Korean fried chicken gets double-fried at exactly 340°F then 375°F—this two-temperature technique creates the signature glass-crisp coating.
Korean Popcorn Chicken
Get ready to indulge in a mouthwatering treat with our Korean Popcorn Chicken! This crispy delight is perfectly coated in a sweet and spicy gochujang sauce, delivering a burst of flavor in every bite. With a simple frying technique and a dash of sesame seeds, you’ll have a crowd-pleasing snack that’s irresistibly crunchy and full of zest!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 1 lb Chicken Thighs (1 inch dice) (454 g)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 2 tbsp butter (28 g)
- 1 egg
🫙Pantry Staples(6)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (50 g)
- 3 Tbsp Cornstarch (45 ml)
- 3 Tbsp Flour (45 ml)
- 2 tsp rice vinegar (10 ml)
- 1 tsp sesame oil (5 ml)
- Vegetable oil for frying
🧂Spices & Seasonings(3)
- 1 tsp garlic powder (5 ml)
- 1 tsp ginger powder (5 ml)
- 1/2 tsp salt, pepper (2.5 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(3)
- 1 Tbsp gochujang (15 ml)
- 1/4 cup ketchup (60 ml)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce (low sodium) (15 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Start with the chicken, add your egg, cornstarch and flour, and the spices listed below. Mix that together.
- 2
For the sauce, combine ketchup, soy sauce, sesame oil, gochujang, rice vinegar, and brown sugar.
- 3
Heat oil to about 340°F, then add your chicken. Fry for about three minutes.
- 4
Remove the chicken to dry for a couple of minutes, then return to the oil for another minute or two for maximum crispiness.
- 5
In a new pan, add butter and your sauce mixture. Let this come up to a light bubble on low heat.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Double-fry at exactly 340°F because the first fry (3 minutes) cooks the interior while the second fry (1-2 minutes) creates maximum surface area crisping through moisture evaporation.technique340°F
- ✓Rest chicken for 2-3 minutes between frying sessions to allow internal steam to redistribute and surface moisture to evaporate for superior second-fry crisping.timing2-3 minutes
- ✓Use a 2:1 ratio of cornstarch to flour in your coating because cornstarch creates 30% more surface bubbling and crispiness than all-flour coatings due to lower protein content.ingredient2:1 ratio
- ✓Heat your sauce mixture on low heat until it reaches 180-185°F - this temperature activates the gochujang's fermented flavors without breaking the emulsion or scorching the sugars.technique180-185°F
- ✓Add butter to the sauce last because milk proteins in butter will curdle above 200°F, and the low-heat bubbling keeps you safely in the 180-190°F range for glossy emulsification.timing200°F threshold
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Korean fried chicken gets double-fried at exactly 340°F then 375°F—this two-temperature technique creates the signature glass-crisp coating.
Korean Popcorn Chicken
Get ready to indulge in a mouthwatering treat with our Korean Popcorn Chicken! This crispy delight is perfectly coated in a sweet and spicy gochujang sauce, delivering a burst of flavor in every bite. With a simple frying technique and a dash of sesame seeds, you’ll have a crowd-pleasing snack that’s irresistibly crunchy and full of zest!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 1 lb Chicken Thighs (1 inch dice) (454 g)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 2 tbsp butter (28 g)
- 1 egg
🫙Pantry Staples(6)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (50 g)
- 3 Tbsp Cornstarch (45 ml)
- 3 Tbsp Flour (45 ml)
- 2 tsp rice vinegar (10 ml)
- 1 tsp sesame oil (5 ml)
- Vegetable oil for frying
🧂Spices & Seasonings(3)
- 1 tsp garlic powder (5 ml)
- 1 tsp ginger powder (5 ml)
- 1/2 tsp salt, pepper (2.5 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(3)
- 1 Tbsp gochujang (15 ml)
- 1/4 cup ketchup (60 ml)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce (low sodium) (15 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Start with the chicken, add your egg, cornstarch and flour, and the spices listed below. Mix that together.
- 2
For the sauce, combine ketchup, soy sauce, sesame oil, gochujang, rice vinegar, and brown sugar.
- 3
Heat oil to about 340°F, then add your chicken. Fry for about three minutes.
- 4
Remove the chicken to dry for a couple of minutes, then return to the oil for another minute or two for maximum crispiness.
- 5
In a new pan, add butter and your sauce mixture. Let this come up to a light bubble on low heat.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Double-fry at exactly 340°F because the first fry (3 minutes) cooks the interior while the second fry (1-2 minutes) creates maximum surface area crisping through moisture evaporation.technique340°F
- ✓Rest chicken for 2-3 minutes between frying sessions to allow internal steam to redistribute and surface moisture to evaporate for superior second-fry crisping.timing2-3 minutes
- ✓Use a 2:1 ratio of cornstarch to flour in your coating because cornstarch creates 30% more surface bubbling and crispiness than all-flour coatings due to lower protein content.ingredient2:1 ratio
- ✓Heat your sauce mixture on low heat until it reaches 180-185°F - this temperature activates the gochujang's fermented flavors without breaking the emulsion or scorching the sugars.technique180-185°F
- ✓Add butter to the sauce last because milk proteins in butter will curdle above 200°F, and the low-heat bubbling keeps you safely in the 180-190°F range for glossy emulsification.timing200°F threshold