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Chopsticks lift one glossy piece of Korean popcorn chicken from a platter garnished with sesame seeds and green onions.
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Korean Popcorn Chicken

Korean Popcorn Chicken with bite size chicken thighs in a shatteringly crispy double fried cornstarch and flour coating, tossed in a sticky sweet and spicy gochujang honey sauce. Ready in 40 minutes. Serve immediately for maximum crunch.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Asian, Korean
Servings: 4
Calories: 452kcal
Author: Joanna Cismaru

Ingredients

For the chicken

  • 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite size pieces
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger grated
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ cup cornstarch
  • ½ cup all purpose flour
  • Vegetable oil for frying

For the sauce

  • 3 tablespoons gochujang
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce low sodium
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

For serving

  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 2 green onions sliced
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In a bowl, toss the 1½ pounds chicken pieces with the 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon grated ginger. Add the 1 egg and mix until every piece is coated.
    Chicken, egg, ginger, and seasonings appear before mixing beside the same chicken evenly coated in the wet egg mixture.
  • In a separate shallow dish, whisk together the ½ cup cornstarch and ½ cup flour. Toss the chicken pieces in the mixture until fully coated, pressing so it sticks. The cornstarch is the secret to that shatteringly crisp Korean fried chicken coating, so do not swap it all out for flour.
    Wet egg-coated chicken sits on cornstarch and flour beside chicken pieces fully tossed in the dry coating mixture.
  • Pour 2 inches of vegetable oil into a heavy pot and heat it to 350°F (175°C).
  • Working in batches, fry the chicken for 4 to 5 minutes, until golden and cooked through. Lift onto a wire rack set over paper towels. For extra crunch, once all the chicken is fried, raise the oil to 375°F (190°C) and fry the pieces a second time for 1 to 2 minutes. This double fry is the classic Korean technique that makes the crust stay crisp even under the sauce.
    Chicken pieces fry in bubbling oil beside a photo of golden pieces being lifted with a wire skimmer.
  • While the chicken drains, make the sauce. In a large bowl, combine the 3 tablespoons gochujang, 3 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 3 cloves minced garlic, and 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Pour the sauce in a large skillet or wok and simmer over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until glossy and slightly thickened.
    Gochujang sauce ingredients sit unmixed in a glass bowl beside the smooth, whisked red sauce ready for cooking.
  • Add the fried chicken to the skillet and toss quickly until every piece is coated in the sauce. Work fast here, so the coating stays crisp before it soaks up too much sauce.
    Side-by-side process photos show crispy fried chicken before and after being coated in the glossy red gochujang sauce.
  • Sprinkle with the 1 tablespoon sesame seeds and sliced green onions, and serve right away.

Notes

  1. Cornstarch is non negotiable: The equal mix of cornstarch and flour is what gives you that distinctively crispy Korean fried chicken coating. Don't swap it all out for flour.
  2. Use a thermometer: 350°F for the first fry, 375°F for the second. Oil temperature is everything in frying and guessing doesn't work.
  3. Fry in batches: Crowding drops the oil temperature and gives you soggy coating instead of crispy coating. Give each piece room.
  4. Wire rack over paper towels: Keeps the bottom of the chicken elevated so steam can escape. Paper towels alone soften the coating.
  5. The double fry: First fry at 350°F cooks the chicken through. Second fry at 375°F drives out moisture and makes the coating shattering crispy. Don't skip it if you can help it.
  6. Let it rest between fries: Give the chicken a minute on the rack between the first and second fry. This allows any surface moisture to evaporate before the second fry.
  7. Toss with sauce and serve immediately: The coating softens as it sits in the sauce. Get it on the table fast.
  8. Chicken thighs over breasts: Juicier, more flavorful, and more forgiving through a double fry. Breasts dry out more easily.
  9. Gochujang heat level: 3 tablespoons gives pleasant warmth. Reduce to 2 for milder, add more or a splash of sriracha for hotter.
  10. Air fryer option: Toss coated chicken with 2 tablespoons of oil, air fry at 400°F for 12 to 15 minutes shaking halfway. Good but not quite the same crust as deep frying.
  11. Make ahead: The sauce keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Fry the chicken fresh when ready to serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 452kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 208mg | Sodium: 1114mg | Potassium: 606mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 232IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 3mg
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