Make the best Korean fried chicken with super crunchy buttermilk fried chicken pieces tossed in an appetizing red spicy sauce. A delicious appetizer everyone will love!
Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel, then chop it into 1-inch cubes.
Transfer them to a large mixing bowl, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and add the buttermilk, mixing it well. Wrap/cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator to marinate for 6 hours or overnight.Leave it to marinate for a maximum of 24 hours and a minimum of 4 hours to tenderize it and infuse it with a ton of flavor. Bring it back to room temperature for 20 minutes.
Prepare the gochujang sauce
Mince or grate the ginger and garlic, then combine them with the remaining sauce ingredients (rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, gochujang, and brown sugar/honey) in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly, taste test, and then set aside.Optionally, you can simmer the sauce to help dissolve the sugar or to achieve a more syrupy consistency (3-4 minutes).
Prepare the crispy coating
In a large, wide, shallow bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and seasonings (garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper). Stir well.
Once the chicken has marinated, shake off any excess buttermilk and transfer the cubes to the flour mixture. Make sure every piece is fully coated.
Fry the chicken
Prepare a large, heavy-based saucepan or Dutch oven (or deep-fat fryer) by adding several inched of oil to the pan. Then heat it over medium until it reaches 350-375ºF/176-190ºC.
Carefully lower batches of the chicken to the pan – just enough for a single layer with plenty of space in between. Fry them for 3-5 minutes until they’re cooked through and golden brown all over.To test whether the chicken is ready, insert a thermometer into a piece of chicken – it should reach 165ºF/74ºC to be safe to eat.
Transfer the batch of chicken to a wire rack above paper towels to drain while you cook further batches.
Assemble and enjoy
When all the chicken is fried, pour the chili sauce over it and toss to thoroughly coat. Optionally, garnish with finely sliced green onion, sesame seeds, and Korean chili flakes.Alternatively, serve the Korean gochujang sauce as a dipping sauce alongside the fried chicken pieces.
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Notes
This version is for spicy Korean fried chicken with a sweet and spicy gochujang sauce. However, you could replace the sauce with tangy Korean BBQ sauce or soy garlic sauce for a milder flavor.This method also works with chicken wings and drumsticks, though the frying time will vary: 8-10 minutes for wings or 14-17 minutes for drumsticks. Test for doneness with a meat thermometer.Storage Instructions: Avoid adding the sauce to the portion you wish to store. That way, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Then reheat and toss with the sauce.How to reheat Korean fried chicken? Allow the chicken to come back to room temperature (for about 20 minutes), then spread it across a large baking tray (a wire rack is even better for airflow) with space between the pieces. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 350ºF/175ºC. Use the broiler for 1-2 mins at the end for extra crispiness.Alternatively, air fryer it for 5-7 minutes at 375ºF/190ºC OR re-fry the chicken in oil until warm and re-crispy.Check the blog post for serving recommendations!