Korean Fried Chicken Recipe – Korea’s Crispy, Sweet & Spicy Street Food Icon

Difficulty:

3/5

Serves:

6 PEOPLE

Prep Time:

11 minutes

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Korean Fried Chicken Recipe (South Korea)

Crispy, sticky, and perfectly balanced between sweet and spicy, Korean Fried Chicken—or Yangnyeom Chicken—is one of the most beloved exports of Korean street food culture. Featured on Global Street Eats with Chef Devan Rajkumar, this South Korean street food recipe captures the addictive combination that has made K-FC world famous: crackling batter, juicy chicken, and a glowing gochujang glaze that delivers both heat and depth.

The Inspiration

In the heart of Seoul, neon-lit streets buzz long into the night, fueled by sizzling sounds from sidewalk stalls and the intoxicating aroma of frying chicken. Korean Fried Chicken is more than comfort food—it’s culinary craftsmanship. Its hallmark? Double-fried perfection coated in a sauce that balances sweetness, spice, and tang like poetry.

For Global Street Eats, Chef Devan Rajkumar dives into the legacy of this modern classic, exploring how Korea perfected fried chicken into an art form. The key isn’t just the recipe but the philosophy: texture is sacred, balance is everything, and sharing food is joy. His version delivers all that—intensely crisp pieces of chicken coated in a silky glaze of gochujang, soy, and honey that hits every flavor note at once.

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

3 lbs skinless chicken thighs cut into quarters
Kosher salt and white pepper
1 cup (240ml) potato starch
½ cup (120ml) rice flour
1 tsp (4.9ml) baking powder
½ tsp (2.5ml) garlic powder
½ tsp (2.5ml) ground ginger
Neutral oil for frying, such as vegetable or peanut oil

For the Sauce:

¼ cup (1.2ml) gochujang Korean chili paste
3 tbsp (44.4ml) brown sugar
2 tbsp (29.6ml) honey
1 tbsp (14.8ml) black vinegar
3 tbsp (44.4ml) soy sauce
2 tsp (9.9ml) grated garlic
2 tsp (9.9ml) grated ginger
2 tbsp (29.6ml) sesame oil

To Finish:

2 scallions sliced thin
Toasted sesame seeds
Red chili flakes (optional)

Method

Make the Sauce

Add all the sauce ingredients except the sesame oil to a small pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once the sauce comes up to a simmer, take it off the heat and stir in the sesame oil.

Make the Chicken

Season the chicken pieces all over with salt and white pepper. Place the chicken on a wire rack on a tray in the fridge for 30 minutes or up to overnight.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the potato starch, rice flour, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp white pepper, garlic powder, ground ginger, and baking powder. Transfer half the dry mixture to another medium bowl and add ½ cup of water to form a wet slurry.
Allow the chicken to come up to room temperature for 20 minutes if it was in the fridge overnight. Toss the chicken in the dry dredge, making sure to coat it thoroughly. Then transfer the chicken to the slurry and coat evenly. Lift the chicken out of the slurry, allowing the excess to drip off, then dredge in the dry mixture again.
Heat a large, heavy bottomed pot full of oil to 350 F (175 C) over high heat. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pot, add chicken pieces to the hot oil and cook until they have turned golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a paper towel lined tray to drain.
Once all the chicken pieces have been fried, work in batches again to refry the chicken: return chicken pieces to the pot, making sure not to crowd it, and fry them for another 3 minutes, or until they turn golden brown. Transfer the chicken to a fresh paper towel lined tray to drain.
Once the chicken is fried, toss it with the sauce in a large bowl to coat thoroughly.
Serve the fried chicken topped with sliced scallions, toasted sesame seeds, and red chili flakes if desired.

Serving Suggestions

Serve Korean Fried Chicken fresh from the wok, while still sizzling and glossy. It’s the centerpiece of a proper anju (Korean drinking snack) spread, best paired with cold beer or a highball of soju and tonic. For sides, add quick pickled radish or cabbage slaw—their sharp crunch cleanses the palate between bites.

For presentation, arrange the chicken on a platter and drizzle with extra sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds and scallions for visual brightness, or red chili flakes if you like more heat. Leftovers (if there are any) reheat best in an air fryer to restore crispness.

Final Thoughts

This Korean Fried Chicken recipe from Global Street Eats and Chef Devan Rajkumar celebrates the irresistible global appeal of Korean street food—crispy, sticky, perfectly seasoned, and utterly addictive.

The recipe’s genius lies in its balance: a mirror-polished glaze over the crunchiest chicken imaginable, proof that street food can be both refined and soulful. Inspired by Seoul’s dynamic food culture, this dish embodies everything Global Street Eats stands for—flavor, craft, and cultural connection through food.

Find more recipes from Global Street Eats here!