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Korean Crispy Fried Chicken is incredibly juicy, unimaginably crunchy, and unbelievably delicious. These Korean Chicken Tenders are marinated in buttermilk, deep fried then topped with a sweet and spicy Gochujang Korean chicken sauce. Rich and flavorful, these Gochujang chicken tenders come together quickly in about 35 minutes.
Korean chicken tenders are not your 5-year-old’s chicken tenders. The Korean chicken sauce takes this Korean Crispy Fried Chicken to a level of flavor that will make your mouth water. Gochujang chicken tenders are finger-licking good.
If you like Korean food try my Korean BBQ Chicken Skewers.
Why You’ll Love These Korean Chicken Tenders
- It’s out of the ordinary. Plain buttermilk fried chicken tenders are good, but the Korean chicken sauce elevates these to a whole new level.
- It’s simple. Get these spicy-sweet Gochujang chicken tenders on the table in just 35 minutes.
- It’s got incredible flavor. The sweet, spicy and slightly smoky flavor of the Gochujang Korean chicken sauce gives these chicken fingers so much flavor.
Korean Fried Chicken Ingredients
Korean Chicken Marinade
- Chicken: select chicken tenders and cut them into halves
- Buttermilk: for marinating. You can also use one tablespoon of vinegar in 1 cup of milk.
- Seasoning: season the marinade with salt and ground pepper
Korean Chicken Flour Coating
- Coating: use all-purpose flour, cornstarch and baking powder to create a crispy coating on the chicken tenders.
- Seasonings: season the dredge mixture with paprika, garlic powder, salt and ground pepper.
- Oil: to deep fry.
Korean Fried Chicken Sauce Ingredients
- Soy Sauce: select low sodium soy sauce to control the dish’s saltiness.
- Gochujang Sauce: This red chili pepper paste can vary in spiciness between brands.
- Brown Sugar: for a touch of sweetness.
- Honey: or use real maple syrup.
- Sesame Oil: this toasted, nutty oil adds a traditional Asian flavor to the dish.
- Aromatics: garlic and ginger add aroma and flavor to the dish.
- Red Chili Flakes: for extra heat. Omit if desired.
- Sesame seeds: to garnish.
- Green Onions: to garnish.
How To Make Korean Crispy Fried Chicken
- Marinate the chicken. In a bowl with chicken tenders, add the buttermilk, and marinate for at least an hour.
- Prepare the coating. In a shallow dish, combine the ingredients for coating; flour, corn scratch, baking powder, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Fry the chicken. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture evenly and deep fry the chicken in batches until golden. Drain the excess oil in a kitchen towel and set it aside.
- Prepare the Korean chicken sauce. In a large skillet, combine the sauce ingredients; soy sauce, gochujang sauce, brown sugar, honey, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and red chili flakes. Mix well and allow the sauce to simmer for 5 minutes.
- Coat the chicken. Add the crispy fried chicken to the sauce and toss it well until the sauce is evenly coated.
- Serve. Garnish the Korean fried chicken with sesame seeds and green onions and serve.
Tips To Make Gochujang Chicken Tenders
- If you don’t have buttermilk, combine 1 tablespoon of vinegar with 1 cup of milk and let it set for several minutes until it thickens.
- Marinate the chicken for at least an hour but overnight for an even better flavor.
- Chicken tenders cook fast and stay juicy and tender.
- Shake off the excess marinade before dredging the chicken.
- Don’t overcrowd the fryer. Fry chicken in batches.
- Always cook chicken to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- The sauce can be made in advance and reheated just before tossing the chicken with the sauce.
- Make extra sauce and drizzle it over rice or pasta.
- Toss hot chicken with hot sauce and the coating will stick better.
- Serve extra sauce on the side for dipping.
Frequently Asked Questions
Gochujang is a sweet, spicy and slightly smoky paste made from red chili pepper, fermented soybeans and sticky rice. The heat level can vary by brand, so experiment to find one you like. You can use Gochujang in many Korean and Asian recipes.
Gochujang sauce is made from red chili pepper and has a spicy kick. If you can’t handle spice at all, this probably isn’t a dish for you.
Chicken tenders cook quickly, but you can certainly use other cuts of chicken, including chicken breast, thighs, chicken wings and drumsticks. If you use a different cut, you will need to adjust the cooking times accordingly.
Although this Korean Crispy fried chicken is best served right away, you can store the leftovers in the fridge for up to four days. To reheat, place the chicken on a rimmed baking sheet in a 375 degrees F oven for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
This recipe freezes well. Lay the chicken onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and flash freeze for a few hours before transferring the chicken pieces to a freezer safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, lay the chicken on a baking sheet and place it in a 375 degrees F oven until heated through.
Serve Korean Chicken Tenders with fries, mashed potatoes or rice. Coleslaw or brussels sprouts salad would be a good choice for a vegetable side dish.
More Spicy Chicken Recipes
- Sweet and Spicy Asian Chicken
- Spicy Sriracha Chicken
- Spicy Cashew Chicken Recipe
- Spicy Teriyaki Chicken with Broccoli
- Honey Sriracha Baked Chicken Breast
I hope you enjoy all the recipes I share with you, including this delicious Korean Crispy Fried Chicken recipe. I hope you try it, enjoy it, rate it, and share it with your friends and family!
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Korean Crispy Fried Chicken
Ingredients
For chicken marinade
- 1½ lb. chicken tenders, cut into halves
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
For chicken coating
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup corn starch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- Oil, to deep fry
For the sauce
- 3 tablespoon soy sauce
- 3 tablespoon gochujang sauce
- 3 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, to garnish
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onions, to garnish
Instructions
- In a bowl with chicken tenders add the buttermilk, and marinate for at least an hour.
- In a shallow dish, combine the ingredients for coating; flour, corn scratch, baking powder, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture evenly and deep fry the chicken in batches until golden. Drain the excess oil in a kitchen towel and set it aside.
- In a large skillet, combine the sauce ingredients; soy sauce, gochujang sauce, brown sugar, honey, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and red chili flakes. Mix well and allow the sauce to simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the crispy fried chicken to the sauce and toss it well until the sauce is evenly coated.
- Garnish the Korean fried chicken with sesame seeds and green onions and serve.
Notes
- If you don’t have buttermilk, combine 1 tablespoon of vinegar with 1 cup of milk and let it set for several minutes until it thickens.
- Marinate the chicken for at least an hour but overnight for an even better flavor.
- Chicken tenders cook fast and stay juicy and tender.
- Shake off the excess marinade before dredging the chicken.
- Don’t overcrowd the fryer. Fry chicken in batches.
- Always cook chicken to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- The sauce can be made in advance and reheated just before tossing the chicken with the sauce.
- Make extra sauce and drizzle it over rice or pasta.
- Toss hot chicken with hot sauce and the coating will stick better.
- Serve extra sauce on the side for dipping.
I was searching for easy Korean recipes and i have found your recipe the easiest to prepare. We really love it. My family has always been excited to have it anytime. This has been my best Korean fried chicken. Thanks a lot and keep on doing what you’re doing.
I made this after craving for Korean chicken and browsing a ton of recipes. I substituted ground garlic for cumin and used a really spicy pepper from my country. It was amazing. I just didn’t know what to do with the buttermilk mixture.
Hi Izzy!
It was to marinate the chicken. That’s the first step 🙂
I believe you misunderstood. I meant after the marinating. I didn’t know if I could use it for other things as it just felt kinda wasteful to throw it out
Ah! There are many recipes out there that call for buttermilk. Google recipes with buttermilk and you will get a ton. This way you can use the rest of it. I usually buy the smaller bottle they have and make few recipes with it.