Juicy chicken is coated in a light, crispy crust with a savory, garlicky flavor. This easy Korean fried chicken recipe stays tender inside while turning golden and crunchy outside. Best of all, it only needs a single fry instead of the usual double-frying.
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Korean fried chicken is a popular South Korean dish that was influenced by American-style fried chicken introduced by U.S. soldiers stationed there around the Korean War. Over time, Koreans created their own style known for its thin, crispy coating and variety of sauces, often enjoyed with ice-cold beer in a popular pairing called chimaek. My obsession with Korean fried chicken began after tasting the unforgettable crunch at bb.q Chicken restaurant, which inspired me to recreate it at home with juicy bone-in drumsticks.
After testing different batters and frying methods on a standard stove and pan, I found that frying in small batches helps maintain steady oil temperature, giving me a crispy coating in a single fry.
Why It Works
- Cold starch batter: Tapioca starch and ice-cold water create a thin coating that fries up light and crispy.
- Baking powder: A small amount creates tiny air pockets in the batter for a lighter, crunchier crust.
- Steady frying heat: A heavy-bottomed pan and small batches help keep the oil at 325-350°F so the chicken cooks through while developing a crisp crust in a single fry.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Exact ingredient amounts are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Chicken Drumsticks: Bone-in, skin-on drumsticks stay juicy during the longer frying time. Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs also work.
- Vegetable Oil: Use a neutral, high-smoke-point oil for frying. Canola or peanut oil also works.
Chicken Marinade
- Shaoxing Wine: Dry sherry also works.
- Regular Soy Sauce: Light soy sauce also works, or use low-sodium soy sauce for a less salty marinade.
- Fresh Garlic: Jarred minced garlic also works.
- Salt and Black Pepper
Wet Batter
- Tapioca Starch: Potato starch or cornstarch also works, but the coating will have a slightly different texture.
- Onion Powder: Granulated onion also works.
- Garlic Powder: Granulated garlic also works.
- Yellow Curry Powder: Use a mild yellow curry powder. Avoid Madras or Jamaican curry powder because their different spice blends can throw off the flavor.
- Baking Powder: Do not substitute with baking soda.
- Ice-Cold Water: Keep it very cold until you're ready to make the batter.
- Salt and Black Pepper
Note: Asian ingredients are typically available at most Asian grocery stores or online.
Expert Tips
- Pat the chicken dry before marinating so excess moisture doesn't dilute the marinade.
- Flip the chicken gently with tongs to prevent the crispy coating from breaking off.
- Drain on a wire rack so steam doesn't soften the crispy bottom crust.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make Korean fried chicken:
- Marinate the chicken: Combine all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Add the chicken drumsticks and toss until evenly coated. Cover and marinate for 10 minutes at room temperature, or refrigerate overnight if time permits.
- Make the wet batter: Combine all the wet batter ingredients in a separate large bowl until well combined. The starch will naturally settle as the batter sits, so re-whisk thoroughly right before coating the chicken.
- Coat the chicken: Add the marinated drumsticks to the wet batter and toss until evenly coated. Toss the chicken again right before frying to redistribute any starch that has settled.
- Fry the chicken: Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat to 350°F. Fry the chicken in small batches for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through and rotating occasionally, until deep golden brown and the thickest part reaches 165°F on a digital meat thermometer. Let the oil return to 350°F between batches.
- Drain and serve: Transfer the fried chicken to an elevated wire rack to drain excess oil and prevent steam from softening the bottom crust. Serve hot.
Storage & Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Let the chicken cool completely, then freeze in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: Air fry at 350°F for 7-10 minutes or bake at 350°F for 10-15 minutes, until hot and crispy.
Variation
- Make it gluten-free: Use tamari or certified gluten-free soy sauce instead of regular soy sauce.
Pairing Suggestions
Serve crispy Korean fried chicken with:
- Steamed Rice: The mild flavor balances the savory, crispy chicken and makes it a complete meal.
- Pickled Daikon Radish: Its crisp texture and tangy flavor cut through the richness of the fried chicken.
- Korean Cucumber Salad: The cool, refreshing cucumbers add a fresh contrast to the hot, crispy chicken.
FAQ
This is normal. Tapioca starch naturally settles to the bottom as the batter sits. Re-whisk it thoroughly right before coating the chicken to evenly redistribute the starch.
Yes. I have a separate air fryer Korean fried chicken recipe with the proper cooking method and timing. Click here for that recipe.
More Like This
Check out my other fried chicken recipes:
📖 Recipe
Easy Crispy Korean Fried Chicken
Ingredients
- 8 chicken drumsticks patted dry
- 4 cups vegetable oil or any neutral oil
Chicken Marinade:
- 1 tablespoon dry sherry
- 1.5 teaspoon regular soy sauce or light soy sauce
- 3 garlic cloves finely minced
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Batter:
- 1.25 cups tapioca starch
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1.5 teaspoon curry powder mild yellow kind
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup + 2 tbsp water ice-cold (measure liquid only without the ice cubes)
Instructions
- Combine all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Add the chicken drumsticks and toss until evenly coated. Cover and marinate for 10 minutes at room temperature, or refrigerate overnight if time permits.
- Combine all the wet batter ingredients in a separate large bowl until well combined. The starch will naturally settle as the batter sits, so re-whisk thoroughly right before coating the chicken.
- Add the marinated drumsticks to the wet batter and toss until evenly coated. Toss the chicken again right before frying to redistribute any starch that has settled.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat to 350°F. Fry the chicken in small batches for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through and rotating occasionally, until deep golden brown and the thickest part reaches 165°F on a digital meat thermometer. Let the oil return to 350°F between batches.
- Transfer the fried chicken to an elevated wire rack to drain excess oil and prevent steam from softening the bottom crust. Serve hot.
Lisa
I absolutely LOVE Korean cooking. I think that people in the US know so very little about Korean recipes. If they did more people would try it and love it! While I have not yet tried this recipe it is definitely on my list for next week! So looking forward to trying it! Thank You for posting! 🙂
christieathome
Thanks Lisa, I hope you enjoy my recipes!
Sandra
Great instructions and great recipe. My wings came out superbly.
christieathome
Thank you so much for making my recipe! I am really happy to hear that they turned out superbly!
Katy
Yum! We made this tonight, never had Korean fried chicken before. This was delicious!
christieathome
So happy you enjoyed it Katy! I appreciate you making my recipe and for sharing these kind words 🙂
Kim
Hi just wanted to clarify before I try this recipe. In the beginning of the post you mentioned “tapioca flour” but in the recipe it says to you “tapioca starch” which one is correct? I can’t wait to try this.
christieathome
Hi Kim, tapioca starch and tapioca flour are essentially the same thing depending on the manufacturer. Thanks!
Sheryll
I don’t usually comment on recipes, but this chicken recipe is like chicken on crack! It’s so crispy and delicious. The curry powder definitely elevates the flavor. Your recipe for the batter goes a long way. I was able to coat about 4 dozen chicken wings with some to spare. Thanks for sharing this - it’s a big hit with my family and I’ll definitely be making it again many times!
christieathome
Thank you Sheryll for the kind review! I'm so glad you enjoyed it and happy the batter went event further! I hope you continue to like it as much as the first time 🙂
ain
hai.. is there any non alcoholic substitute for sherry or white wine??
christieathome
Please use rice vinegar.
Carol
My daughter and I are making this, but with chicken breasts cut into strips. I wonder if the cooking time is different?
christieathome
Hi Carol, yes the cooking time would be reduced since there is no bone. I would suggest cooking for 5-6 minutes and then checking the middle of one piece to see if it's cooked through and if not, cook it for another few more minutes until it is. Good luck!
Pam
Could these be cooked in the air fryer? If so, how would you adjust?
christieathome
Hi Pam, unfortunately not since it's a wet batter, it will slide off into the air fryer. I will be developing an air fryer recipe for these in the near future so stay tuned. - Christie
Olivia
Yum, this fried chicken recipe came out so well!! I was looking for a good Asian-style fried chicken recipe, but a lot of the results I found called for potato starch and I only had tapioca starch on hand, which is how I found this one. I'm glad I did! I love the addition of curry powder into the batter - the resulting chicken doesnt taste strongly of curry, but the crispy shell is super nicely seasoned and crispy. I actually made double the amount of drumsticks and still had plenty of batter left over, so keep that in mind if you plan to scale up this recipe!
christieathome
So glad you enjoyed this! Thank you for making my recipe! I love using potato starch for that crispy texture!
Corgionfleek
This is on fleek
Jonathan
Tried this recipe and it's like being back in Korea eating BBQ Chicken with a beer.
Tasia ~ two sugar bugs
Your fried chicken looks so CRISPY!! I love the addition of curry to the batter and I bet it's so flavorful! Perfect with a cold beer!
Katerina | Once a Foodie
Gosh this fried chicken looks absolutely amazing, Christie! I can just imagine the crunch! And pairing it with some beer sounds like a fab idea - I loved the tidbits about the Korean names for the meal - so interesting! Hope you've been well x
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
Your fried chicken batter is absolutely wonderful... talk about the perfect base to a totally tempting fried chicken dinner. Yum!
Katherine | Love In My Oven
We love fried chicken and I love this Korean spin! It sounds so flavorful!
Michelle | Sift & Simmer
I love Korean fried chicken! This looks so crispy and delicious!