Extra-Crispy Korean Fried Chicken (Yangnyeom Chicken)

85 min · 4 servings · involved · Korean

Ingredients

Brine

• 2 lb (900 g) boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into strips
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1 tbsp kosher salt

Batter

• 1/2 cup reserved buttermilk brine
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup potato starch
• 2 tbsp vodka
• 2 tbsp EverCrisp (wheat fiber breading)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder

Dredge

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup potato starch
• 1/2 cup EverCrisp (wheat fiber breading)
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp black pepper

Yangnyeom Sauce

• 1/4 cup gochujang (Korean chili paste)
• 3 tbsp ketchup
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili powder)

For Frying

• 2 qt neutral oil, for deep frying

Method

1. Brine
2. Cut the 2 lb (900 g) chicken thighs into strips, combine with 2 cups buttermilk and 1 tbsp salt, and refrigerate overnight.
3. Make the batter and dredge
4. Whisk 1/2 cup reserved brine with 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup potato starch, 2 tbsp vodka, 2 tbsp EverCrisp, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda and 1 tsp bouillon into a smooth batter.
5. In a wide pan, mix the 1 1/4 cups flour, 2/3 cup potato starch, 1/2 cup EverCrisp, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tbsp bouillon, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp smoked paprika and 1 tsp black pepper for the dredge.
6. Dip your fingers in the batter and flick drops over the dredge, tossing to form little clumps for extra craggy edges.
7. Coat
8. Dip each chicken piece in the batter, then press firmly into the dredge to coat; set on a wire rack and refrigerate 15 minutes.
9. Make the sauce
10. Combine 1/4 cup gochujang, 3 tbsp ketchup, 3 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp sesame oil and 1 tbsp gochugaru in a skillet and warm over medium-low heat, stirring, until smooth and glossy, 2–3 minutes.
11. Double fry
12. Heat 2 qt oil to 325°F (163°C) and fry the chicken in batches until cooked through and pale golden, about 5–6 minutes; drain on a rack.
13. Raise the oil to 375°F (190°C) and fry again until deep golden and very crunchy, 1–2 minutes; drain on the rack.
14. Brush the warm sauce over the chicken and serve.

Tips

• Brine the chicken overnight; brining time is not included in the total time.
• EverCrisp is a wheat fiber that forms a film in the crust so it stays crunchy even after saucing; a commenter notes it's available on Amazon.
• The vodka helps the batter fry up lighter and crisper since alcohol evaporates faster than water.
• Only the dredge and first three sauce quantities were shown on screen; batter, brine and remaining sauce amounts are standard estimates.
• The coating contains no egg, which makes it suitable for those with egg allergies.
• Chilling the coated chicken for 15 minutes helps the coating set so it doesn't fall off in the oil.