Top tips for perfecting your Korean fried chicken

By Rebecca Shearer

April 22 2021, 12:00pm

It’s one of the most popular Asian dishes to cook at home, but have you been making it properly? Here are some top tips and a recipe to help you master the art of cooking Korean fried chicken.

Have you ever attempted to make Korean fried chicken but haven’t quite got the technique right to perfect it?

Well, fear not as one of the chefs at food recipe box firm, Gousto, has shared his top tips for creating the ultimate version of the popular dish at home.

Research commissioned by Gousto found that 58% of Brits said that one of their favourite things to do was experience new cultures through food, and that Korean cuisine was top of the list of food people most want to learn to cook at home.

With this in mind, senior recipe developer Jordan Moore, has shared his tricks on how to cook the best Korean fried chicken at home and a recipe to help bring it all together and practice your new-found skills.

1. Don’t be afraid to double fry

Jordan said; “If you’re looking for extra crispy chicken, then double fry it!

“Once you’ve got the chicken nice and crispy, transfer it to a plate and crank the heat up as high as it will go. Return the chicken to the very hot oil for another minute or so and you’ll be left with super crispy pieces of chicken.”

2. It’s all about the crunch

Jordan said: “The key to really great Korean fried chicken is the approach to battering. First, coat it in a thick batter made with soy and flour, before adding to a dry cornflour mix, which will provide more of a crunch than just dredging in flour.”

3. Let it drain

“To make sure the skin is extra crispy, drain on a wire rack over a tray lined with kitchen paper for a few minutes to allow the excess oil to drain off,” Jordan adds.

“If you are cooking in batches, place the tray (without the kitchen roll) in a low heat oven to keep warm.”

4. It’s not about the heat

“Korean Fried chicken isn’t always about the heat!” he said.

“Another popular variant is garlic fried chicken, in which you’d fry off lots (and lots) of chopped garlic, before adding honey and soy for the perfect glaze.”

5. Serve with confidence

Jordan added: “Korean fried chicken is best when enjoyed with other people, so why not theme your next garden party around it? Use the tips above and cook up a big batch of perfectly crispy, delicious Korean Fried Chicken for your favourite people.”

Recipe for Korean fried chicken with Yang-Nyum sauce

(Serves 2)

Ingredients

150g sushi rice
200ml cold water
Salt, to season
15ml rice vinegar
10ml ketchup
25g honey
1 little gem lettuce
30g gochujang paste
1 carrot
3 garlic cloves
1 spring onion
50ml mayonnaise
320g chicken thighs
Vegetable oil
8 tbsp cornflour
1 tbsp flour
5g toasted sesame seeds
15ml soy sauce

Method

Rinse the sushi rice in a sieve under cold running water for 30 seconds (use your hands to really wash the grains), then set aside to drain fully.
Add the drained rice with the 200ml of cold water and a pinch of salt to a pot with a lid and bring to the boil over a high heat. Don’t let the water fully boil as this will make the rice stick to the pot.
Once boiling, reduce the heat to low until very gently bubbling and cook, covered, for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, remove the pot from the heat and keep covered for a further 10 minutes before serving. Be sure not to peek, and keep the lid on the whole time to get fluffy and sticky rice.
While the rice is cooking, combine the gochujang paste, rice vinegar, tomato ketchup, honey and 1 tbsp cold water in a bowl and give everything a good mix – this is your yang-nyum sauce.
Peel and grate the carrot. Wash, then shred the little gem lettuce. Peel and finely chop (or grate) the garlic. Trim, then slice the spring onion.
Combine 1 tbsp of the yang-nyum sauce (you’ll use the rest later) with the mayo and 1 tbsp cold water in a separate bowl – this is your creamy Korean dressing.
Cut the chicken thighs into large, bite-sized pieces and add them to a bowl with the flour and soy sauce.
Give everything a good mix until the all of the chicken is fully coated.
Add the cornflour in a separate bowl. Add the chopped chicken thighs to the bowl with the cornflour and give it a good mix up until all of the chicken is coated.
Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a very generous drizzle of vegetable oil (enough to cover the whole base of the pan) over a medium-high heat.
Once the pan is very hot, add the coated chicken and cook for five to six minutes on each side until golden and crispy and the chicken is cooked through (no pink meat) – this is your crispy chicken. Once crispy, transfer to kitchen paper and reserve the pan.
Once the chicken is done, carefully pour away the oil (tip: store it in a glass jar and you can use this oil again for frying). Return the pan to a medium heat and add the chopped garlic and remaining yang-nyum sauce and cook for one to two minutes or until thickened.
Once thickened, add the crispy chicken with the toasted sesame seeds and give everything a good mix up – this is your Korean yang-nyum fried chicken.
Combine the grated carrot and shredded lettuce – this is your salad.
Serve the Korean yang-nyum fried chicken with the sticky rice and salad to the side. Garnish the chicken with the sliced spring onion and drizzle the creamy Korean dressing over the salad. Enjoy.