Korean Spicy Crispy Chicken with Gochujang Honey Sauce Recipe
This Korean Chicken recipe features crispy deep-fried chicken strips marinated in buttermilk and coated with a flavorful spicy and savory flour mix. Tossed in a sticky, sweet, and spicy gochujang-based sauce, the chicken is garnished with fresh spring onions, sesame seeds, and chili flakes, delivering a delicious balance of heat and sweetness in every bite.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 4 chicken breasts, sliced into long thick strips
- 240 ml (1 cup) buttermilk
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- ¼ tsp garlic salt
Coating
- 180 g (1 1/2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic salt
- ½ tsp celery salt
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp chili flakes
Frying
- Vegetable oil for deep frying (at least 1 litre / 4 cups)
Sauce
- 2 tbsp gochujang paste
- 2 tbsp honey
- 4 tbsp brown sugar
- 4 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 2 tsp minced ginger
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
Garnish
- 3 spring onions, sliced into thin strips
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- ½ tsp chili flakes (red pepper flakes)
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Slice the chicken breasts into thick strips and transfer them to a large bowl.
- Marinate: Add buttermilk, salt, white pepper, and garlic salt to the chicken strips. Mix thoroughly to ensure even coating and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour to tenderize and infuse flavor.
- Prepare the Coating: In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, black pepper, garlic salt, celery salt, dried thyme, paprika, baking powder, and chili flakes. Mix well to create a seasoned flour mixture.
- Heat the Oil: Pour vegetable oil into a deep pan and heat it to 350°F (175°C) for deep frying.
- Coat the Chicken: Remove each chicken strip from the buttermilk marinade, allowing excess liquid to drip off, then thoroughly dredge in the flour mixture, ensuring each strip is well coated.
- Deep Fry: Carefully place the coated chicken strips into the hot oil, frying in batches. Fry each batch for 6 to 8 minutes or until the chicken is golden brown and crispy. Use a slotted spoon or tongs to remove the chicken and drain on paper towels.
- Make the Sauce: In a small pan over medium heat, combine gochujang paste, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, minced garlic, minced ginger, vegetable oil, and sesame oil. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and becomes sticky.
- Toss and Garnish: Toss the hot crispy chicken strips in the warm sauce until evenly coated. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with sliced spring onions, sesame seeds, and chili flakes for a spicy finish.
Notes
- Marinating the chicken in buttermilk helps to tenderize and keep it juicy during frying.
- Ensure oil temperature remains steady at 350°F (175°C) for crispy and non-greasy chicken.
- Do not overcrowd the frying pan to maintain oil temperature and even cooking.
- The sauce can be adjusted in spiciness by adding more or less gochujang and chili flakes.
- Leftover chicken can be stored in the refrigerator and reheated in an oven for crispiness.
Keywords: Korean chicken, crispy chicken, gochujang chicken, fried chicken recipe, Korean fried chicken, spicy chicken, buttermilk fried chicken, Asian chicken recipe
