Dak-gangjeong (Korean Sweet & Spicy Fried Chicken)

About This Recipe

Dak-gangjeong is Korea's beloved crispy fried chicken tossed in a glossy, sweet-spicy glaze, part of the broader Korean fried chicken (chikin) tradition that exploded in popularity both domestically and internationally starting in the 1970s-80s. Unlike American fried chicken, Korean fried chicken is twice-fried -- once to cook through, and again to render the coating shatteringly crisp -- then tossed hot in a glaze rather than served plain or with sauce on the side. The technique that makes dak-gangjeong work is the double fry and the glaze timing: the first fry at a lower temperature cooks the chicken through, and after a short rest, a second fry at higher heat crisps the exterior and forces out excess oil, resulting in a shell that stays crunchy even after being coated in sauce. The glaze itself -- gochujang, soy sauce, garlic, and corn syrup or honey -- is reduced until sticky and thick, then the hot fried chicken is tossed directly in the pan so the glaze clings rather than pools. Served with pickled radish cubes (a near-universal accompaniment to Korean fried chicken) and a cold drink, dak-gangjeong is party food, late-night delivery food, and a genuine national obsession in Korea.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 800 gboneless chicken thighs(cut into bite-sized pieces)
• 1 tspsalt
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 0.5 cuppotato starch or cornstarch
• 3 cupsneutral oil(for frying)
• 3 tbspgochujang
• 2 tbspsoy sauce
• 3 tbsphoney or corn syrup
• 2 tbspbrown sugar
• 4 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 tbspgrated ginger
• 1 tbspsesame oil
• 2 tbsptoasted sesame seeds
• 2 tbspcrushed peanuts(optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Season and coat

   Season chicken with salt and pepper, then toss thoroughly in potato starch until evenly coated.

2. 2

   First fry

   Heat oil to 160C/320F. Fry chicken in batches 5-6 minutes until cooked through but pale golden. Remove and rest 5 minutes.

3. 3

   Second fry

   Increase oil to 190C/375F. Fry chicken again for 2-3 minutes until deeply golden and shatteringly crisp. Drain on a rack.

4. 4

   Make the glaze

   In a separate pan, combine gochujang, soy sauce, honey, sugar, garlic, and ginger. Simmer over medium heat 3-4 minutes until thick and glossy.

5. 5

   Toss

   Add the fried chicken to the glaze pan and toss quickly over heat until every piece is coated and the sauce clings, about 1 minute. Stir in sesame oil.

6. 6

   Serve

   Transfer to a platter, scatter with sesame seeds and crushed peanuts, and serve immediately while crisp.

Variations

• •

  Yangnyeom chicken: use a similar but slightly sweeter, ketchup-inflected glaze for the most iconic Korean fried chicken style.

• •

  Make a soy garlic version (ganjang chicken) by skipping the gochujang entirely for a savory, non-spicy glaze.

• •

  Serve with pickled daikon cubes (chikin-mu) on the side, the classic Korean fried chicken accompaniment.

Storage

Best eaten immediately while crisp -- the glaze softens the coating within an hour. Leftovers keep refrigerated up to 2 days; re-crisp in a 200C/400F oven for 8-10 minutes rather than microwaving.

Frequently Asked Questions