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Korean Fried Chicken (프라이드치킨)

By Sarah Ahn & Nam Soon Ahn

Published on March 28, 2025

Time

1¼ hours, plus 3 hours soaking and seasoning

Yield

Serves 4 to 6

Korean Fried Chicken (프라이드치킨)

Ingredients

3 pounds (1.4 kilograms) chicken wings, cut at joints, wingtips discarded2½ cups milk 2 teaspoons black pepper, divided1 teaspoon miwon matsogeum (MSG seasoning salt)3½ cups (420 grams) Korean frying mix, divided5 tablespoons (50 grams) curry powder, divided1 tablespoon Dasida beef stock powder1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon onion powder 1½ cups cold water 2–3 quarts vegetable oil for frying

Before You Begin

We prefer to use Ottogi brand mild curry powder for this recipe, but other mild curry powders work too. We love the convenience of pre-split chicken wings and opt for smaller wings whenever possible. We also cook the wingettes and drumettes separately, since they have different cooking times. We use an electric deep fryer for this fried chicken, though you can also use a large, wide pot or Dutch oven that holds 6 quarts or more. Add the oil to the pot until it measures about 2 inches deep and heat over medium-high heat to 330 degrees. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain the temperature.

Instructions

  1. Rinse and drain chicken, then transfer it to large bowl or container. Add milk and toss to coat. Arrange chicken in even layer, making sure all chicken is submerged in milk. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  2. Drain and thoroughly rinse chicken until water runs clear. Clean and dry bowl. Using tip of sharp paring knife, pierce each wing 3 to 5 times on each side around bone (tip of knife should puncture through to other side). Pat chicken dry with paper towels and transfer to bowl.
  3. Add 1 teaspoon pepper and seasoning salt and toss chicken to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
  4. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Following manufacturer's instructions, heat oil in electric fryer to 330 degrees. Whisk 1½ cups (180 grams) frying mix, 3 tablespoons curry powder, Dasida powder, garlic powder, and onion powder together in separate large bowl. Gradually whisk in cold water until batter is just combined (it's okay if small lumps remain; be careful not to overmix). Add chicken and toss to coat it in batter.
  5. Whisk remaining 2 cups (240 grams) frying mix, remaining 2 tablespoons curry powder, and remaining 1 teaspoon pepper together in medium bowl. Working with 1 piece at a time, use tongs to fully coat chicken in batter once more. Lift wing, allowing excess batter to drip back into bowl, and transfer it to seasoned frying mixture. Using hands, toss wing to coat it (do not press piece into flour), then gently tap wing against side of bowl twice to “shock” it (this is what gives fried chicken its wave pattern). Carefully lower half of wing piece into hot oil, hold for 3 seconds, then release piece completely into oil. Repeat with 5 more wing pieces. Cook, undisturbed, for about 2 minutes, then use tongs to release wings from base of fryer basket. Continue to cook, turning wings occasionally, until golden brown and crisp and chicken registers at least 165 degrees, 5 to 7 minutes for wingettes and 7 to 10 minutes for drumettes.
  6. Using slotted spoon, transfer wings to prepared rack as they finish cooking. Return oil to 330 degrees and repeat with remaining wings in batches. Serve.
Korean Fried Chicken (프라이드치킨)
Styling by Monica Mariano.

Korean Fried Chicken (프라이드치킨)

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Time

1¼ hours, plus 3 hours soaking and seasoning

Yield

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

3 pounds (1.4 kilograms) chicken wings, cut at joints, wingtips discarded
2½ cups milk
2 teaspoons black pepper, divided
1 teaspoon miwon matsogeum (MSG seasoning salt)
3½ cups (420 grams) Korean frying mix, divided
5 tablespoons (50 grams) curry powder, divided
1 tablespoon Dasida beef stock powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1½ cups cold water
2–3 quarts vegetable oil for frying

Ingredients

3 pounds (1.4 kilograms) chicken wings, cut at joints, wingtips discarded
2½ cups milk
2 teaspoons black pepper, divided
1 teaspoon miwon matsogeum (MSG seasoning salt)
3½ cups (420 grams) Korean frying mix, divided
5 tablespoons (50 grams) curry powder, divided
1 tablespoon Dasida beef stock powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1½ cups cold water
2–3 quarts vegetable oil for frying

Ingredients

3 pounds (1.4 kilograms) chicken wings, cut at joints, wingtips discarded
2½ cups milk
2 teaspoons black pepper, divided
1 teaspoon miwon matsogeum (MSG seasoning salt)
3½ cups (420 grams) Korean frying mix, divided
5 tablespoons (50 grams) curry powder, divided
1 tablespoon Dasida beef stock powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1½ cups cold water
2–3 quarts vegetable oil for frying

Why This Recipe Works

Inspired by the fried chicken Sarah tasted in Jin Mi Chicken, a bustling restaurant in Suwon, South Korea, Nam Soon’s fried chicken is perfectly crispy yet light and flavored with a harmonious blend of spices. The split chicken wings are first soaked in milk and seasoned. After a 2-hour (or overnight) rest, the chicken is battered in a blend of Korean frying mix, curry powder, and other seasonings, then tossed in a coating of more frying mix, curry powder, and black pepper. Finally, the chicken is “shocked” to create what Nam Soon describes as a “wave-patterned” crust (meant to resemble the waves of the ocean), accomplished by tapping the battered chicken against the side of the bowl before frying it.

Before You Begin

We prefer to use Ottogi brand mild curry powder for this recipe, but other mild curry powders work too. We love the convenience of pre-split chicken wings and opt for smaller wings whenever possible. We also cook the wingettes and drumettes separately, since they have different cooking times. We use an electric deep fryer for this fried chicken, though you can also use a large, wide pot or Dutch oven that holds 6 quarts or more. Add the oil to the pot until it measures about 2 inches deep and heat over medium-high heat to 330 degrees. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain the temperature.

Instructions

  1. Rinse and drain chicken, then transfer it to large bowl or container. Add milk and toss to coat. Arrange chicken in even layer, making sure all chicken is submerged in milk. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  2. Drain and thoroughly rinse chicken until water runs clear. Clean and dry bowl. Using tip of sharp paring knife, pierce each wing 3 to 5 times on each side around bone (tip of knife should puncture through to other side). Pat chicken dry with paper towels and transfer to bowl.
  3. Add 1 teaspoon pepper and seasoning salt and toss chicken to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
  4. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Following manufacturer's instructions, heat oil in electric fryer to 330 degrees. Whisk 1½ cups (180 grams) frying mix, 3 tablespoons curry powder, Dasida powder, garlic powder, and onion powder together in separate large bowl. Gradually whisk in cold water until batter is just combined (it's okay if small lumps remain; be careful not to overmix). Add chicken and toss to coat it in batter.
  5. Whisk remaining 2 cups (240 grams) frying mix, remaining 2 tablespoons curry powder, and remaining 1 teaspoon pepper together in medium bowl. Working with 1 piece at a time, use tongs to fully coat chicken in batter once more. Lift wing, allowing excess batter to drip back into bowl, and transfer it to seasoned frying mixture. Using hands, toss wing to coat it (do not press piece into flour), then gently tap wing against side of bowl twice to “shock” it (this is what gives fried chicken its wave pattern). Carefully lower half of wing piece into hot oil, hold for 3 seconds, then release piece completely into oil. Repeat with 5 more wing pieces. Cook, undisturbed, for about 2 minutes, then use tongs to release wings from base of fryer basket. Continue to cook, turning wings occasionally, until golden brown and crisp and chicken registers at least 165 degrees, 5 to 7 minutes for wingettes and 7 to 10 minutes for drumettes.
  6. Using slotted spoon, transfer wings to prepared rack as they finish cooking. Return oil to 330 degrees and repeat with remaining wings in batches. Serve.

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