicken Recipe | Fried Chicken | Korean Chicken #chicken #friedchicken #appetizer #dinner #dinneratthezoo Korean Fried Chicken Recipe | Fried Chicken | Korean Chicken #chicken #friedchicken #appetizer #dinner #dinneratthezoo

Korean fried chicken on a serving plate topped with curly green onions.

I first tried Korean fried chicken at a local restaurant, and ever since then I’ve been trying to recreate the flavors at home! Korean fried chicken is unique in that the sauce is the perfect blend of savory, sweet and spicy for a truly addictive end result. I can say with confidence that my homemade version of this dish is just as good as what you’ll get in a restaurant.

How do you make Korean fried chicken?

The first step is to cut your chicken into bite sized pieces. I use chicken thighs, but you can use chicken breast if you prefer. The chicken is dipped in egg, then coated in a mixture of cornstarch and flour before it gets fried to perfection. The final step is to make the sauce, which is a blend of sugar, ketchup and gochujang paste.

Chicken thigh pieces coated in egg, flour and cornstarch.

Tips for Korean fried chicken

  • I recommend using a thermometer to monitor the temperature of your oil as you fry the chicken. You want the temperature of the oil to be in the 350-375 degrees F range. If the oil is too cold, the chicken will be overly greasy. If the oil is too hot, the outside of the chicken will burn before the inside is cooked through.
  • The sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead of time.
  • This dish is best served immediately, as the chicken coating will soften as it soaks up the sauce.
  • Want a fun curly green onion garnish like I have here? Cut some green onions into very thin slices, then soak them in ice water and they’ll curl up!

Fried chicken thigh pieces on a sheet pan.

What is gochujang?

The main flavoring agent in the sauce is a sauce made with Korean red chili paste called gochujang. This condiment is sweet, savory and spicy all at once, and it’s the primary flavoring for this chicken. You can find gochujang sauce in many grocery stores in the ethnic foods aisle, or check your local Asian market.

Fried chicken thigh pieces in a pan of sweet and savory Korean sauce.

How to serve Korean fried chicken

Korean fried chicken is most often served as a finger food style appetizer. You can also offer it as a main course and offer a side of rice and pickled vegetables. I’ve served it both ways and it’s always a hit no matter what!

A pan of Korean fried chicken coated in a sweet and spicy sauce then garnished with sesame seeds.

This Korean fried chicken is a bit on the spicy side, so it’s not the best bet for young kids or people that are sensitive to heat. If you’d prefer to remove most of the spice factor, you can cut the amount of gochujang in half. The flavor won’t be quite as authentic, but you’ll still have an amazingly delicious dish!

More Asian food recipes

  • Sweet and Sour Chicken
  • Veggie Fried Rice
  • Chicken Lettuce Wraps
  • Korean Beef Bowls
  • Slow Cooker Orange Chicken
Korean fried chicken on a serving plate topped with curly green onions.
Print Pin
5 from 32 votes

Korean Fried Chicken

This Korean fried chicken is chicken thighs in a crispy coating that are tossed in a sweet, spicy and savory sauce. A unique meal or snack that's totally delicious!
Course Main
Cuisine Asian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 323kcal
Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

For the chicken

  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 2 inch pieces
  • 2 eggs lightly beaten
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • oil for frying
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • green onions for garnish optional

For the sauce

  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 3 tablespoons gochujang sauce
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil

Instructions

  • Place the eggs in a bowl, add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Mix the flour and cornstarch together and place in a shallow bowl or on a plate.
  • Heat 3 inches of oil in a deep pot to 350 degrees F.
  • Dip each piece of chicken into the egg, then roll into the flour mixture. Repeat with all of the chicken.
  • Fry 7-8 pieces of chicken at a time for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Repeat the process with all of the chicken.
  • While the chicken is cooking, whisk together the ketchup, gochujang paste, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce and sesame oil until smooth.
  • Pour the sauce ingredients into a small pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 1-2 minutes or until sugar is dissolved.
  • Pour the sauce over the chicken and toss to coat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve, garnished with green onions if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 323kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 162mg | Sodium: 551mg | Potassium: 367mg | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 160IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 2.2mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @DinnerAtTheZoo or tag #dinneratthezoo!
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

Filed Under: Appetizers, Asian Food, Dinner

FREE TOOLKIT: 5 Secrets to Meal Planning

Learn my 5 Meal Planning Secrets & get my Meal Planning Toolkit...FREE!

    ​
    ​

    Still hungry? Follow Dinner at the Zoo on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest for more great recipe ideas!

    « Taco Salad Recipe
    Roasted Asparagus with Garlic and Herbs »

    Comments

    1. Jeri says

      January 1, 2023 at 1:57 pm

      My husband won’t eat dark meat. Can I use white meat?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        January 2, 2023 at 11:42 am

        Yes that’s fine!

        Reply
    « Older Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating





    With 3 young kids, dinner can feel like feeding time at the zoo! I'm a mom on a mission to create easy, healthy and family friendly recipes ...Read More

    Winter Soups

    Hamburger soup with potatoes and vegetables is an economical and easy meal option.

    Hamburger Soup

    A bowl of Italian wedding soup with meatballs, carrots, spinach and pasta.

    Italian Wedding Soup

    A pot of cabbage soup with carrots, celery, bell peppers and green beans.

    Cabbage Soup

    A bowl of chicken pot pie soup with a biscuit on top.

    Chicken Pot Pie Soup

    A bowl of vegetarian chili topped with shredded cheese and sour cream.

    Vegetarian Chili

    A bowl of Instant Pot beef stew with cubes of meat, potatoes, carrots, onions and peas.

    Instant Pot Beef Stew

    More Posts from this Category

    Featured Recipes

    Instant Pot pot roast with carrots and potatoes, all topped with parsley.

    Instant Pot Pot Roast

    These bacon ranch chicken foil packets are a super easy dinner option with minimal cleanup! Chicken breasts are cooked with potatoes and ranch flavored butter, then topped with melted cheese and bacon for a meal that's sure to please any crowd.

    Bacon Ranch Chicken Foil Packets

    Earthquake cake is a gooey delight loaded with chocolate, pecans and coconut.

    Earthquake Cake

    A hand scooping out a serving of caramel apple dip.

    Caramel Apple Dip

    FREE TOOLKIT: 5 Secrets to Meal Planning

    Learn my 5 Meal Planning Secrets & get my Meal Planning Toolkit...FREE!

      ​
      ​

      Categories

      Sites I am featured In
      PRIVACY POLICY ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT © Sara Welch and Dinner at the Zoo® LLC, 2015-2022.
      • Facebook
      • Instagram
      • Pinterest
      • RSS
      • Twitter
      • About Me
      • Contact Me
      • All Recipes
      • Dinner
      • Appetizers
      • Dessert
      • One Pot Meals
      • Slow Cooker
      • Asian Food