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Bite-Size Spicy Korean Fried Chicken (That Actually REMAINS CRUNCHY!)

ByEmma Choi Published: Modified:
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Warning: Once you try this Korean fried chicken, you’ll be hooked for life! The double deep-frying process gives it an ultra-crunchy texture, while the sweet and spicy glaze is unlike anything you’ve ever tasted before. This is a MUST-TRY if you haven’t experienced Korean fried chicken yet!

spicy Korean fried chicken is double deep fried and glazed with a sweet and spicy

Fried chicken is a popular snack in Korea, the traditional fried chicken, the gochujang-based sauce fried chicken, or the soy sauce fried chicken, you’ll find all those in fast food such as KFC or in many bars to enjoy along with a good beer! My all-time favorite is definitely dakgangjeong (닭강정) particularly the spicy one with gochujang glaze. The crunchy batter coupled with this sweet and spicy sauce makes this chicken particularly ADDICTING. Believe me, you need to try this!

Korean fried chicken is double deep fried for an even more crispy outside. The first fry will cook your chicken to 90%, and the second fry with increased oil temperature will cook it fully and allow the batter to become extra crispy.

The second trick to give the batter extra crunchiness is to make it thick, the batter coating your chicken will as a consequence be thicker and mixed with the fried chicken powder coating, both of them will combine to make this super crunchy outside once deep fried. The ratio of fried chicken powder/water I like using is 1 ½:1.

My favorite place to have this snack is when I go to bars for a drink. It goes well with a nice beer and good company! In Korea, most bars will only serve you drinks if you order some food along. Never drink on an empty stomach 🙂

If you wish, you could also have this dish as dinner with some rice and banchan (side dishes). Especially if you’re planning to cook something quick, you can achieve this spicy Korean fried chicken in just a bit over 30 min. And trust me when I say THIS FRIED CHICKEN IS CRAZY GOOD!

a piece of spice Korean fried chicken

How to prepare some Spicy Korean Fried Chicken?

  1. Chop the chicken into smaller bite sizes (depending on how big you want them)
  1. Season the chicken pieces with minced garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper.
  1. Combine and mix all the sauce ingredients. You can adjust the spiciness by decreasing the amount of gochujang and gochugaru. The gochugaru makes the sauce spicier but it is not necessary if you prefer a softer spicy taste. On the other hand, gochujang should not be omitted, reduce it to max 1 tbsp.
  1. In a bowl, mix the Korean fried chicken powder with water.
  1. Add the chicken bites to the batter and coat the pieces well. Then drop the chicken in a plate/bowl filled with fried chicken powder and coat properly. This will make your fried chicken extra crunchy. (If you have a large container, you can also place 2/3 of the dry chicken mix in it, drop the chicken on top and sprinkle with the remaining 1/3 chicken mix. Close the lid and shake a few times so all chicken is well coated with the chicken powder mix).
  1. Heat up some cooking oil in a pan, pot or fryer. Fry the chicken at 160°C / 320°F for about 6 min or until ¾ cooked. Do this per batch as all the chicken will not fit in your cooking pot, plus your chicken bites may stick to each other if overcrowding your pot. Remove chicken from frying oil and place it on a rack lined with a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
  1. Increase the heat to medium-high heat. Use the double frying method: fry the chicken a second time for 1 min. Increase the heat to 180°C / 360°F. Use the double frying method: fry the chicken a second time for 1 min. Do this per batch also. The chicken should be golden brown. Since everyone has a different stove, and chicken may fry at a different speed according to your stove, cut one piece to check if the chicken is cooked inside. If not, fry it again a little longer.
  1. In a separate pan, pour the sauce and cook it on medium heat for about 4 min or until the sauce has thickened a little.
  1. Add the fried chicken to the sauce, and mix well.
  1. Sprinkle some unsalted crushed peanuts.
a bowl of Korean fried chicken dakgangjeong

HOMEMADE KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN MIX

Can’t find premade Korean fried chicken mix? Here is how to make your own mix with basic ingredients that you can find in any supermarket (or already have at home). Simply mix together:

  • 300g / 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 70g / ½ cup cornstarch
  • ½ tbsp gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
  • ½ tbsp black pepper powder
  • ½ tbsp garlic powder
  • ½ tbsp onion powder 
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp nutmeg powder

For more details on this recipe, you can check out my Korean Fried Chicken mix post.

In the mood for Asian fried food? Check these!

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spicy Korean fried chicken is double deep fried and glazed with a sweet and spicy

Spicy Korean Fried Chicken (BITE-SIZE)

Spicy Korean fried chicken is double deep-fried and glazed with a sweet and spicy sauce. This is a MUST-TRY if you haven't had Korean fried chicken yet!
4.86 from 7 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Snack
Cuisine: Korean
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories per serving: 865kcal
Author: Emma Choi

Ingredients

  • 500 g boneless chicken thighs
  • 1 garlic clove , minced
  • salt and pepper
  • 150 g Korean fried chicken mix | for coating
  • 1 bottle of cooking oil
  • 20 g unsalted peanuts, crushed (optional)

For the batter:

For the sauce:

Instructions

  • Chop the chicken into bite-size (depending on how big you want them)
  • Season the chicken pieces with minced garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper.
  • Combine and mix all the sauce ingredients. You can adjust the spiciness by decreasing the amount of gochugaru. The gochugaru makes the sauce spicier but it is not necessary if you prefer a less spicy taste.
  • In a bowl, mix the Korean fried chicken powder with water.
  • Add the chicken bites to the batter and coat the pieces well. Then drop the chicken in a plate/bowl filled with fried chicken powder and coat properly. This will make your fried chicken extra crunchy. (If you have a large container, you can also place 2/3 of the dry chicken mix in it, drop the chicken on top and sprinkle with the remaining 1/3 chicken mix. Close the lid and shake a few times so all chicken is well coated with the chicken powder mix)
  • Heat up some cooking oil in a pan, pot or fryer. Fry the chicken at 160°C / 320°F for about 6 min or until ¾ cooked. Do this per batch as all the chicken will not fit in your cooking pot, plus your chicken bites may stick to each other if overcrowding your pot. Remove chicken from frying oil and place it on a rack lined with a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
  • Increase the heat to 180°C / 360°F. Use the double frying method: fry the chicken a second time for 1 min. Do this per batch also. The chicken should be golden brown. Since everyone has a different stove, and chicken may fry at a different speed according to your stove, cut one piece to check if the chicken is cooked inside. If not, fry it again a little longer.
  • In a separate pan, pour the sauce and cook it on medium heat for about 3-4 min or until the sauce has thickened a little.
  • Add the fried chicken to the sauce, and mix well.
  • Sprinkle some crushed unsalted peanuts.

Notes

1. You can buy the fried chicken mix and all other ingredients at any Korean grocery store. You can also buy it on Amazon. However, in case you can’t find it, here is how to make homemade Korean fried chicken mix. Simply mix all of the below ingredients together:
  • 300g / 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 70g / ½ cup cornstarch
  • ½ tbsp gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
  • ½ tbsp black pepper powder
  • ½ tbsp garlic powder
  • ½ tbsp onion powder 
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp nutmeg powder
For more details, check my homemade Korean fried chicken mix post.
2. If you have corn syrup at home but no oligo syrup, you can substitute the quantity of oligo syrup with corn syrup and vice-versa. Both can substitute for each other. 
3. If you prefer a lighter coating of batter, increase the amount of water to 375g / 1 ½ cup. Note that the chicken will be less crunchy as a consequence.
4. Frying time of chicken may vary depending on your stove. Adjust the heat accordingly.
5. Peanuts – make sure to use unsalted peanuts, since salted peanuts will definitely make your fried chicken way too salty.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 servingCalories: 865kcalCarbohydrates: 127gProtein: 33gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 123mgSodium: 826mgPotassium: 525mgFiber: 4gSugar: 51gVitamin A: 500IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 49mgIron: 6mg
Tried this recipe? Take a pic and mention @thatcutedish on Instagram, I’d love to see all your creations! Don’t forget to leave a rating and comment below : )

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4 Comments

  1. This was delicious! I substituted syrups with corn syrup and it worked fine. This reminded me of the chicken I had in Korea. Easy to follow instructions. Thanks!

    Reply