Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken & Marinade
- 1000 g chicken wings or drumettes, patted dry
- 5 g fine sea salt
- 2 g black pepper, ground
- 5 g ginger, minced or grated
- 15 ml rice wine
Crispy Coating
- 120 g potato starch
- 4 g baking powder
- 1000 ml neutral oil
Yangnyeom Sauce
- 45 g gochujang, paste
- 45 g ketchup
- 30 ml soy sauce
- 40 g honey
- 25 g brown sugar
- 15 g garlic, minced
- 10 ml sesame oil, toasted
Garnish
- 5 g sesame seeds, toasted
- 15 g scallions, thinly sliced
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 250 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbohydrates
- 51 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 18 g
- Sodium
- 1353 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Potassium
- 723 mg
- Calcium
- 152 mg
- Iron
- 3.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 55 mg
- Phosphorus
- 146 mg
- Zinc
- 1.0 mg
- Vitamin A
- 177 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 6 mg
- Vitamin E
- 4.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 22 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.6 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.13 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.17 mg
- Niacin
- 3.0 mg
- Folate
- 17 mcg
- Water
- 28 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the chicken in a large bowl. Add salt, black pepper, minced ginger, and rice wine. Toss well to coat. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Heat oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven to 160°C (320°F). While oil heats, combine potato starch and baking powder in a wide bowl. Dredge each piece of chicken in the starch mixture, pressing firmly to adhere, then shake off excess powder.
First Fry (Cooking Through): Carefully lower chicken into oil in batches (do not overcrowd). Fry for 10-12 minutes until pale golden and cooked through. Remove and place on a wire rack.
Rest the chicken on the wire rack for at least 5-10 minutes. While chicken rests, increase oil heat to 190°C (375°F).
Prepare the sauce: In a separate large skillet or wok over medium heat, combine gochujang, ketchup, soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, and minced garlic. Stir constantly until the mixture bubbles and thickens slightly (about 3-4 minutes). Stir in sesame oil and turn off heat.
Second Fry (Crisping): Return the rested chicken to the hot oil (190°C). Fry for 2-3 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown and shatteringly crisp.
Drain chicken briefly on the rack (30 seconds), then immediately toss into the warm sauce skillet. Mix quickly to coat every piece evenly. Garnish with sesame seeds and scallions.
Chef's Notes
- The secret to the 'glass-like' crunch is the potato starch and the double-fry method. Potato starch has longer amylose molecules than cornstarch, creating a harder structure.
- If you cannot find Gochujang, there is no perfect substitute, but a mix of Sriracha and Miso paste can approximate the spicy-umami profile.
- Serve with pickled radish cubes (Chicken-Mu) to cut through the richness of the fried food.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Crust will lose crispness. Reheat in air fryer or oven to restore texture.
Reheating: Air fry at 180°C for 5-8 minutes or oven bake at 190°C for 10-12 minutes.
Troubleshooting
Crust is soggy, not crispy
Cause: Oil temperature dropped too low or pan was overcrowded
Fix: Refry at 190°C for 1-2 minutes, but be careful not to dry out meat
Prevention: Use a thermometer; fry in small batches; ensure oil returns to 190°C before second fry
Coating falls off
Cause: Chicken was too wet before dredging or handled too roughly
Prevention: Pat chicken very dry before marinating; press starch firmly into skin
Sauce tastes bitter
Cause: Sauce was burned (garlic or sugar scorched)
Fix: Make a new batch of sauce (cannot remove burnt taste)
Prevention: Simmer sauce on low-medium heat; stir constantly
Cultural Context
Korean Fried Chicken (Chikin) became a cultural phenomenon in South Korea in the late 20th century. The 'Yangnyeom' (seasoned) style was developed to make the crunchy chicken pair better with alcohol, specifically beer (a combination known as 'Chimaek').
