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Korea, Asia

Yangnyeom Chicken (Korean Fried Chicken)

Boneless chicken thighs fried twice until shatteringly crisp, then tossed in a sticky sweet-and-spicy gochujang glaze, the way Koreans make it at home.

ServingsServes 2
Total cooking time45 min
Soaking in milk+ 20 min
DifficultyMedium
About servingsThis recipe uses hot oil. Never leave the pot unattended, and if the oil catches fire, never use water: cover it with the lid and turn off the heat.

Method

  1. Trim off any yellow fat and cut the thighs into 4 cm pieces (16 pieces). Cover with milk and chill for 20 minutes to remove any gamey smell and tenderise the meat. Pour off the milk, pat the pieces very dry with paper towels, then season with the salt, pepper and minced garlic.

    Add in this stepBoneless chicken thighs 400 gMilk 120 mlSalt ½ tspBlack pepper 1 pinchMinced garlic (for seasoning) 1 tsp

  2. In a bowl, mix the flour, potato starch and baking powder, then whisk in the cold water a little at a time. The batter is right when it falls from a spoon in a slow, thick ribbon. Add the chicken and toss until every piece is evenly coated.

    Add in this stepAll-purpose flour 3 tbspPotato starch 5 tbspBaking powder ½ tspIce-cold water 6 tbsp

  3. Pour the oil into a deep 20 cm pot (no more than a third of the way up) and heat over medium-high heat for to 170°C. No thermometer? Drop in a little batter: it should sink to the bottom and pop straight back up. Keep water well away from the pot and keep the lid within reach.

    Add in this stepNeutral oil for deep-frying 1 L

    medium-high heat

  4. Slide the chicken in one piece at a time, letting it go away from you, and fry over medium-high heat for per batch. Fry this amount in 2 batch(es) so the oil stays hot. Leave the pieces alone for the first minute; when they turn pale golden, lift them onto a rack and let them rest for .

    medium-high heat

  5. Turn the heat up to high heat and bring the oil to 180°C. Return the rested chicken in the same 2 batch(es) and fry for per batch until deep golden and audibly crisp when you lift it out. Cut the largest piece open: no pink and clear juices means it is done (75°C or above inside).

    high heat

  6. Put all the sauce ingredients in a wide 24 cm pan and stir over medium heat until bubbling, then turn down to low heat and stir for more. It is ready when it is glossy and a spatula drawn across the pan leaves a trail for a moment.

    Add in this stepGochujang (Korean chili paste) 1 tbspKetchup 2 tbspRice syrup or corn syrup 2 tbspBrown sugar 2 tspSoy sauce 1 tspMinced garlic (for the sauce) 1 tspKorean chili flakes (gochugaru) 1 tspWater (for the sauce) 2 tbsp

    medium heat→low heat

  7. Turn off the heat, add the fried chicken and toss quickly, 20 to 30 seconds at most, so the coating stays crisp. Plate, scatter with chopped peanuts and sesame seeds, and serve straight away.

    Add in this stepRoasted peanuts, roughly chopped 2 tbspToasted sesame seeds 1 tsp

Cook's tip

Drying the chicken well stops the oil spitting and helps the batter stick. If the oil starts to smoke, it is too hot: turn off the heat and let it cool a little. For maximum crunch, serve the sauce on the side for dipping.

Cooking it at camp

Deep-frying at a campsite is risky and the clean-up is hard, so we don't recommend it. Fry the chicken at home, then warm it through with the sauce in a pan on the burner for 1 to 2 minutes. If you must fry outdoors, use a wide, low pot on flat ground out of the wind, and keep children well back.