Korean Chicken: Juicy pieces of chicken with a hint of sweetness are cooked in a spicy Korean glaze. In the comfort of your kitchen, learn the simple joys of cooking and enjoy the flavors of the East.
Ingredients for buttermilk fried chicken
- One double chicken breast weighing 600 grams
- Half a cup (125 ml) of buttermilk and another three teaspoons of salt, pepper and garlic
- Supplies needed to make chicken breading
- 100 grams of plain flour or a little more than half a glass; half a teaspoon of each spice Sweet paprika, salt, pepper, baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of chili flakes
Ingredients for chicken sauce
- Three teaspoons (30 ml) of water
- Three teaspoons (30 ml) dark soy sauce
- Two tablespoons (twenty grams) of cane sugar
- One tablespoon (20 g) of gochujang paste
- One tablespoon (20 g) of liquid honey
- Three cloves of grated garlic or one tablespoon,
- 15 g or 1 tablespoon of grated ginger
Additional ingredients, approximately 150 ml of vegetable oil for frying
Presenting accessories:
rice, chili flakes, roasted sesame seeds, spring onion with chives and sesame oil
Korean chicken
Step 1: Roast sesame seeds
Add at least 2 teaspoons of light or black sesame seeds to a dry pan (you can combine them). To brown it lightly, bake it for a few minutes at the lowest level of the burner. To ensure that the sesame seeds roast evenly, rotate the pan several times. When ready, pour into a small dish. Roasted sesame can be added to your meal in any quantity.
Step 2: Marinate the chicken
Remove the cartilage or veins from a large chicken breast, then cut it into pieces at least 2 cm in size. Mix the meat with half a cup of buttermilk and 1/3 teaspoon each of garlic, white pepper and salt.
Mix everything well and set aside for an hour or less. If you plan to prepare the dish later, store the bowl covered in the refrigerator.
Tip: Instead of buttermilk, you can use natural yogurt or natural drinking skyr.
Step 3: Prepare the breading.
While the chicken is marinating, prepare the sauce and breading.
In another bowl, place 100 grams (about half a cup) of plain flour, such as all-purpose flour, and the following spices: half a teaspoon of each of the following: salt, pepper, baking powder and paprika; 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes or ground chili. Combine all ingredients, preferably using a kitchen whisk.
Step 4: Combine the sauce ingredients.
Place the ingredients for the sauce in a small pot. Add 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of liquid honey and 1 tablespoon of Gochujang paste. Add one tablespoon of finely chopped, peeled garlic cloves and the same amount of grated, peeled young ginger root. Also add two tablespoons of cane sugar (I used one tablespoon of light and one dark Muscovado). Just combine the ingredients.
Tip: As a last resort, you can add a teaspoon of wine or rice vinegar and a flat teaspoon of chili flakes if you don’t have Gochujang paste. To make it even softer and sweeter, you can add two to three tablespoons of ready-made sweet chili sauce.
Step 5: Coat the meat in breadcrumbs
After combining the flour, spices and marinade in a dish, coat the chicken pieces and place them on a separate plate. Here’s how to cook a whole chicken. Use the remaining buttermilk.
Step 6: Cook the chicken pieces.
Heat a large, thick-bottomed frying pan. Add enough oil for frying to cover the pan to a depth of about 1 centimeter (about 150 ml). Drop the chicken pieces one by one into the hot oil and fry in batches for a few minutes or until golden brown on both sides. Once fried, remove them and put them in a bowl. Drain the oil from the pan, remove the frying residue and reheat the sauce (do not clean).
Tip: Since breaded chicken should not absorb a lot of oil, a lot of fat will remain in the pan. I suggest pouring it into a used jar while it is still warm, sealing it, and storing it until disposal.
Step 7: Heat the meat and add the sauce.
Pour the thick sauce into the pan and reduce the heat. After a quick mix, add all the freshly fried chicken pieces. Add Korean chicken and mix gently. After no more than two to three minutes, when it is heated, turn it off.
Tip: If necessary, add a little more water or soy sauce.
Step 8: Serve with rice and sesame seeds
Since Korean chicken is a spicy dish, it pairs well with side dishes that add texture and mellow the heat. The best rice will be jasmine. It’s a great base that absorbs the sauce and moderates the heat of the dish. I suggest mixing everything with a bit of sesame oil, fresh coriander and spring onions with chives.
The dish can be reheated, but the pork pieces will lose their crispiness.
Enjoy your meal.
