Simple Korean Fried Chicken - Korpino Feed Korpino Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What makes Korean fried chicken different from fried chicken? ›

So what makes Korean fried chicken so different from it's American counterpart? While its American cousin is usually brined and dredged in a flour and buttermilk mixture, Korean fried chicken tends to be more light and crispier with a thin, almost paper like skin that is not heavily battered.

The chicken itself is often marinated in a mixture of buttermilk, spices, and sometimes even fruit juice to add flavor and tenderize the meat. This step ensures that every bite is bursting with juicy, flavorful chicken. Of course, you can't talk about Korean fried chicken without mentioning the side dishes.

In Korean fried chicken, what is the white, square crunchy food they eat on the side? - Quora. Home-maker of kimchi and makgeolli. This side dish is pickled radish.

The Korean fried chicken is super crispy because potato starch is added to its batter and the chicken is fried twice. This second frying also cooks off the excess water in the chicken from the first frying. Korean fried chicken is known to stay extra crispy for a long time, even with a glazed surface.

Literally meaning “seasoned chicken,” yangnyeom chicken is fried chicken smothered in a spicy red sauce. The ingredients used in yangnyeom sauce vary widely, including gochujang, ketchup, hot sauce, strawberry jam, etc. It started out being thick and heavy, but the current trend is a thinner, lighter sauce.

Korean fried chicken is fried twice to make the lightly coated skin even crispier, adding more fat in the cooking process. The chicken is then coated in a sauce that's high in sugar and extremely high in sodium.

The vinegar-marinated radish, called Chicken-mu in South Korean, is a white cube-shaped side dish the size of an adult's thumbnail. Usually, when the Korean-fried chicken is served, it is provided free of charge, but there are places that sell it for around 50 cents.

BBQ Chicken

Of course, if you don't know this brand, you'll say it's barbecue. In Korea, the word BBQ is more commonly referred to as this brand name than barbecue. Started in a small village in the countryside in 1995, this brand is the number one fried chicken brand in Korea as of 2022.

When mixed with the flour, the cornstarch makes the flour coating crispier and gives it that golden brown color! (It has to do with prevention of gluten development.) The baking powder reacts with the oil and creates tiny air bubbles, which also helps form a crispy coating.

This little bowl of radishes is the perfect accompaniment to cut the grease – it's not too sour and not too sweet, and the refreshing crunch of the perfect little white cubes makes you forget that you're gorging on oily fried chicken and that somehow you're still being healthy by eating your vegetables.

What do Koreans eat with Korean fried chicken? ›

The most iconic Korean side dish – Kimchi. This spicy, tangy, and slightly sweet fermented cabbage works wonders with the crispy fried chicken. It's like Batman and Robin, a dynamic and inseparable duo.

There are a few factors that contribute to its crispiness. First, the chicken is typically double-fried, which helps to render out excess fat and create a crispy outer layer. The first frying cooks the chicken partially, while the second frying ensures a crispy and golden exterior.

In the 60s and 70s, fried chicken was meant for special occasions, but the Korean fried chicken concept became popular in the 90s. This was when most Korean families lived in apartment complexes, and food can be easily delivered and enjoyed as an affordable meal or snack.

One thing that sets Korean fried chicken apart from its competitors is that it's usually less greasy and heavy than other varieties. It is because it's typically cooked without skin, making it a healthier option for those watching their waistlines.