Korean Fried Chicken Street Food (Dakgangjeong)
Korean Fried Chicken, or Dakgangjeong, is an addictive street food with bite-sized chicken chunks marinated in a flavorful buttermilk mixture, coated in a crispy seasoning, and deep-fried to perfection. The chicken is then tossed in a mouthwatering Korean glaze made with gochujang, honey, soy sauce, and other aromatic ingredients. If you love Cantonese sweet and sour chicken and you like spicy food, then this is the best you can ever taste. The result is a heavenly combination of crispy, sticky, sweet, and spicy flavors that no takeaway will match.
In Korea, it’s more probably that you’ll find Dakgangjeong cooked with bone-in chicken and served as a main dish. This street food version uses boneless chicken breasts sliced into bite-size chunks for easy snacking. The marinade and glaze remain true to the traditional flavors with a crispy coating. It cannot be more addictive!
Why you’ll like it?
- Sticky, Sweet & Tangy
- Spicy Gochujang Sauce
- Authentic Korean Street Food Flavors
- Use as Snack, Appetizer, or a Main.
- Crowd-Pleaser
Tips
- Marinate the chicken overnight. If it’s too late, leave at least 1 hour to ensure maximum flavor.
- Want to check if it’s cooked? cut open a piece – if it’s no longer pink in the middle, it’s done.
- Use a deep-fat fryer or a large pan with enough vegetable oil to ensure the chicken is fully submerged while frying.
- When coating the chicken with the crispy seasoning, press the mixture firmly onto each piece to ensure it sticks well.
- Do not overcrowd the pan while frying the chicken. Cook in batches to maintain the oil temperature and ensure even cooking.
- Keep the cooked chicken warm in a low-heat oven while frying the remaining pieces.
Variations
- Spicy Variation: Add more gochujang or chili flakes to the glaze for an extra kick of heat.
- Sesame Twist: Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the finished dish for added flavor and texture.
- Asian Fusion: Serve Korean Fried Chicken with a side of kimchi or pickled vegetables for a delicious fusion of flavors.
Storage Instructions
- For leftovers (which is unlikely!), store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To reheat, place the chicken in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10 minutes or until heated through.
How to serve Korean Fried Chicken?
Enjoy the Korean Fried Chicken Street Food on its own as a snack or appetizer.
- Serve it with steamed rice, a side of stir-fried vegetables, and a refreshing cucumber salad.
- Personally I love to serve bao buns or with tteokbokki on weekends.
- Don’t forget to garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds for an extra touch of authenticity.
Health Info
- Calories: 957
- Sugar: 24.6
- Sodium: 2669.9
- Fat: 52.9
- Carbohydrates: 62.5
- Fiber: 2.1
- Protein: 56
Description
Ingredients
For the chicken and marinade:
- 4 chicken breasts sliced into bite-size chunks
- 1 cup 240ml buttermilk
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic salt
For the crispy coating:
- 1 ½ cups 180g all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon celery salt
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
- 4 cups vegetable oil for deep frying
For the Korean glaze
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons gochujang paste
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and minced
- 2 teaspoons freshly minced ginger minced
Instructions
Marinate the Korean chicken
- Put the chicken in a bowl and add buttermilk, salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Mix thoroughly and cover the bowl.
- Allow it to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
Cook the Korean fried chicken
- Preheat the oven on low to keep the cooked chicken warm.
- Heat a large pan with vegetable oil (or preheat a deep-fat fryer) until it reaches the desired temperature.
- In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the crispy coating.
- Take a chicken piece from the buttermilk mixture (marinate), allowing the excess to drip off, and coat it thoroughly in the crispy coating mixture. Place it on a tray and repeat this process with the remaining chicken pieces.
- Add 10-12 chicken pieces to the frying oil, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes until the chicken becomes golden brown and is fully cooked. Refer to the tips below to ensure thorough cooking.
- Keep the cooked chicken warm in the oven while you cook the remaining pieces.
- Prepare the glaze & pour over the sauce
- While the chicken is cooking, prepare the sauce. Combine gochujang, honey, sugar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, vegetable oil, and sesame oil in a saucepan.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then let it simmer for 5 minutes until it thickens.
- Place all the cooked chicken in a bowl and pour the sauce over it. Toss everything together to coat. You can choose to leave the chicken chunks whole or slice them, depending on your preference.