Korean Fried Chicken: Extra-Crispy Chicken With a Sweet and Spicy Glaze

Korean Fried Chicken is famous for its incredibly crisp coating and glossy, flavorful sauce. The chicken is fried twice to create a light, crunchy exterior before being tossed in a sweet and spicy glaze made with gochujang, honey, garlic, and soy sauce. The result is restaurant-style fried chicken with a satisfying combination of heat, sweetness, and crunch.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Intermediate

Ingredients

For the chicken

• 2 lb chicken wings or boneless chicken pieces
• 1 cup cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• Vegetable oil, for frying

For the sauce

• 3 tablespoons gochujang
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon water

For serving

• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season it with salt and black pepper. Place the cornstarch in a large bowl and add the chicken pieces, tossing thoroughly until every piece is coated in a thin, even layer. Shake off any excess coating before frying. The dry cornstarch coating helps create the characteristic crisp texture associated with Korean fried chicken.

Heat several inches of vegetable oil to 350°F (175°C). Fry the chicken in batches so the temperature of the oil does not drop too much. Cook for approximately 6–8 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces, until the chicken is cooked through and lightly golden. Transfer it to a wire rack and let it rest for several minutes before the second fry.

While the chicken rests, combine the gochujang, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, brown sugar, sesame oil, and water in a saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring until the sauce becomes glossy and slightly thickened. Increase the oil temperature to 375°F (190°C) and fry the chicken again for another 2–3 minutes, until deeply golden and exceptionally crisp.

Transfer the hot chicken to a large bowl and toss with the glaze until evenly coated. Do not leave the chicken sitting in the sauce for too long, as the coating will gradually soften. Finish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions, then serve immediately. For a milder version, reduce the gochujang and increase the honey slightly.