Crispy Korean Fried Chicken with Gochujang Glaze and Garlic Lemon Ranch
Crispy Korean Fried Chicken with Gochujang Glaze and Garlic Lemon Ranch
Ingredients
For the Chicken Marinade
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1/4 cup gochujang
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon MSG
- 4 chicken drumsticks
- 4 chicken thighs
For the Garlic Lemon Ranch
- 1/2 cup Kewpie mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
For the Seasoned Flour
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon MSG
- 3 tablespoons chicken marinade, reserved from chicken
For Frying
- 6 cups vegetable oil, or enough to submerge chicken
For the Gochujang Glaze
- 1/4 cup gochujang
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
For Garnish
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 Thai chilies, finely chopped, optional
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Chicken Marinade: In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, gochujang, egg, soy sauce, fish sauce, grated ginger, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and MSG until well combined and uniform. Reserve 3-4 tablespoons of this marinade for the seasoned flour later.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Add the chicken drumsticks and thighs to the marinade, ensuring all pieces are fully coated. Cover the bowl and refrigerate to marinate overnight, or for a minimum of 4 hours.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
Prepare the Garlic Lemon Ranch: In a medium bowl, combine the Kewpie mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, lemon juice, lemon zest, honey, minced garlic, chopped fresh dill, chopped fresh chives, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
⏱️ 10 min
- 4
Prepare the Seasoned Flour: In a large, shallow dish or bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and MSG. Add the reserved 3-4 tablespoons of chicken marinade to the flour mixture and use your fingers to mix it in, creating small 'craggly bits' that will contribute to the chicken's crispy texture.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Set up your frying station: Pour the vegetable oil into a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, ensuring there's enough oil to submerge the chicken pieces. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F. Use a deep-fry thermometer to monitor the temperature.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 350
- 6
Double Dredge the Chicken: Working with one piece of chicken at a time, remove it from the marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Place the chicken into the seasoned flour, pressing and squeezing firmly to coat it completely. Dip the chicken back into the marinade briefly, then return it to the seasoned flour, pressing and squeezing again to create a thick, craggy coating.
⏱️ 10 min
- 7
Fry the Chicken: Carefully lower the double-dredged chicken pieces into the preheated 350°F oil, being careful not to overcrowd the pot. Fry in batches if necessary to maintain oil temperature. Fry drumsticks for 10-12 minutes and thighs for 6-8 minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown, crispy, and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Use tongs to carefully remove the fried chicken and place it on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain excess oil.
⏱️ 20 min•🌡️ 350
- 8
Prepare the Gochujang Glaze: While the chicken fries, combine the gochujang, ketchup, mirin, soy sauce, honey, and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Once simmering, remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the grated garlic and rice vinegar.
⏱️ 5 min
- 9
Glaze the Chicken: In a large bowl, add the fried chicken and pour the warm gochujang glaze over it. Toss gently until all the chicken pieces are fully coated in the glaze.
⏱️ 5 min
- 10
Garnish and Serve: Transfer the glazed Korean fried chicken to a serving platter. Garnish generously with toasted sesame seeds, sliced green onions, and finely chopped Thai chilies (if using). Serve immediately with the chilled Garlic Lemon Ranch on the side for dipping.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Crispy Korean Fried Chicken with Gochujang Glaze and Garlic Lemon Ranch
For the Chicken Marinade
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1/4 cup gochujang
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon MSG
- 4 chicken drumsticks
- 4 chicken thighs
For the Garlic Lemon Ranch
- 1/2 cup Kewpie mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
For the Seasoned Flour
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon MSG
- 3 tablespoons chicken marinade, reserved from chicken
For Frying
- 6 cups vegetable oil, or enough to submerge chicken
For the Gochujang Glaze
- 1/4 cup gochujang
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
For Garnish
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 Thai chilies, finely chopped, optional
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the Chicken Marinade: In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, gochujang, egg, soy sauce, fish sauce, grated ginger, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and MSG until well combined and uniform. Reserve 3-4 tablespoons of this marinade for the seasoned flour later.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Add the chicken drumsticks and thighs to the marinade, ensuring all pieces are fully coated. Cover the bowl and refrigerate to marinate overnight, or for a minimum of 4 hours.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
Prepare the Garlic Lemon Ranch: In a medium bowl, combine the Kewpie mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, lemon juice, lemon zest, honey, minced garlic, chopped fresh dill, chopped fresh chives, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
⏱️ 10 min - 4
Prepare the Seasoned Flour: In a large, shallow dish or bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and MSG. Add the reserved 3-4 tablespoons of chicken marinade to the flour mixture and use your fingers to mix it in, creating small 'craggly bits' that will contribute to the chicken's crispy texture.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Set up your frying station: Pour the vegetable oil into a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, ensuring there's enough oil to submerge the chicken pieces. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F. Use a deep-fry thermometer to monitor the temperature.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 350 - 6
Double Dredge the Chicken: Working with one piece of chicken at a time, remove it from the marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Place the chicken into the seasoned flour, pressing and squeezing firmly to coat it completely. Dip the chicken back into the marinade briefly, then return it to the seasoned flour, pressing and squeezing again to create a thick, craggy coating.
⏱️ 10 min - 7
Fry the Chicken: Carefully lower the double-dredged chicken pieces into the preheated 350°F oil, being careful not to overcrowd the pot. Fry in batches if necessary to maintain oil temperature. Fry drumsticks for 10-12 minutes and thighs for 6-8 minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown, crispy, and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Use tongs to carefully remove the fried chicken and place it on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain excess oil.
⏱️ 20 min•🌡️ 350 - 8
Prepare the Gochujang Glaze: While the chicken fries, combine the gochujang, ketchup, mirin, soy sauce, honey, and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Once simmering, remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the grated garlic and rice vinegar.
⏱️ 5 min - 9
Glaze the Chicken: In a large bowl, add the fried chicken and pour the warm gochujang glaze over it. Toss gently until all the chicken pieces are fully coated in the glaze.
⏱️ 5 min - 10
Garnish and Serve: Transfer the glazed Korean fried chicken to a serving platter. Garnish generously with toasted sesame seeds, sliced green onions, and finely chopped Thai chilies (if using). Serve immediately with the chilled Garlic Lemon Ranch on the side for dipping.
⏱️ 5 min