Korean Fried Chicken doesn’t whisper—both its flavor and its crunch are loud. It is my absolute favorite way to eat fried chicken.

A bowl of white rice topped with crispy, sauced chicken pieces, sprinkled with chopped green onions and sesame seeds, with chopsticks holding one piece.

Korean Fried Chicken is known for being shatteringly crisp on the outside, with juicy and flavorful seasoned meat inside, and coated in a glaze that’s spicy, a little sweet, and full of umami. Fans of my Air Fryer Korean Fried Chicken will recognize the flavor here, but this stovetop version takes the crispiness up a notch.

The audible crunch of Korean Fried Chicken is no accident. The secret to that crackly crust is dredging the chicken with potato starch (you can use cornstarch in a pinch) and then double frying, which locks in all the juices and creates an outrageously crisp crust without making the chicken heavy or greasy.

The other thing that makes KFC so irresistible, of course, is the glaze. Gochujang, the iconic Korean fermented chile paste, adds both heat and umami. Honey, rice vinegar, and soy sauce add balance with sweet, acidic, and salty flavors. Garlic acts as a fresh high note amid all the umami, sweet, salty flavors. Sesame oil sneaks in a a nutty undercurrent. And the textural contrast between the juicy, tender chicken, crunchy crust, and thick, sticky sauce, well, that’s really where the magic happens.

Overhead view of raw diced chicken in a bowl surrounded by labeled bowls of gochujang paste, honey, salt, oil, potato starch, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and black pepper.

Ingredients Notes

Nothing about Korean Fried Chicken is complicated, but every ingredient pulls its weight.

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are my go-to because they stay tender and flavorful even after frying. You can use chicken breast if you prefer, but thighs are less likely to dry out. You’ll often see KFC made with bone-in chicken thighs or wings, but I prefer boneless pieces cut into bite-size chunks for a few reasons. For one thing, it is just easier to eat that way. For another, cutting the chicken into smaller pieces means that you get more of that crunchy crust and addictive sauce.

For the sauce, the only specialty ingredient you need is gochujang, which you can find in most grocery stores these days, usually in a red tub.

For the coating, potato starch makes the chicken extra crisp without feeling heavy. You can use cornstarch if that’s what you have on hand. Cornstarch doesn’t get quite as crisp, but the tradeoff is that it gets more of that golden brown color that makes the chicken look really appealing. Whatever you do, don’t use flour—you won’t get the same crunch. You need a pure starch like potato or cornstarch.

For the oil, I like to use avocado oil. You can use any neutral-flavored, high-smoke-point oil you like, such as canola, corn, vegetable, or safflower.

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A white plate filled with raw, diced chicken pieces sits on a speckled gray countertop.

A white plate filled with raw, flour-coated pieces of chicken sits on a gray speckled countertop.

How to Make Korean Fried Chicken

This recipe is straightforward, even if it’s your first time making fried chicken. Here’s how I do it.

Prep the chicken. Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and season them lightly with salt and pepper. This gives you a flavorful base before coating and frying.
Coat the chicken. Toss the chicken pieces in potato starch or cornstarch, making sure all the pieces are well coated.
Fry until golden. Heat oil in a saucepan or wok and fry the chicken in batches until it’s crispy and golden brown. Double-fry if you want extra crunch.
Make the sauce. While the chicken cooks, mix the sauce ingredients in a small pan. Warm it gently, stirring until smooth and glossy.
Toss and serve. Once all the chicken is fried, toss it in the warm sauce until every piece is evenly coated. Top with sesame seeds and green onions, then serve immediately.

Expert Tips for Success

Korean Fried Chicken is pretty forgiving, but a few simple tricks make it even better.

Use a high-sided saucepan or wok to fry the chicken to minimize stovetop splatter.
Heat the oil to between 350°F and 375°F. When you add chicken to the oil, the temperature will drop, so don’t add to much at once and once you begin frying, try to maintain the oil at around 350°F.
Don’t crowd the pan while frying. You need the hot oil to circulate easily around every piece in order to get the crunchy coating we’re going for. Adding too much chicken at once will also reduce the temperature of the oil too much.
For and extra crunchy shell, remove the chicken after frying and then add it back to the oil for a second fry. Double-frying is the key to the crunchiest KFC.
If your sauce is too thick, stir in a little water to loosen it.
Serve the chicken right after tossing in the sauce for the best texture.

A hand uses chopsticks to pick up a piece of saucy chicken from a bowl of rice, garnished with chopped green onions, on a gray countertop.

What to Serve With It

Korean Fried Chicken can hold its own as a main dish, but it’s also great with sides that balance the heat and sweetness. I love it over steamed white rice or with a side of Kimchi Pancakes. It’s untraditional, but you can also serve it with Coconut Rice. If you want something fresh and crisp, Quick Cucumber Kimchi or Japanese Cucumber Salad work beautifully.

If you’re into crispy fried chicken that brings more than just crunch, I've got plenty of recipes for you to try. Chicken Pakora is all about bold spices and golden edges, while Chicken 65 brings that unmistakable South Indian heat. Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings are a Sichuan twist on spicy fried chicken, tossed with fresh chiles, garlic, and mouth-numbing Sichuan pepper. Mochiko Chicken is light and crisp thanks to the sweet rice flour in the coating. Japanese Chicken Karaage, like KFC, also uses potato starch and the double frying method to get a light crispy crust.

Korean Fried Chicken

Ingredients Notes

Want to save this recipe?

How to Make Korean Fried Chicken

Expert Tips for Success

What to Serve With It