Korean Fried Chicken

Oct 12, 2023 • Tom Jackson

Satisfy your game day taste buds with these Korean Fried Chicken. This recipe calls for a double round of deep-frying deliciousness with a toss of a mouthwatering sweet and spicy sauce. The additively sticky, crunchy coating will have you licking your fingers after every bite.

WHAT YOU'LL LOVE

Overnight dry-brine, not a quick toss. Letting the wings sit seasoned in the fridge for up to 8 hours means the flavor gets into the meat, not just the crust.
Double fry, double crunch. A lower-temp first fry cooks the wings through, then a hotter second fry at 350–375ºF is what makes the skin shatter-crisp instead of just crispy.
Sauce built while the oil reheats. Kimchi, gochujang, and chile oil come together in the gap between fries, so nothing sits around going cold.
Tossed hot, served immediately. The wings go straight from the fryer into the warm sauce, so the coating stays crisp under the glaze instead of going soggy.

Korean Fried Chicken

Tom Jackson

Rated 4.0 stars by 15 users

Cuisine

Korean

Servings

6

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

20 minutes

Calories

447

It’s no secret this Korean Fried Chicken is finger-licking delicious. These wings involve a two-step deep frying process giving them the ultimate extra crispiness. Then they are coated with a sticky-licious sweet and spicy sauce. The addictively crunchy and a must-have for watching the game.

Print Recipe

Ingredients

Chicken:

3 lb chicken wings
1 tbsp Cattleman’s Grill Lone Star Brisket Rub
1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated on the microplane

Dredge:

1 cup cornstarch
1 tbsp baking soda

Sauce:

1 tbsp Colonial Chile Oil, mostly oil
2 tbsp garlic, minced
1/4 cup kimchi, minced
1/4 cup gochujang
1/4 cup Hoff’s Smoken Ghost Ketchup
2 tbsp Tamari soy sauce
2 tbsp Noble Saltworks Maple Smoked Turbinado Sugar
1 tbsp Reida Farm Wildflower Kansas Honey
1 tbsp rice vinegar

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Directions

Combine the wings, one tablespoon Cattleman’s Grill Lone Star Brisket Rub and one tablespoon fresh ginger in a mixing bowl. Toss well to coat the wings evenly. Cover the bowl with a towel and transfer to the refrigerator. Let sit 8 hours to overnight.
Place a Lodge 7 Quart Dutch Oven on the base/burner of a Bayou Classic gas burner/turkey fryer. Add about one gallon of frying oil to the dutch oven. Bring the oil temperature up to 300ºF.
Combine the cornstarch and baking soda in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the wings to the bowl and toss to coat in the dredge.
Place the wings in a Lodge Frying Basket. Carefully lower the basket into the hot oil. The temperature will drop when you add the wings. Increase the flame on the burner to maintain a 275ºF-300ºF oil temperature.
Fry the wings until cooked through (165ºF internal), about 9 minutes. Remove the fry basket full of wings from the oil and set aside (on the lip of the dutch oven or over a sheet pan).
Increase the flame on the burner and bring the oil temperature up to 375ºF, then adjust the flame to maintain 375ºF.
While the oil comes up to temperature, you can make the sauce (on the stove top or in a grill, but don’t leave your oil unattended).
Over medium heat, add the Colonial Chile Oil to a Lodge 10” Steel Skillet. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and fry until it begins to brown slightly, about 1-2 minutes. Add the kimchi and cook briefly (one minute), then add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer. Cook to thicken slightly, then turn off the heat. Place a lid on the skillet to keep warm.
For the second fry, return the basket full of wings to the frying oil, slowly and carefully. The oil is hotter now, so you’ll get a more dramatic reaction from the oil. Careful not to overflow the dutch oven.
The temperature of the oil will likely drop to 350ºF initially. Increase the flame as needed to maintain an oil temperature of 350ºF-375ºF. Fry until dark golden brown, about 3 minutes.
Remove the fry basket from the oil and the wings from the fry basket. Place them in a large sized mixing bowl and pour the warm sauce over the top. Toss to coat the wings. Serve topped with sesame seeds and thin sliced green onions.

Recipe Note

Recipe FAQ

Why brine the wings overnight instead of seasoning right before frying?
Letting the wings sit seasoned in the fridge for up to 8 hours gives the rub and ginger time to actually penetrate the meat, rather than just sitting on the surface.

Why fry the wings twice?
The first fry (Step 5) cooks the wings through to a safe 165ºF internal. The second, hotter fry (Steps 9–10) is purely for texture — it drives out remaining moisture so the coating turns deeply golden and shatter-crisp.

Can I substitute the gochujang or kimchi?
Kimchi and gochujang both bring distinct fermented flavor that's hard to replace, but if you need a milder version, cut the gochujang back and add a bit more honey to balance the heat.

Do I need a turkey fryer setup to make this?
No — any large, deep pot on the stovetop with a reliable thermometer works. The key is holding steady oil temperatures through both fries, not the specific equipment.

What's dredge for, and can I skip it?
The cornstarch and baking soda dredge is what gives the wings their crisp shell — baking soda helps the skin brown and blister, while cornstarch dries out faster than flour for a lighter crust. Skipping it will leave the wings soft instead of crispy.

How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
4 out of 5 — great in the kitchen, better outdoors. This is fundamentally a stovetop deep-fry recipe, so it works fine indoors; using an outdoor burner just keeps the frying smell and oil splatter out of the kitchen.

Recipe Highlights

Overnight dry-brine with rub and fresh ginger: Direction Step 1 has the wings resting seasoned for up to 8 hours before they ever see oil — that rest is what builds flavor all the way through the meat, not just on the surface.
Low-temp first fry to cook through: Step 5 holds the oil at 275–300ºF just long enough to bring the wings to a safe 165ºF internal without over-browning the crust too early.
Sauce built in the gap between fries: Step 8 has the kimchi-gochujang sauce coming together in a skillet while the oil climbs back up to temperature — no dead time, no extra dishes later.
High-heat second fry for shatter-crisp texture: Steps 9–10 push the oil to 350–375ºF for a fast second fry, which is what separates true Korean fried chicken's crunch from a standard single-fried wing.