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Korean fire chicken recipe

Susan Jung
·2 min read
Korean fire chicken recipe - Yuki Sugiura
Korean fire chicken recipe - Yuki Sugiura

Despite its name, this isn’t nearly as spicy as you might think, unless you have a particularly sensitive palate. In fact, I’m sure there are some people out there who will think this is too mild – you can increase the amount of gochugaru, if you like.

This chicken is great with beer or soju (a Korean alcoholic drink), because its strong flavour goes well with alcohol. I like to serve this chicken with pickled radishes.

The basic coating mix will make more than you need but it will keep in an airtight container for three weeks (shake it before using to redistribute the ingredients).

Timings

Prep time: 20 minutes, plus 2 hours marinating

Cook time: 15 minutes

Serves

4-6

Ingredients

For the basic coating mix

  • 120g potato, sweet potato or tapioca flour

  • 80g cake or pastry flour (or gluten-free flour)

  • 1 tsp coarse salt flakes

  • 1 tsp baking powder

For the chicken

  • 800g boneless chicken thighs

  • 15g garlic cloves (approx 3 cloves), peeled

  • 10g peeled ginger

  • 45g gochujang (Korean chilli paste)

  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar

  • 20g golden syrup

  • 20g gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes), or more to taste

  • 2 tbsp soy sauce (Kikkoman or your favourite brand)

  • 1 tsp sesame oil

  • ½ tsp coarse salt flakes

  • 750ml cooking oil

  • 2-3 spring onions

Method

  1. To make the coating mix, whisk together both flours, then add the salt. Use a small sieve to sift the baking powder directly into the mixing bowl, then whisk again. Set aside.

  2. Butterfly the chicken thighs first: place a boneless thigh skin-side down on a board.

  3. Working from the centre of the thigh, cut under the thickest parts of the meat, slicing at a slight angle towards the cutting board, and stopping before you reach the skin. You’ll now have two flaps of meat attached close to the skin: open up the flaps. Repeat with all the thighs, then cut them into 2.5cm chunks and put them in a bowl.

  4. Finely mince the garlic and ginger and mix them in with the chicken. Add the gochujang, sugar, syrup, gochugaru, soy sauce, sesame oil and salt and mix well. Marinate the chicken at room temperature for about two hours, stirring occasionally.

  5. Using about 120g of the coating mix, dredge the chicken pieces in it then lay them on a cooling rack placed over a tray. Leave them to air-dry for at least 10 minutes, then dredge again.

  6. Pour the cooking oil into a pan, preferably a medium wok, set over a medium heat. Fry the chicken at 160C in four or five batches. Fry for two minutes, then drain on the rack placed over the tray. After frying the last batch, fry the chicken again, this time at 170C for a minute and a half.

  7. Finely chop the spring onions then scatter them over the chicken on a large plate to serve.

Recipe from Kung Pao & Beyond, by Susan Jung (Hardie Grant, £20)

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