Crispy Korean Fried Chicken (Yangnyeom Chicken)
Chicken wings or thighs in a thin potato starch batter, fried twice for a light, crackly crust, then tossed in a glossy gochujang, garlic and rice syrup glaze. Includes a soy-garlic sauce and air fryer option.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 kg (2 ¼ lb) chicken wings, split into drumettes and flats, tips removed (about 24 pieces), or boneless, skinless thighs in 5 cm (2 in) pieces
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
Batter
- 100 g (⅔ cup) potato starch or cornstarch
- 30 g (¼ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 150 ml (⅔ cup) ice-cold water
- about 1.5 litres (6 cups) neutral oil, for frying
Yangnyeom sauce
- 2 tbsp (40 g) gochujang
- 2 tbsp (30 g) ketchup
- 3 tbsp (60 g) rice syrup (ssal-jocheong), honey or light corn syrup
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce
- 1 tbsp (12 g) brown sugar
- 3 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) water
- 1 tsp gochugaru (optional)
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
To finish
- 1 tbsp (9 g) toasted sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp crushed roasted peanuts (optional)
- 2 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced
Instructions
- Pat the chicken very dry and toss with the salt, pepper, garlic and ginger. Leave 15 minutes, or refrigerate up to 8 hours.
- Simmer all the sauce ingredients except the sesame oil over medium-low heat for 2–3 minutes until glossy and spoon-coating. Stir in the sesame oil off the heat.
- Heat oil about 5 cm (2 in) deep in a heavy pot (no more than a third full) to 160°C (325°F).
- Whisk the starch, flour, baking powder and salt with the ice-cold water to a thin batter, like single (light) cream. Add the chicken and coat.
- Let excess batter drip off and fry in 3–4 batches: 8–10 minutes for wings, 5–6 minutes for boneless pieces, until pale golden and cooked through (at least 74°C / 165°F). Rest on a wire rack at least 5 minutes.
- Heat the oil to 185°C (365°F) and fry again in batches for 2–3 minutes until deep golden and very crisp. Drain on the rack.
- Toss the hot chicken with the warm sauce, scatter with sesame seeds, peanuts and spring onions, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Soy garlic sauce: simmer 3 tbsp (45 ml) soy sauce, 3 tbsp (60 g) rice syrup or honey, 3 tbsp (45 ml) water, 1 tbsp (15 ml) rice vinegar, 4 grated garlic cloves and 1 tsp grated ginger for 3–4 minutes until syrupy.
- Air fryer: coat with the dry starch mix instead of batter, rest 10 minutes, spray with oil and cook at 200°C (400°F) for 20–25 minutes (wings) or 14–16 minutes (boneless), turning halfway. Oven: on an oiled rack at 220°C (425°F) for 40–45 minutes.
- Pickled radish (chicken-mu): pour 100 g (½ cup) sugar and 1 tsp salt dissolved in 120 ml (½ cup) rice vinegar and 120 ml (½ cup) water over 400 g (14 oz) cubed daikon; chill at least 2 hours.
- Storage: sauce up to 1 week in the fridge; fried chicken up to 3 days. Reheat on a rack in a 200°C (400°F) oven for 10–12 minutes until hot through (74°C / 165°F).