Yangnyeom Chicken
intro
Iconic double-fried Korean chicken coated in sticky, sweet-spicy gochujang glaze, with juicy meat and shatteringly crisp skin, ideal for casual sharing.
Ingredients
Steps
Pat the 800g bite-sized chicken thigh pieces completely dry with paper towels, then toss in a large mixing bowl with ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, and 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger. Let the seasoned chicken rest at room temperature for 15 minutes to absorb flavors.
In a shallow ceramic dish, whisk together 1 cup cornstarch, ¼ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt until fully combined. Dredge each seasoned chicken piece in the dry coating mix, pressing firmly to create an even, thin layer on all sides, then set coated pieces on a wire rack for 10 minutes to let the coating adhere properly.
Pour 1 liter of neutral frying oil into a deep heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, and heat over medium heat until the oil reaches a steady 150°C (300°F), measured with a clip-on candy thermometer. Carefully lower half the coated chicken pieces into the oil to avoid overcrowding, fry for 8 minutes while stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, then use a slotted spoon to transfer the first batch to a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining half of the chicken.
While the first-fried chicken rests for 5 minutes, prepare the yangnyeom glaze: place a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 3 tablespoons gochujang, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 3 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, and 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Stir constantly for 3-4 minutes until the sugar fully dissolves and the glaze thickens to a syrupy consistency that coats the back of a spoon, then turn heat to the lowest setting to keep warm.
Increase heat under the frying oil to bring it to 180°C (350°F). Return all first-fried chicken pieces to the hot oil (frying in 2 batches if needed to avoid overcrowding) for a second fry of 4-5 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown, shatteringly crisp, and the chicken’s internal temperature reaches 75°C (165°F). Remove chicken to a clean wire rack to drain excess oil for 1 minute.
Transfer the hot, freshly double-fried chicken to a large clean mixing bowl, pour the warm yangnyeom glaze over top, and toss quickly with metal tongs for 30 seconds until every piece is evenly coated in the sticky red glaze. Transfer glazed chicken to a serving platter, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, and serve immediately.
Tips
2.Always pat chicken completely dry before seasoning and dredging: excess surface moisture will cause the coating to slide off the chicken, create dangerous hot oil splatters, and prevent a light, crisp crust from forming.
3.Toss the chicken in the warm glaze immediately before serving: letting glazed chicken sit for longer than 5 minutes will cause the crispy crust to absorb moisture from the glaze and turn soft and soggy.
OMG this yangnyeom chicken is a GAME CHANGER for our weekly family dinner! My 3 kids devoured every last piece and asked for seconds before I even sat down. The crust stayed crispy even after tossing in the sauce, which I was so worried about. 10/10 will make again for our next neighborhood potluck!
Tried this last night after seeing it pop up while I was watching my latest K-drama, and honestly it tastes exactly like what I get at my favorite Koreatown spot in NYC! The only thing I messed up was not letting the oil get hot enough the first batch, so those pieces were a little soggy. Second batch was perfect though!
Made a double batch on Sunday for meal prep and it held up way better than I expected! I kept the chicken and sauce separate in airtight containers and just tossed a portion with warm sauce when I was ready to eat. SO good, way better than takeout.
I usually fry chicken on my outdoor burner to keep the mess out of the house, and this recipe worked perfectly out there! The sweet-spicy balance is spot on, not too vinegary, not too cloying. My buddies went crazy for it during our football watch party.
Wait, this is my first time ever frying chicken at home and I was so nervous, but the step by step instructions made it so easy! I did substitute gochujang with a mix of sriracha and a little extra sugar because my grocery store was out, and it still turned out great? Would love to try it with the real ingredient next time.
Brought this to my office potluck yesterday and people were literally begging me for the recipe by the end of lunch! I added a little extra toasted sesame seeds on top for garnish and it looked so fancy, no one believed it only took me about an hour total to make.
Made this in my tiny apartment kitchen with my roommate, and even though we set off the smoke alarm twice it was 100% worth it. We paired it with pickled radishes just like the local Korean place does and it felt like a fancy restaurant meal for like a quarter of the price.
Has anyone tried making this with a gluten free flour blend? My husband has celiac so I need to swap out the regular flour, but I don’t want to lose that crispy crust!
My teen is obsessed with Korean fried chicken so I decided to surprise him with this for his after school snack. Dude looked at me like I was a hero when he walked in the door. The crunch is unreal, even 20 minutes after I tossed it in the sauce.
I thought the sauce was a little too spicy for my taste, so I added an extra tablespoon of honey and a splash of soy sauce and it was perfect for me! Don’t get me wrong, the recipe is great, I just have super low spice tolerance.
Made this for date night with my partner last weekend and they said it was better than the Korean fried chicken we had on our trip to Seoul last year! We paired it with cold soju and pickled cucumbers, such a perfect vibe.
Wait, has anyone tried making this in an air fryer instead of deep frying? I know it won’t be *exactly* the same, but I’m trying to cut down on how much oil I use for weeknight meals.
I added a tiny pinch of cayenne and some Old Bay to the flour dredge because I love a little extra savory kick, and wow that took it to the next level! The base recipe is already perfect, but that little Cajun twist worked so well with the sweet spicy yangnyeom sauce.
I work at a high school cafeteria and tested a small batch of this for the student lunch menu last week, and it was the most popular menu item we’ve had all semester! Kids were lining up for seconds and asking when we’d serve it again. Definitely adding it to the regular rotation.
Packed the leftover cold chicken for a day hike earlier and it was still so good! The flavor soaked into the crust a little and it was the perfect high energy snack for the trail. Who knew cold fried chicken could slap this hard?
I grew up eating my grandma’s yangnyeom tongdak and I was a little skeptical of an online recipe, but this is so authentic! The double fry method is exactly how she used to make it to get that extra crispy skin, and the sauce ratio is spot on. Brought back so many childhood memories.
Ugh I burned the sauce when I was reducing it because I got distracted taking a work call, so the first batch was super bitter. Tried again, paid attention the whole time, and it was perfect! Don’t be like me, don’t walk away from the sauce while it’s simmering.
I swapped the chicken for cauliflower florets to make a vegan version, used the same dredge and sauce, and it was incredible! My meat-eating roommate even said he preferred the cauliflower version. Great base recipe that’s super easy to adapt.
Served this at our monthly board game night with a side of tater tots and pickled radishes, and everyone was too busy eating to argue over the Monopoly rules for a full 20 minutes. That’s the highest praise a recipe can get in our friend group.
I used to drop $30 every time I ordered Korean fried chicken for delivery, and now I can make a bigger, better batch at home for half the price. The crust stays crisp way longer than the delivery version too, which always gets soggy by the time it gets to my house. Total game changer.