Yangnyeom chicken (Korean fried chicken)
양념치킨: double-fried crisp chicken in a sticky sweet and spicy glaze
Fried chicken shops are on almost every street corner in Korea, and late-night delivery boxes are shared over sport on TV or by the river in summer. The pairing with beer even has its own word, chimaek, but an ice-cold alcohol-free beer, barley tea or a fizzy drink works just as well. Yangnyeom chicken is the glazed kind, tossed in a sweet, garlicky gochujang sauce, and it always comes with cubes of white pickled radish to cut the richness. Chef's tip: let the chicken rest for 5 minutes between the two fries; the moisture that rises to the surface is what the second fry turns into a shatteringly crisp shell.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the chicken
For the coating
For the glaze
To serve
Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Pat 2 ¼ lb chicken wings and drumsticks dry with kitchen paper. Rub with 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper, 2 cloves garlic and ½ tsp ginger and leave for 10 minutes.
10 minStep 2: Whisk 2 ½ oz potato starch, 1 oz plain flour, ½ tsp baking powder and ½ cup ice-cold water into a thin batter, like single cream. Add the chicken and turn to coat every piece.
Step 3: Pour 6 ¼ cups vegetable oil, for deep-frying into a large, deep, heavy pan, no more than one third full, and heat to 325°F. Use a thermometer, keep children and pets away, and never leave the pan. If the oil smokes, turn off the heat.
8 minStep 4: Lower in the chicken one piece at a time, letting the extra batter drip off. Fry in 2 batches for 9 to 10 minutes each, turning, until pale golden. Common mistake: crowding the pan. Too many pieces drop the oil temperature, and the chicken comes out greasy and soft.
20 minStep 5: Lift onto a rack and rest for 5 minutes. Check that the thickest drumstick has reached 165°F/165 °F near the bone with clear juices; if not, it will get there in the second fry.
5 minStep 6: Heat the oil to 350°F and fry all the chicken again, in batches, for 3 to 4 minutes, until deep golden and very crisp. Drain on the rack.
7 minStep 7: Meanwhile, put 2 tbsp gochujang (Korean chilli paste), 3 tbsp tomato ketchup, 3 tbsp rice syrup or honey, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tsp Korean chilli flakes (gochugaru) and 2 tbsp water in a wide pan over a medium-low heat. Simmer for 2 minutes, stirring, until glossy and bubbling.
3 minStep 8: Take the sauce off the heat, add the hot chicken and toss quickly until every piece is coated.
Step 9: Scatter with 2 tbsp roasted peanuts and 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds and serve straight away with 7 oz Korean pickled radish (chicken-mu). Let the oil cool completely before you move or throw it away.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 640 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 34 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does yangnyeom chicken (Korean fried chicken) take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
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