Bite-Size Spicy Korean Fried Chicken (Dakgangjeong)

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

Bite-Size Spicy Korean Fried Chicken (Dakgangjeong)

4.91 from 10 votes

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!

Course: Snack

Cuisine: Korean

Yield:

Calories: 865kcal

Author: Emma Choi

Prep Time: 10

Active Time: 30

Total Time: 40

Ingredients

500 g boneless chicken thighs
1 garlic clove , minced
salt and pepper
150 g Korean fried chicken mix | for coating (Note 1)
1 bottle of cooking oil
20 g unsalted peanuts, crushed (optional) (Note 6)

For the batter:

220 g Korean fried chicken mix (Note 2)
240 ml cold water (Note 3)

For the sauce:

160 g oligo syrup
80 g mulyeot | Korean corn syrup (Note 4)
70 g ketchup
1.5 tbsp gochujang | Korean red pepper paste
2 tsp gochugaru | Korean red pepper flakes
2 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp water

US - M

Instructions

Prepare the chicken - 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.
Prepare the sauce - 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.
Prepare the batter - In a bowl, mix the Korean fried chicken powder with water. The water-to-mix ratio varies by brand or flour type. Some absorb more water than others, so adjust accordingly. Aim for a somewhat thick but still pourable batter (see photo).
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)
Fry the chicken - 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 (Note 5). 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.
Coat fried chicken with sauce - 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.
Garnish - 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 find it on Amazon. However, if you can’t find it, here is my recipe to make homemade Korean fried chicken mix.

2. Be careful: ready-made flours can vary significantly from brand to brand. Some absorb much more water than others.

With Ottogi flour (the one I use most often), a flour-to-water ratio of 1½ : 1 (210 g flour / 240 ml water) works perfectly.
Beksul flour absorbs much more water, so in that case it’s better to use a 1 : 1 ratio (210 g flour / 360 ml water).

If you’re using my homemade Korean fried chicken mix, the ratio will depend on the type of flour you use. Start with a 1 : 1 flour-to-water ratio. If the batter seems too runny, adjust to 1½ : 1.

3. If you prefer a lighter coating, increase the amount of water to 375 g / 1½ cups. Note that the chicken will be less crunchy as a result. The flour-to-water ratio also varies by brand or flour type, so adjust as needed. Aim for a thick but still pourable batter.

4. If you have corn syrup but no oligo syrup, you can substitute one for the other in equal quantities. They work interchangeably.

5. Frying time may vary depending on your stove and oil temperature. Adjust the heat accordingly.

6. Peanuts - make sure to use unsalted peanuts, as salted peanuts will make the fried chicken overly salty.

7. Korean corn syrup can be substituted with Korean oligo syrup (올리고당 - oligodang). It's slightly less sweet but works well. Do not use honey as a substitute—its strong flavor can overpower the dish. If you’re outside Korea, the closest Western substitute is glucose syrup, commonly used in baking and cake decorating, as it has a similar texture and neutral sweetness.

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