The Most Delicious Crispy Korean Fried Chicken Recipe + Pickled Radish 🇰🇷 후라이드치킨

Ingredients

• 1 Whole Chicken (young bird, about 4.5 lb, bone‑in, skin‑on)
• 2 tablespoons Gochujang (Korean red pepper paste, adds flavor not heat)
• 2 Eggs (large, room temperature)
• 2 cups All-Purpose Flour (sifted)
• 1 cup Cornstarch (helps extra crispness)
• 1 teaspoon Salt (for dry rub)
• ½ teaspoon Black Pepper (freshly ground)
• 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
• 4 cups Soybean Oil (for deep‑frying, high smoke point)
• 1 Korean Radish (Daikon) (medium size, peeled and cut into ½‑inch cubes (≈3 cups))
• 2 tablespoons Salt (Pickling)
• 2 tablespoons Sugar (Pickling)
• ½ cup Rice Vinegar

Instructions

1. Trim and Cut the Whole Chicken

   Using a sharp chef's knife and kitchen scissors, remove excess skin and fat, then cut the chicken into pieces: separate wings, drumsticks, thighs, back, and bone‑in breast halves. Keep the bone attached to the breast for extra crispiness.

   Time: PT15M

2. Rinse and Pat Dry

   Rinse all chicken pieces under cold running water, especially the back pieces to remove any blood. Pat completely dry with paper towels.

   Time: PT5M

3. Prepare Dry Spice Rub

   In a small bowl combine salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Set aside.

   Time: PT5M

4. Make the Wet Batter

   In a mixing bowl whisk together eggs, gochujang, all‑purpose flour, cornstarch, and the dry spice rub until a smooth batter forms.

   Time: PT10M

5. Marinate the Chicken

   Place the chicken pieces into the wet batter, ensuring each piece is fully coated. Transfer to a large bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours (up to 24 hours for deeper flavor).

   Time: PT12H

6. Prepare Pickled Radish (Chicken Mu)

   Peel the Korean radish, cut into ½‑inch cubes (≈3 cups). In a bowl combine salt, sugar, and rice vinegar; stir until dissolved. Add radish cubes, toss to coat, then transfer to an airtight container.

   Time: PT15M

7. Pickle Rest

   Refrigerate the radish mixture for 24 hours before serving.

   Time: PT24H

8. Heat Oil

   Fill the heavy‑bottomed pot with soybean oil to a depth of about 3 inches. Heat over medium‑high until the thermometer reads 370 °F (188 °C).

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: 370°F

9. First Fry – Dark Meat

   Working in batches, dip dark‑meat pieces (thighs, drumsticks, back) into the batter, let excess drip off, then lightly dust with extra flour‑cornstarch mixture. For a double coat, drizzle ½ cup of the liquid batter over the piece, sprinkle crumbs, press gently, and shake off loose bits. Fry for about 7 minutes, maintaining oil at 350 °F, until internal temperature reaches 170 °F.

   Time: PT7M

   Temperature: 350°F

10. Rest After First Fry

    Remove fried dark meat onto a cooling rack and let rest for 5 minutes.

    Time: PT5M

11. Clean Oil Between Batches

    Use a fine‑mesh ladle to skim out any burnt batter crumbs from the oil before the next batch.

    Time: PT5M

12. Second Fry – White Meat

    Repeat the double‑coat process for breast halves and wings. Fry for about 7 minutes, keeping oil at 350 °F, until internal temperature reaches 170 °F.

    Time: PT7M

    Temperature: 350°F

13. Final Rest

    Place all fried pieces on the cooling rack for a final 5‑minute rest before serving.

    Time: PT5M

14. Serve

    Arrange the crispy Korean fried chicken on a platter with a side of the chilled pickled radish. Enjoy immediately.

    Time: PT0M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

500

Protein

30 g

Carbohydrates

30 g

Fat

25 g

Fiber

2 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Gochujang: Korean chili paste, mild chili sauce
• Instead of Eggs: egg substitute, aquafaba (for coating only)
• Instead of All-Purpose Flour: cake flour, rice flour (gluten‑free)
• Instead of Cornstarch: potato starch
• Instead of Garlic Powder: fresh minced garlic
• Instead of Onion Powder: finely minced onion
• Instead of Soybean Oil: peanut oil, canola oil
• Instead of Korean Radish (Daikon): regular white radish
• Instead of Sugar (Pickling): honey, maple syrup (smaller amount)
• Instead of Rice Vinegar: white wine vinegar

Equipment Needed

• Sharp Chef's Knife
• Kitchen Scissors
• Cutting Board
• Large Bowl
• Mixing Bowl
• Whisk or Fork
• Heavy‑Bottomed Pot or Cast Iron Dutch Oven
• Candy/Deep‑Fryer Thermometer
• Fine Mesh Ladle
• Meat Thermometer
• Cooling Rack
• Airtight Container
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Paper Towels

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Cutting the whole chicken into even pieces
• Marinating the chicken for at least 12 hours
• Double‑coating the chicken just before frying
• Maintaining oil temperature at 350 °F during frying
• Checking internal temperature reaches 170 °F

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use a bone‑in breast for extra flavor and a natural handle for the coating.
• A double coat (light batter + crumb drizzle) creates the signature ultra‑crisp texture.
• Rest fried chicken on a cooling rack, not paper towels, to keep the crust from steaming.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store fried chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat in a hot oven to retain crispness.

Freezer: Freeze unfried, coated chicken pieces on a tray, then transfer to a zip‑top bag; up to 2 months. Fry from frozen, adding 2‑3 minutes to cooking time.

Room temperature: Do not leave fried chicken at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Marinate the chicken up to 24 hours in advance.
• Prepare the pickled radish a day ahead; it improves in flavor.
• Coat chicken pieces and freeze them on a tray; fry directly from frozen for a quick meal.

Frequently Asked Questions