Description
Sweet crispy Korean fried chicken, or dakgangjeong, is double-fried chicken in a potato starch crust tossed in a sweet, tangy, slightly spicy garlic-ginger sauce with sesame seeds.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken, chopped
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup potato starch
- 6 small dried red peppers
- Cooking oil, for frying
- For the sauce
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/2 cup rice syrup
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon Roasted Sesame Seeds
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Equipment
- Wok
- Kitchen thermometer
- Large strainer
- Mixing bowls
Instructions
- Soak the chicken. Soak the chopped chicken in milk for 30 minutes, then drain and season with salt and black pepper.
- Coat in potato starch. Add the potato starch to a large ziploc bag, drop in the chicken, seal, and shake to coat evenly. Keep it in the fridge until you are ready to fry.
- Mix the sauce base. In a bowl, mix together the rice syrup, soy sauce, sugar, apple cider vinegar, and yellow mustard. Set aside.
- Bloom the aromatics. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and ginger and cook for about 1 minute, until the garlic is light brown.
- Build the sauce. Toss in the dried red peppers and stir for 30 seconds, then pour in the sauce mixture. Stir gently for a few minutes until bubbling and slightly sticky, then remove from the heat.
- First fry. Heat 2 to 3 inches of oil in a large pan to 350F. Carefully add the chicken one piece at a time, working in batches. Fry for 1 to 2 minutes until crispy, then transfer to a wire strainer.
- Second fry. Bring the oil back to 340 to 350F and fry the whole batch again for 3 to 4 minutes, until very crunchy and golden brown. Transfer back to the strainer.
- Sauce it. Reheat the sauce until bubbling. Transfer the chicken to a bowl and toss it in the sauce.
- Finish. Sprinkle with roasted sesame seeds and let it cool for 5 to 10 minutes. If any pieces stick together, gently separate them by hand.
Notes
- The milk soak tenderizes the chicken and mellows any gamey taste; do not skip it.
- Potato starch, not flour, is what gives the crust its light, glassy crunch.
- The double fry is the secret to chicken that stays crispy even under the sauce.
- Sauce the chicken right before serving so the crust does not go soft.
- Rice syrup gives the glossiest glaze; corn syrup or honey can substitute in a pinch.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Korean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 560mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 27g
- Cholesterol: 80mg