Korean Fried Chicken with Gochujang-Honey Glaze Recipe
A crispy and flavorful Korean-style fried chicken recipe featuring tender chicken strips marinated in buttermilk and a blend of spices, then deep-fried to golden perfection and tossed in a sweet and spicy gochujang-based sauce. This dish is garnished with spring onions, sesame seeds, and chili flakes for an authentic Korean flavor that’s perfect for a satisfying meal.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 4 chicken breasts sliced into long thick strips
- 240 ml (1 cup) buttermilk
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- ¼ tsp garlic salt
Coating
- 180 g (1 ½ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic salt
- ½ tsp celery salt
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
Frying
- Vegetable oil for deep frying (at least 1 litre / 4 cups)
Sauce
- 2 tbsp gochujang paste
- 2 tbsp honey
- 4 tbsp brown sugar
- 4 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 2 tsp minced ginger
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
Garnish
- 3 spring onions sliced into thin strips
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- ½ tsp chilli flakes (red pepper flakes)
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Slice the chicken breasts into thick strips and place them in a large bowl to begin the marination process.
- Marinate: Add buttermilk, salt, white pepper, and garlic salt to the chicken strips. Mix well to ensure all pieces are coated. Cover and refrigerate, letting the chicken marinate for 1 hour for maximum tenderness and flavor.
- Mix Dry Coating: In a separate bowl, combine the plain flour, salt, ground black pepper, garlic salt, celery salt, dried thyme, paprika, baking powder, and chilli flakes. Stir thoroughly to blend all dry ingredients evenly.
- Heat Oil: Pour vegetable oil into a deep pan or deep fryer and heat it to 350°F (175°C), the ideal temperature for frying chicken to achieve a crispy coating without absorbing excess oil.
- Coat Chicken: Remove chicken strips from the marinade, allowing excess buttermilk to drip off. Dredge each piece thoroughly in the flour mixture until fully coated and set aside.
- Deep Fry: Carefully add the coated chicken strips into the hot oil in batches. Fry each batch for 6–8 minutes or until the chicken is golden brown and crispy. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
- Prepare Sauce: In a small pan, combine gochujang paste, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, minced garlic, minced ginger, vegetable oil, and sesame oil. Simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens and becomes sticky, enhancing the flavor.
- Toss Chicken in Sauce: Place the crispy fried chicken in a large bowl and pour the warm sauce over it. Toss well to ensure each piece is evenly coated with the delicious sauce.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle sliced spring onions, sesame seeds, and chilli flakes over the sauced chicken for an aromatic and colorful finish. Serve immediately for best texture and flavor.
Notes
- Marinating the chicken in buttermilk tenderizes it and adds moisture for juicier fried chicken.
- Use a thermometer to maintain consistent oil temperature to avoid greasy or undercooked chicken.
- The sauce can be adjusted for sweetness or heat according to your taste by altering honey or chilli flakes.
- Make sure to fry in batches to prevent overcrowding the pan, which can lower oil temperature.
- For extra crunch, double dredge the chicken by dipping back into the marinade lightly and then flour again before frying.
Keywords: Korean Chicken, Fried Chicken, Gochujang Chicken, Spicy Korean Chicken, Crispy Chicken Recipe
