Korean Fried Chicken with Gochujang Glaze
KOREAN · KOREA

Korean Fried Chicken with Gochujang Glaze

고추장 양념치킨Main

Double-fried wings with a shatter-crisp shell, tossed in a sticky, garlicky gochujang glaze that clings to every crevice. Sweet, fiery and impossible to stop eating.

Total
50 min
Heat
3/5
Serves
4

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Flavour profile

Heat
Funk
Acid
Richness
Umami
  • Garlicky
  • Gochujang
  • Spicy
  • Sweet

The real deal

Region
Korea — the twice-fried, glazed chicken known as yangnyeom chicken, a staple of Korean fried chicken shops and late-night delivery menus.
Technique
Double-frying: a thin starch coat fried low, rested, then fried hot again for a lacquered, bubbled crust that stays crisp under sauce.
We kept
Gochujang-based yangnyeom glaze with garlic, ginger, rice syrup and a hit of vinegar; no batter shortcut, no single fry.

Ingredients

4 Serves

chicken

  • 1 kg · split into wingettes and drumettes
  • 2 tsp
  • 1 tsp
  • 1 tbsp · grated
  • 2 tbsp · or dry sherry

coating

  • 120 g · or cornflour
  • 1 tsp

fry

  • 1.5 l · for deep-frying

glaze

  • 4 tbsp
  • 2 tbsp
  • 3 tbsp
  • 2 tbsp
  • 1 tbsp
  • 2 tbsp
  • 4 cloves · grated
  • 2 tsp
  • 2 tsp

Garnish

  • 2 tsp · optional
  • 2 · optional · thinly sliced

Method

  1. Split the at the joint into wingettes and drumettes. Pat them bone dry with kitchen paper — wet skin steams instead of crisping. Toss the wings with , , and . Leave them for 10 min while you make the glaze.

    Damp wings will spit in the oil and never get shatter-crisp. Dry them properly.

  2. In a large bowl, mix with . Add the wings and toss until every piece wears a thin, even, powdery coat — this is a dusting, not a batter. Shake off the excess.

    Baking powder raises the crust's pH and helps it bubble and crisp. Don't skip it.

  3. In a small pan over medium heat, stir together , , , , , , and . Simmer gently for 3 min until it thickens to a brushing glaze that coats the back of a spoon. Off the heat, stir in .

    Keep it just below a boil — gochujang scorches and turns bitter if it catches.

  4. Heat the to 160 °C. Fry the wings in batches for 7 min until pale gold and just cooked through, then lift onto a rack to drain.

    Don't crowd the pan — the oil temperature drops and the crust goes soggy.

  5. Rest the wings for 5 min while the oil comes up to 190 °C. Fry them a second time for 3 min until deeply golden, blistered and audibly crisp. Drain on a rack, never on paper.

    The second fry is what keeps the crust crunchy under the glaze. Skipping it gives you flabby chicken.

  6. Tip the hot wings into a big bowl, spoon over the gochujang glaze and toss hard so every piece is lacquered. Scatter with and if using, and serve immediately.

    Sauce the wings at the last second — the glaze softens the crust within minutes.

▶ Start cook mode

Make it a meal

What hits hardest next to it.

  • SideCoolingCrunchyPickled

    A cold, sharp pickle cuts the sticky glaze and resets your palate between wings.

    Try: Quick pickled radish cubes with rice vinegar and sugar

    Nothing on the site fits yet. Ask the Lab to cook one up →

  • SideCreamyCoolingLight

    A cool, tangy slaw tempers the heat and adds crunch against the fried crust.

    Try: Shredded cabbage slaw with mayonnaise and rice vinegar

    From our kitchen