
Korean Fried Chicken with Soy Garlic Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 kgchicken wings or drumettes
- 120 mlbuttermilk (or milk + 15 ml vinegar)
- 120 gpotato starch or cornstarch
- 60 gplain flour
- 5 gsalt
- 3 gblack pepper
- 3 ggarlic powder
- 1 ½ lvegetable oil for frying
- 80 mlsoy sauce
- 80 mlwater
- 60 gsugar
- 30 mlrice wine or mirin
- 6 clovesgarlic, minced
- 15 mlsesame oil
- 15 gginger, grated
- 10 gcornstarch mixed with water (mixed with 20 ml water)
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Sliced spring onions
Instructions
Marinate chicken in buttermilk for 30 minutes (or up to 4 hours refrigerated)
Mix potato starch, flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a bowl
Remove chicken from buttermilk, letting excess drip off
Coat each piece thoroughly in the flour mixture
Heat oil to 160°C in a large pot or wok
Fry chicken in batches for 7-8 minutes until just cooked through (not brown yet)
Remove and rest on a wire rack for 10 minutes
In a saucepan, combine soy sauce, water, sugar, rice wine, garlic, sesame oil, and ginger
Bring to a simmer, then add cornstarch slurry
Cook 2-3 minutes until thickened and glossy. Keep warm
Increase oil temperature to 180°C
Fry chicken again for 3-4 minutes until deep golden and super crispy
Drain briefly on paper towels
Toss hot chicken in the warm sauce until evenly coated
Sprinkle with sesame seeds and spring onions
Serve immediately while crispy
Recipe by
Paul NagleShop All Ingredients
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- 1 kg chicken wings or drumettes
- 120 ml buttermilk
- 120 g potato starch or cornstarch
- 60 g plain flour
- 5 g salt
- 3 g black pepper
- 3 g garlic powder
- 1.5 l vegetable oil for frying
- 80 ml soy sauce
- 80 ml water
- 60 g sugar
- 30 ml rice wine or mirin
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 15 ml sesame oil
- 15 g ginger, grated
- 10 g cornstarch mixed with water
- toasted sesame seeds
- sliced spring onions
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Essential
- bowl
- large pot or wok
- saucepan
- tongs or slotted spoon
Helpful
- thermometeroptional
- wire rackoptional
- whiskoptional
- paper towelsoptional
- serving dishoptional
Beverage pairings
Wine
Riesling (Adelaide Hills or Clare Valley)
Off-dry to dry white
Slight sweetness and acidity cut through the richness of fried chicken and complement the soy-garlic sauce's umami and sweetness
Pinot Gris (Victoria or Tasmania)
Crisp white
Clean, mineral profile refreshes the palate between bites of crispy, sauce-coated chicken
Grenache or Grenache Blend (Barossa Valley or McLaren Vale)
Light to medium red
Soft tannins and red fruit notes complement the savory sauce without overpowering the dish
Beer
Asahi Super Dry (or similar Japanese lager)
Crisp lager
Light, clean finish cuts through oil and richness; traditional pairing with Asian fried chicken
Stone & Wood Pacific Ale (Byron Bay Brewery)
Pale ale
Hoppy bitterness balances the sweet soy-garlic sauce and fried coating
Non-alcoholic
Ginger beer or ginger ale
Spice and carbonation complement the ginger in the sauce and cleanse the palate
Yuzu or Asian citrus soft drink
Bright acidity and subtle sweetness echo Asian flavors in the dish
Iced green tea or barley tea
Subtle, refreshing option that pairs naturally with Korean cuisine
Ingredients
- 1kgchicken wings or drumettes
- 120mlbuttermilk(or milk + 15 ml vinegar)
- 120gpotato starch or cornstarch
- 60gplain flour
- 5gsalt
- 3gblack pepper
- 3ggarlic powder
- 1.5lvegetable oil for frying
- 80mlsoy sauce
- 80mlwater
- 60gsugar
- 30mlrice wine or mirin
- 6clovesgarlic, minced
- 15mlsesame oil
- 15gginger, grated
- 10gcornstarch mixed with water(mixed with 20 ml water)
- —toasted sesame seeds
- —sliced spring onions