Recipe courtesy of Esther Choi
Recipe courtesy of Esther Choi
Watch how to make this recipe.
Korean Fried Chicken Wings
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- Level: Intermediate
- Total: 5 hr 30 min
- Active: 1 hr 10 min
- Yield: 4 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 4 servings
- Calories
- 2066
- Total Fat
- 149 g
- Saturated Fat
- 17 g
- Carbohydrates
- 130 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 9 g
- Sugar
- 65 g
- Protein
- 55 g
- Cholesterol
- 254 mg
- Sodium
- 2039 mg
In South Korea there are probably more fried chicken restaurants than anywhere else in the world. It’s so common that you’re eating it one or two times a week. It’s also a big-time thing for anju (foods eaten with alcohol). Everyone knows that fried food goes well with beer. But Korean fried chicken and beer is a next-level pairing. It’s so beloved that in Korea there’s the term “chimaek,” – “chi” for chicken, “maek” for maekju (beer). There’s every type of fried chicken in Korea, though what they have in common is the double-fry, which ensures the crisp texture. The first fry is at a lower temperature, which cooks the chicken through, while the second fry is at a higher temperature, which crisps everything up. In this recipe from my book Hand Taste: Cook Like a Korean Grandmother, I apply the sauce with a pastry brush, which keeps the exterior crisp. If you drown the chicken in the sauce, even with the double-fry method, it won’t stay nearly as crisp. There’s no limit on what kinds of chicken pieces to use for frying, though I find that wings or boneless chicken bites are easier to cook and eat at home. Before starting, ensure you have a digital thermometer to help monitor the frying oil temperature. A Dutch oven is a reliable vessel for frying the chicken and minimizing splatter over the stovetop. A silicone pastry brush is good to use for the sauce so you don’t stain a natural fiber pastry brush bright red from the gochujang.
- Level: Intermediate
- Total: 5 hr 30 min
- Active: 1 hr 10 min
- Yield: 4 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 4 servings
- Calories
- 2066
- Total Fat
- 149 g
- Saturated Fat
- 17 g
- Carbohydrates
- 130 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 9 g
- Sugar
- 65 g
- Protein
- 55 g
- Cholesterol
- 254 mg
- Sodium
- 2039 mg
Ingredients
Chicken:
Dredge:
Gochujang Sauce:
Fry and Finish:
Yuja Pickled Daikon:
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Directions
Special equipment:
a deep-fry thermometer- For the chicken: In a large bowl, stir together the buttermilk, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, white pepper and salt. Add the chicken wings, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or ideally overnight.
- For the dredge: In a shallow pie pan or plate, mix together the all-purpose flour, rice flour, cornstarch, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, white pepper and salt.
- Working with one piece at a time, remove the chicken from the brine and dip into the flour mixture, turning and pressing the piece to ensure no portion of chicken is uncoated. Return the chicken to the buttermilk, then repeat with the flour mixture (the double coat is key!). Place the double-coated piece on a pan and repeat with the remaining pieces. When all the chicken has been dipped and dredged, place the pan in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes. This helps the coating adhere to the chicken before you start frying.
- For the gochujang sauce: In a small bowl, mix together the gochujang, honey, sesame oil, soy sauce and garlic. Keep at room temperature while you fry the chicken.
- Fry and finish the chicken: Line a half sheet pan with paper towels or place a wire cooling rack over it. In a large Dutch oven, heat about 2 inches of oil over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 325 degrees F. Working in batches to avoid crowding, fry the chicken at that temperature for 7 to 9 minutes, turning the pieces over once or twice. Throughout the process try to maintain a constant temperature (you may need to lower the heat). The idea isn’t to brown the chicken but to partially fry it. Using tongs, transfer the chicken to the wire rack and repeat until all the pieces have been fried once.
- Bring the temperature of the oil up to 375 degrees F and repeat the frying step at the higher temperature until all the pieces are super crunchy and brown, 2 to 3 minutes longer per batch. Transfer the pieces to the wire rack to drain off any excess oil. If you want to be sure the pieces are cooked, use a thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken. It should be at 165 degrees F.
- Using a pastry brush, coat the chicken lightly but thoroughly on all sides with the gochujang sauce. Save any leftover sauce to serve with the chicken, for dunking.
- Put the fried chicken on a platter, sprinkle with sesame seeds and scallions and serve with a small bowl of Yuja Pickled Daikon and lemon wedges. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days. Eat cold or reheat in a toaster oven.
Yuja Pickled Daikon:
- Put the daikon in a medium heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together the vinegar, sugar, yuja tea, salt and 1 cup water. Once the sugar is dissolved and the mixture starts to boil, remove from the heat and pour over the daikon. Let cool completely. The pickles can be enjoyed right away, but they do taste better after they soak at least overnight in the refrigerator. Place the daikon in a glass quart jar, seal and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks. Makes about 1 quart.
Cook’s Note
Korean apple vinegar is really good for this recipe. It’s not apple cider vinegar. Instead, it’s a clear vinegar from Korea that has a softer acidity than plain white vinegar.
