Korean Style Fried Chicken
Fried chicken is a very popular dish everywhere. Every ethic cuisine has its own version of fried chicken. In the US, there are fried chicken franchises everywhere, the most famous being Kentucky Fried Chicken, aka KFC. My favorite is Popeye’s. It is also on many restaurants’ menus. Korean Fried Chicken is a latecomer to the scene, but has risen in popularity in recent years. Incidentally, Korean Fried Chicken is sometimes referred to by its abbreviation KFC! One thing that prevented me from hopping on the Korean Fried Chicken (KFC) is its cost. For example 8 pcs wings cost about USD$9 – $11. Half a chicken cost about $20. These price is circa 2025. After resisting the temptation, the wife and I finally relented and order some fried chicken wings. They comes in different sauces, such as Honey garlic soy sauce, spicy sauce, etc, prepared just like the famous Buffalo Wings.
As typical with the wife, she fell in love with their fried chicken wings. So not surprising, I am tasked with making my own fried chicken. As usual, i google for Korean fried chicken wings recipe and sort through them to decide which one is more authentic and easier to make. If I have to choose between an authentic but complicated-to-make dish and a semi-authentic but easy-to-make one, I will pick the former.
The recipe I selected is titled Korean Fried Chicken. The recipe and its instructions are clear and thorough. So far, using this recipe, I have never failed. I eventually, made a tweak with a small addition of saki cooking wine in the marinating process. I think it is a game-changer, based on the guests’ feedback from a recent potluck gathering at my place.
Ingredients – Chicken Marinades:
1. 2- 2.5 lbs chicken wings
2. 1.5 teaspn kosher salt
3. 1.5 teaspn grated ginger
4. 1 teaspn black pepper
5. 1.5 TBSPN Saki
Steps:
1. Rinse the chicken wings under running water. Use paper towel to pap-dry the wings.
2. In a medium bowl, put the wings, salt, ginger, black pepper, and saki. Mix thoroughly to ensure the wings are coated with the seasoning.
3. Cover with a wrap or transfer to a ziploc bag.
4. Refrigerate overnight
Ingredients – Wet Batter:
1. 1/2 Cup All purpose flour + 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2. 1/4 cup potato starch or cornstarch
3. 3/4 cup of water
Steps:
1. Add the Wet batter’s dry ingredients in a bowl
2. Add the water
3. Mix the batter mixtures until it is smooth but not too thick.
Frying the Chicken:
1. Add frying oil in a deep pot. Bring the oil to about 320-330F. Dip the chicken wings in the batter, one piece at a time. Shake off excess batter and place in the oil. Do not put too many pieces at a time. Fry until golden color, about 5-7 minutes. Remove to a wire rack or tray lined with paper towel.
2. Repeat until the entire batch of chicken wings have been fried.
3. Raise the temperature to 350F – 375F. Add the chicken wings back into the oil. Fry for about 5 minutes until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool before serving
