Sweet Sticky Korean Chicken. Crispy fried chicken smothered in a thick glossy sweet and salty sauce. Great over rice for a quick and satisfying meal. Ready in just 25 minutes.
Easy and no marinating time!
Winner-winner chicken dinner I tell you! This saucy sweet Korean fried chicken recipe going to be your new favourite chicken dish. It comes together quickly and easily in one wok and there is no marinating time!!! Woo hoo! I’m all for any recipes that save on time because time is precious.
What does it taste like?
The sweet and salty sauce over that crispy fried chicken will make your eyes roll the back of your head! All thanks to the saltiness from the soy sauce and the sweetness from the brown sugar and honey. The aroma from the onions and garlic take the sauce to the next level! If I had to describe this dish, I would say that the sauce is very much like a non-spicy bulgogi sauce over crispy chicken.
Pairs well with rice or noodles!
I know many of you are a fan of my Mongolian chicken recipe because you all love eating it with rice, so I had to create something similar but with a Korean twist and that’s how my sweet and sticky Korean fried chicken recipe was born.
Now there are many Korean chicken thigh recipes out there but this one really hits the spot and perfectly pairs with rice or noodles! So, you can add this dish into your weekly rotation with some steamed veggies to make it a complete meal!
Kind of like Dakgangjeong….
This is very similar to dakgangjeong because the chicken is fried, and the sauce is sweet and thick. However, my gangjeong chicken is without gochujang therefore it’s not spicy and I’ve added some sauteed onions for more aroma!
So, this dish is perfect for those who cannot tolerate spice. Now if you are looking for a Korean spicy chicken dish, then please check out my SWEET SPICY GOCHUJANG CHICKEN which is probably more like dak ganjeong. And if you’re just looking for crispy Korean Fried Chicken without sauce then check out this recipe.
It’s kind of like a crispy Korean chicken stir fry, for lack of better words. Trust me I’ve thought long and hard about what to call this dish and after much research I realized it’s an in-between dish.
Easy to make!
My Korean sweet spicy sticky chicken is SUPER easy to make! You won’t need a deep fryer or air fryer to get the chicken crispy. Everything is made in one wok or pan!
You’ll simply prepare your ingredients by chopping your aromatics and chicken into bite size pieces. Then coating the chicken in some cornstarch. Next, you’ll fry that chicken in a hot wok in shallow oil.
Once the chicken is crispy to your liking, transfer to a plate to fry your onions. Then you’ll pour your pre-whisked Korean sticky chicken sauce into the wok and allow it to simmer and reduce. Add and mix back in your chicken. Once mixed remove off heat and garnish with green onions! That’s it!
Cooking Tips
Below are tips on making this sticky crispy Korean chicken recipe taste amazing:
- Source fresh quality skinless boneless chicken thighs. Thighs are such a forgiving cut of meat and even if you over fry it, it’ll still taste tender. You may use chicken breast for this recipe but monitor the cooking time so that the internal temperature of your chicken pieces reaches 165 F and then quickly remove off heat or you will overcook it.
- If your chicken is a little gamey smelling, feel free to soak the diced chicken pieces in some milk to help remove that odour.
- Prepare your ingredients ahead of time. I can’t stress this enough. If you’re preparing your ingredients as you go, prepare yourself for overcooked chicken.
- Source fresh aromatics. This is key. The white onion, green onion and garlic really uplifts the taste profile of this dish. Without these aromatics, it won’t taste as spectacular!
- Allow your wok to smoke before adding the avocado oil and then allow the avocado oil to smoke slightly. This makes your wok non-stick.
- Once you add your coated chicken into the hot oil, spread it out evenly and do not touch the chicken. Let it sear and develop a crispy exterior for 5-7 minutes. Then flip it over and let the other side do the same.
- To make your sauce thick, increase the temperature to high and stir as you go. This allows for the moisture in the sauce to evaporate quickly so you’re left with a thick glossy sauce.
- Once you’ve mixed your fried chicken into the sauce, remove off heat immediately. Your chicken is already cooked so there is no need to cook it more in the thickened sauce.
FAQ
Below are frequently asked questions about my Sweet Sticky Korean Chicken:
What is the sauce made of?
My sauce consists of soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, garlic, green onions, sesame seeds, cornstarch water, sesame oil.
What kind of chicken did you use?
I used tender skinless boneless chicken thighs. They are very forgiving when it comes to cooking over high temperatures unlike chicken breast. I would highly recommend this cut of meat.
Can I reduce the amount of sugar?
Yes, please feel free to do so and adjust the taste of the sauce to your liking.
Can I use any other starch?
Yes, feel free to substitute with potato starch or tapioca starch. Just do not use potato flour!
Can I use another type of oil for frying? I’m allergic to avocado.
Yes, please substitute with any oil without a strong scent that can withstand a high smoking point.
Other Korean recipes you may like!
If you enjoyed this sweet & sticky Korean fried chicken, you may enjoy these other recipes:
KOREAN BULGOGI CHICKEN WINGS
KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN
SWEET SPICY GOCHUJANG CHICKEN
SPICY GOCHUJANG SESAME TOFU
GOCHUJANG HONEY SHRIMP
AIR FRYER TONKATSU SAUCE CHICKEN
VIETNAMESE GARLIC BUTTER CHICKEN WINGS
HONEY SESAME CHICKEN
TAIWANESE POPCORN CHICKEN
Watch how I made this!
For this recipe
You will need the following ingredients for my Korean sweet spicy sticky chicken:
- 6 skinless boneless chicken thighs, diced
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ⅓ cup green onion, finely chopped (garnish)
- 1 white onion, diced
- ⅓ cup avocado oil, or vegetable oil
Sauce:
- 1 ½ tbsp garlic minced
- ⅓ cup green onion, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 4 ½ tbsp soy sauce
- 3 ½ tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp honey
- ½ tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 cup water
How to make Sweet and Sticky Korean Chicken
- Dice your skinless boneless chicken thighs into bite size pieces, about 6 equal bite size pieces per thigh.
- Add your chicken pieces to a large bowl followed by cornstarch. Mix well to coat each piece of chicken. It’s okay if the excess starch falls off as long as your chicken in coated in it.
- In a smaller bowl, whisk together your sauce ingredients as listed.
- In a smoking hot wok set over medium high heat, add oil. Once oil begins to smoke, carefully add the coated chicken. Spread it out evenly and do not move it. Fry on one side for 5-7 minutes or until golden crispy brown.
- Reduce heat to medium and flip chicken over to fry on the other side for another 5-7 minutes or until golden and crispy.
- Remove cooked chicken and transfer to a plate.
- Increase heat to medium - high heat, add chopped onions and cook until they have softened. About 1 minute.
- Stir in the sauce. Let it simmer and reduce for 5 minutes or until thick and glossy.
- Add back in fried chicken and mix. Optional, garnish with green onions. Remove off heat and serve to enjoy!
Give it a try!
Well, I hope you give my Sweet Sticky Korean Chicken a try! It always excites me when you guys make my recipes and I hope this is one you try.
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Made this recipe and loved it?
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Take care,
Christie
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25-min. Sweet Sticky Korean Chicken
Ingredients
- 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs diced into bite size pieces
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ⅓ cup green onion finely chopped (garnish)
- 1 medium white onion diced
- ⅓ cup avocado oil or vegetable oil
Sauce:
- 1 ½ tbsp garlic minced
- ⅓ cup green onion finely chopped
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 4 ½ tbsp regular soy sauce not light or dark!
- 3 ½ tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp honey
- ½ tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Dice your skinless boneless chicken thighs into bite size pieces, about 6 equal bite size pieces per thigh.
- Add your chicken pieces to a large bowl followed by cornstarch. Mix well to coat each piece of chicken. It’s okay if the excess starch falls off as long as your chicken in coated in it.
- In a smaller bowl, whisk together your sauce ingredients as listed.
- In a smoking hot wok set over medium high heat, add oil. Once oil begins to smoke, carefully add the coated chicken. Spread it out evenly and do not move it. Fry on one side for 5-7 minutes or until golden crispy brown.
- Reduce heat to medium and flip chicken over to fry on the other side for another 5-7 minutes or until golden and crispy.
- Remove cooked chicken and transfer to a plate.
- Increase heat to medium - high heat, add chopped onions and cook until they have softened. About 1 minute.
- Stir in the sauce. Let it simmer and reduce for 5 minutes or until thick and glossy.
- Add back in fried chicken and mix. Optional, garnish with green onions. Remove off heat and serve to enjoy!
Wow this was scrumptious. It will become a weekly staple for me and my family.
Absolutely delicious. A firm family favourite x
I am so glad to hear that you enjoyed this! Thank you so much for making my recipe ☺️
Followed it exactly and it was delicious! Will make again 🙂
I am really happy to read this! Thank you so much for making my recipe Samantha! 🙂
Hi, I'm hoping to make this tomorrow. I have chicken breasts that I was going to use instead of thighs since that's what I have in the house. I was wondering how many pounds of chicken you used. Thanks!
Hi there, sorry for the late reply! I would recommend using 3 large chicken breasts in replacement of the thighs.
I don’t have a Wok, would a regular frying pan be ok?
Yes absolutely!
Hi could you tell me what is regular soya sauce I have only seen light or dark soya sauce
Hi Jeff, it's just your normal soy sauce without the label of light or dark soy sauce. It's thin in viscosity and not thick in texture.Please click here for a direct link to the one I used regularly.
Delicious I don't have a wok but a big pan with high sides was ok...also didn't have onion so left it out and it was still tasty! I paired it with a Korean style slaw and white rice. Will 100% make it again....and again...and again
Thanks so much for making my recipe! So glad you enjoyed it!