Mastering Korean fried chicken has been a personal mission, and this recipe delivers. The wings turn out tender and flavorful with a thin, crackling batter and a perfectly balanced sweet-spicy yangnyeom sauce that’s irresistible.
I love Korean fried chicken — some of my favorite memories are eating yangnyeom chicken with cousins in Korea, usually paired with beer or soju. Korean fried chicken has become widely available in the U.S., but making it at home is rewarding and surprisingly achievable.
Yangnyeom means “seasoned” and refers to dishes coated in a bright red, sweet-and-spicy sauce. Yangnyeom is one of the classic Korean fried chicken flavors; many restaurants now offer variations. When I order out, I often choose a half-and-half plate: half yangnyeom and half plain spicy chicken.
The two key elements that define authentic Korean fried chicken are:
- A thin, light, and ultra-crispy batter. It should be delicate rather than thick and heavy. Using mostly potato starch instead of only all-purpose flour helps achieve that signature texture.
- Double frying. The chicken is fried once at a lower temperature, rested, then fried again at a higher temperature to create a consistently crisp exterior.
Ingredients:
- Chicken wings — 2 lbs of wings and drumettes (about 16 pieces). Avoid very small wings; larger pieces (12–14 for 2 lbs) work, though frying time will be slightly longer.
- Seasoning — I use a dry brine: salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. The recipe calls for a higher ratio of cayenne for depth of flavor; omit or reduce it if you prefer no heat.
- Wet batter — potato starch, all-purpose flour, egg, baking powder, and cold club soda (or cold water).
- Dry batter — potato starch, all-purpose flour, salt, chicken bouillon, and cayenne pepper.
- Yangnyeom sauce — this version balances sweet, salty, tangy, and spicy elements to mimic the sauce served in Korea. Exact measures are in the recipe card below. The sauce ingredients include:
- extra spicy gochujang
- ketchup
- rice syrup (or corn syrup)
- water
- soy sauce
- sugar
- plum vinegar (or rice/white vinegar)
- gochugaru
- minced garlic
- neutral oil
How to make it
Follow these step-by-step instructions. Ingredient amounts and the full recipe card are included later in the post.
1. Mix the chicken seasoning: salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Omit cayenne if you don’t want spice.
2. Pat the chicken dry, then season thoroughly. Dry-brine uncovered in the fridge overnight or let sit at room temperature for an hour before frying.
3. Prepare the yangnyeom sauce: combine all sauce ingredients except the minced garlic and neutral oil.
4. Over medium-low heat, lightly fry the minced garlic in neutral oil until fragrant — take care not to brown it.
5. Add the combined yangnyeom mixture to the garlic.
6. Simmer gently for 2–3 minutes until the sauce bubbles and thickens slightly. Turn off the heat and cool; sauce can be refrigerated and reheated when ready to use.
7. Make the dry batter by whisking together potato starch, all-purpose flour, chicken bouillon, salt, and cayenne pepper (optional).
8. For the wet batter, combine potato starch, all-purpose flour, egg, baking powder (not baking soda), and cold club soda.
9. Dip each wing into the wet batter first, letting excess drip off.
10. Press the wet-coated wing into the dry batter, packing it on and tapping off excess. The goal is a thin, even coating.
11. Fry in batches in peanut, canola, or vegetable oil. A thermometer is essential: heat oil to about 350°F for the first fry. When you add the wings, maintain 320–335°F and fry 6–7 minutes (add an extra minute for larger wings).
12. Remove to a cooling rack and rest. Repeat with remaining batches.
13. For the second fry, raise oil temperature to about 370°F. Add the wings and fry for about 1 minute; don’t let the oil drop below 350°F. This final fry crisps the exterior without overcooking.
14. Drain briefly and let the wings rest for a couple of minutes.
15. Toss wings in the warm yangnyeom sauce or brush it on. Finish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
16. Serve with pickled radish, a simple cabbage salad, and cold beer for the full Korean fried chicken experience.
The cabbage salad is quick: thinly slice green cabbage, wash, and toss with a dressing made of two parts kewpie mayo to one part ketchup, with just a touch of mustard.
Tips for the best KFC
- Use a reliable candy or frying thermometer. Temperature control is critical: keep 320–335°F for the first fry and around 370°F for the second fry (don’t let it fall below 350°F during the second fry).
- Shake off excess wet and dry batter to ensure a thin, crisp coating rather than a thick, doughy crust.
- If you plan to eat the chicken plain (without yangnyeom sauce), increase the cayenne in the seasoning and batter for more heat and flavor.
- Choose an extra-spicy gochujang if you want the sauce to deliver noticeable heat; the sugars in the sauce mellow spice, so a spicier gochujang makes a difference.
Yangnyeom sauce contains sugar, which balances the heat from gochujang. Reducing sugar can make the sauce feel less balanced rather than simply spicier, so adjust with care.
Korean Fried Chicken (Yangnyeom Chicken)
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Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken wings & drumettes, about 16 pieces
- peanut oil for frying, or canola oil
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
Seasoning for chicken
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp cayenne pepper, optional (spicy)
Wet batter
- 1/2 cup potato starch
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup cold club soda, or cold water
Dry batter
- 1/2 cup potato starch
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp chicken bouillon
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp cayenne pepper, optional
Yangnyeom Sauce
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup extra spicy gochujang
- 1/4 cup rice syrup
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp plum vinegar, or rice or white vinegar
- 1 tsp gochugaru
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
Instructions
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Combine the chicken seasoning: salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Omit cayenne if you prefer no heat.
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Pat the chicken dry and season thoroughly. Dry-brine in the fridge overnight, or let sit at room temperature for an hour before frying.
Make the yangnyeom sauce
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Combine all sauce ingredients except the minced garlic and neutral oil.
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Lightly fry minced garlic in neutral oil over medium-low heat until fragrant, then add the sauce mixture.
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Simmer gently for 2–3 minutes, then remove from heat. Refrigerate and reheat before use if making ahead.
Make the dry & wet batter
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For the dry batter, mix potato starch, all-purpose flour, chicken bouillon, salt, and cayenne (optional).
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For the wet batter, mix potato starch, all-purpose flour, egg, baking powder, and cold club soda.
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Dip wings into the wet batter, shake off excess, then press into the dry batter and tap off extra.
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Fry in batches in oil heated to about 350°F for the first fry. Maintain 320–335°F and fry 6–7 minutes (7–8 minutes for larger wings). Rest on a cooling rack.
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For the second fry, heat oil to about 370°F and fry for 1 minute, keeping the temperature above 350°F. Drain and rest briefly.
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Toss wings in the warm yangnyeom sauce or brush it on, then sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve with pickled radish and cabbage salad.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and is an approximation.
Additional Info
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