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Korean Fried Chicken

Korean Fried Chicken is my go-to when I want something bold, crispy, and packed with flavor. The chicken comes out golden and crunchy, with a thin cornstarch coating that stays crisp even under that sticky gochujang glaze. Sweet, spicy, and deeply savory, each bite is genuinely hard to stop at. I make it for weeknight dinners, game day, or any night I'm craving Korean takeout at home. It always gets the biggest reaction at the table.
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: Asian, Korean
Keyword: Korean Fried Chicken
Servings: 4
Calories: 318kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 pound boneless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
  • ½ cup cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon ginger powder
  • 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons gochujang Korean chili paste
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 2 green onions chopped (for garnish)
  • Vegetable oil for frying
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels. Toss them in cornstarch until fully coated.
    1 pound boneless chicken thighs, ½ cup cornstarch
  • Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet to 350°F (180°C).
    Vegetable oil
  • Fry the chicken in batches for 8–10 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels.
  • In a bowl, mix together the soy sauce, gochujang, honey, garlic powder, ginger powder, and sesame oil until smooth.
    1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon ginger powder, 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons gochujang, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • Toss the fried chicken in the sauce until evenly coated.
  • Garnish with chopped green onions and serve immediately while hot and crispy.
    2 green onions

Notes

Here are a few things I've learned from making this recipe that'll help yours turn out perfect.
  • Dry the chicken thoroughly: Patting the chicken completely dry before coating is the single most important step for maximum crispiness. Any surface moisture will steam the coating rather than crisp it.
  • Coat evenly in cornstarch: Toss the chicken in cornstarch and shake off any excess before frying. A thick, uneven coating can clump and fall off in the oil, so a light, uniform layer works best.
  • Fry in batches: Adding too many pieces at once drops the oil temperature and leads to greasy, soggy chicken instead of that crispy golden shell. Keep the batches small and let the oil return to 350°F between rounds.
  • Whisk the sauce until smooth: Mix the soy sauce, gochujang, honey, garlic powder, ginger powder, and sesame oil until there are no streaks, then add the chicken. A well-emulsified sauce coats more evenly and clings better.
  • Toss while hot: The glaze sticks best when the chicken is fresh out of the oil and still hot. Don't let it sit and cool before saucing or the coating won't absorb the glaze as well.
  • Freeze before saucing: If you're making a batch ahead for the freezer, freeze the plain fried chicken pieces on a baking sheet for 1 hour, then transfer to a freezer bag. Sauce them fresh after reheating so the coating stays crispy and the glaze is bright and glossy.

Nutrition

Calories: 318kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 538mg | Potassium: 388mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 103IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg
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