Korea has some of the best fried chicken dishes in the world, and this spicy chicken recipe is a perfect example.
It’s not difficult to find a similar dish at Korean-themed restaurants and sports bars all around the world. Gochujang is the key ingredient that has turned this dish into a well-beloved takeout staple. So gather your friends, put the game on, and give this recipe a shot.
Is Spicy Chicken Healthy?
This dish can be part of a healthy diet.
There are only 504 calories and 2 g of saturated fat in each serving of spicy chicken. We used canola oil to fry the chicken, which helps to keep the fat content at a moderate level.
The seasonings of this recipe bring the sodium to 598 mg per serving, a reasonable amount based on our nutrition guidelines.
As the main protein source, chicken breasts provide 32.9 g in each serving. Also, with potatoes on the side, the dish also comes with fiber and vitamins
Ingredients for Spicy Chicken
- Chicken: We opt for skinless and boneless chicken breasts to cut down on the fat content of the recipe. The batter has cornstarch and all-purpose flour for a crispy exterior, paprika for color and taste, and water to combine everything.
- Sauce: The main attraction of this recipe is the spicy sauce, especially the red chili paste gochujang. This condiment has many layers of flavors: sweetness from the rice, acidity from the fermented soybean, and spiciness from the chili powder (gochu-garu).
- Other Condiments: Accompanying the flavorful gochujang are ketchup, honey, lemon juice, soy sauce, and sesame oil. When combined, these well-loved seasonings make a glossy and highly delectable sauce.
- Fries: French fries are probably the first item to pop up on everyone’s mind when asked about side dishes for fried chicken. They are tasty, crispy, and incredibly versatile. In this recipe, we serve the fries plain to avoid packing this dish with too much seasoning. We chose wavy fries, but you can change it up and make curly fries, or sweet potato fries.
- Garnish: Koreans love their sesame seeds, so their fried chicken won’t be complete without the contrasting combination of black and white sesame seeds. We also add scallions for some greens.
What Are Popular Spicy Seasonings?
If you’re drawing inspiration from different cuisines for your iteration of spicy chicken, there are plenty of seasonings to choose from. Chilies, paprika, Sriracha, chili oil, and sambal are all incredible options to experiment with.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
You can store the spicy chicken for 3 to 4 days in the fridge and 2 to 3 months in the freezer. Transfer the leftovers to an airtight container or a resealable freezer bag to help the chicken maintain its best condition.
Warm up the chicken on the stovetop, in the oven, or in the microwave. Make sure not to overcook the chicken to prevent them from drying. If your chicken is frozen, remember to thaw it overnight before reheating.
What to Serve With Spicy Chicken
We recommend pairing this bold main dish with a refreshing salad to balance out the spiciness.
- Broccoli Slaw
- Salad Mix
- Mixed Greens Salad
- Spring Salad
- Edamame Salad
Spicy Chicken Recipe
Our spicy chicken recipe will give you a taste of Korean cuisine with this spicy yet irresistible fried chicken dish.
- cook TIME 45 mins
- prep TIME 10 mins
- total TIME 51 mins
- COURSE Main Dish
- CUISINE Korean
- SERVINGS servings
- CALORIES 503 kcal
INGREDIENTS
- 18 ozskinless boneless chicken breasts (cut into chunks)
- 18 ozpotatoes (cut into strips)
- 0.8 cupwater
- 0.3 cupcornstarch
- 0.3 cupall-purpose flour
- 1 tsppaprika
- 2 tbspgochujang
- 2 tbspHeinz ketchup
- 1 tbsphoney
- 1 tbsplemon juice
- 2 tspreduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tspsesame oil
- 1.5 cupcanola oil ((*))
- 1 tbspgarlic (minced)
- 1 tspginger (minced)
- 2 tbspscallions (sliced)
- 1 tspblack sesame seeds
- 1 tspwhite sesame seeds
INSTRUCTIONS
Prep:
Cut the chicken: Cut the chicken breasts into diagonal slices across their length. Cut the slices in half into chunks.
Cut the potatoes: Prepare a crinkle cutter (or wavy chopper) and cut the potatoes lengthwise into thick slices. Lay the slices down and cut them into 1/4-inch wide strips.
Mince the garlic: Slice off the root of the cloves and peel the skin. Mince the garlic cloves with a knife or mincer.
Mince the ginger: Separate the knobs and peel the skin. Cut the ginger into thin slices. Stack the slices and cut them into thin strips. Cut the strips into small cubes and mince the cubes.
Slice the scallions: Bunch the scallions together on the cutting board and cut across their length diagonally to get thin slices.
Cook:
Make the batter: Prepare a mixing bowl. Add 1/2 cup water, 1/3 cup cornstarch, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, and 1 tsp paprika. Mix until fully combined.
Make the sauce: Prepare another bowl. Combine 2 tbsp gochujang, 2 tbsp Heinz ketchup, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tsp reduced-sodium soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, and 1/4 cup water.
Coat and fry the chicken: Coat 18 oz chicken breasts with the batter. Prepare a pot and add canola oil, leave 1 tbsp of oil for later. Bring it to a boil then reduce to low heat. Fry the chicken in different batches, each batch will take 5 minutes.
When done, remove the chicken from the oil and move them to a plate with oil-absorbing cooking paper. Then put the chicken back into the pot to re-fry for another 2 minutes and return them to the plate.
Fry the potatoes: Fry the potatoes for 10 minutes in different batches. Remove from the oil when done, then re-fry for another 2 minutes.
Caramelize the garlic and ginger: Prepare a hot pan over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp canola oil, 1 tbsp garlic, and 1 tsp ginger. Stir for 30 seconds to caramelize.
Cook the sauce: Pour the sauce in and let it simmer over low heat for 3 minutes.
Toss the chicken with the sauce: Mix the fried chicken with the sauce. Toss until all pieces are evenly covered.
Garnish and serve: Sprinkle with 2 tbsp scallions, 1 tsp black sesame seeds, and 1 tsp white sesame seeds. Then serve the chicken with the fries.
NUTRITION
Luna Regina
Founder