Asia:
South Korea:
South Korean Sweet Crispy Chicken
This Korean-flavored chicken recipe pairs twice-fried chicken bites with a sticky, sweet, and slightly hot sauce made from garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and gochujang.
INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE CHICKEN:
3 chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
¼ teaspoon salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
FOR THE SAUCE:
6 tablespoons honey
¼ cup cider vinegar
¼ cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chile paste)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 quart canola oil for frying, or as needed
½ cup cornstarch
INSTRUCTIONS:
Make the chicken: Place chicken into a bowl. Add vinegar, garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper; toss until well combined and chicken is coated. Let sit for 20 to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the sauce: Combine honey, vinegar, brown sugar, gochujang, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and black pepper in a pot over medium heat. Stir well and bring to a low boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Fill a deep fryer with 1 inch oil and heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
While the oil is heating, place cornstarch into a bowl. Add chicken and toss until evenly coated.
Working in small batches without overcrowding, fry chicken until light golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.
Reheat oil to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and deep-fry chicken once more until deep golden brown, about 40 seconds per batch. Transfer chicken to the pot of sauce.
Heat sauce and chicken over medium-low heat until warmed through, about 3 minutes.
Perfect for dinner, or serve as an appetizer or snack. Garnish with chopped peanuts.
NOTES:
We have determined the nutritional value of oil for frying based on a retention value of 10% after cooking. Amount will vary depending on cooking time and temperature, ingredient density, and specific type of oil used.
