Ultimate Korean Fried Chicken

Being American, I have always loved fried chicken. Korean Fried Chicken, the better KFC, has been gaining wide popularity in its many forms. The difference is in the very thin crisp skin. The spicy sauce can either be drizzled on top or kept on the side. As a kid, I used to just eat the skin off fried chicken– it's the best part! My version has the thinnest crispiest crust ever.

Ingredients

Serves 2-4

PICKLED RADISH CUBES

  • 1/2 cup (113 grams) rice vinegar
  • 1/2 cup (113 grams) water
  • 1/2 cup (113 grams) superfine sugar or caster sugar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt
  • 1 pound (about 500 grams) daikon radish, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

PRE-COATING

  • 2 chicken drumsticks, 2 thighs and 4 wings with tips (bone in, skin on)
  • 1/4 cup (32 grams) cornstarch or corn flour
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt or sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 10 grinds black pepper
  • Oil, for frying

BATTER

  • 1/2 cup (70 grams) cornstarch or corn flour
  • 1/4 cup (34 grams) fine matzo meal
  • 1/4 cup (35 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes)
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt or sea salt
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons garlic granules
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons onion granules
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup (237 grams) water
  • 1/3 cup (75 grams) vodka
  • 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chilli paste)

KOREAN BBQ SAUCE

  • 3 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chilli paste)
  • 3 tablespoons ketchup
  • 2 packed tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon roasted sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons grated ginger (from about a 2-inch piece)
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Method

Make the pickled radish cubes

  1. Combine the first four ingredients in a large bowl, whisking until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Add the radish and toss to coat. Leave at room temperature, covered, for 24 hours. Then refrigerate.

Make the pre-coating

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the first 4 ingredients. Add the chicken and toss well until evenly coated in all areas. Transfer the chicken to a rack, shaking the chicken well to get rid of any excess coating. Let rest uncovered for 1 hour.
  2. Pour enough oil into a 6-quart Dutch oven to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius).

Make the batter

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. Just before frying, whisk the wet mixture into the dry mixture. The consistency should be relatively thin and runny. Working in two batches, dip each piece of chicken into the batter, letting excess batter drip off.
  2. Suspend the chicken in the oil for a couple of seconds for it to set before letting it slip completely into the oil, otherwise the chicken will fall and stick to the bottom of the pot. Fry the chicken until golden brown and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes per batch. Transfer to a wire rack to drain as done.

Make the BBQ sauce

  1. Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat until slightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve the chicken with the BBQ sauce, pickled radish and beer.

Notes

The batter’s dry and wet ingredients can be assembled but not mixed together ahead of time. Whisk the wet and dry ingredients right before you’re ready to fry the chicken, otherwise the batter may thicken too much. Cook the chicken in batches, cooking the drumsticks and thighs together as one batch and the wings as a separate batch. Loosen the BBQ sauce with a little water if you want to drizzle the sauce or glaze the chicken.

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@judyjoochef Instagram profile imageEvery summer, Chesterton Polo at Hurlingham Park is one of those dates I simply refuse to miss. Quintessentially British, utterly glamorous, and honestly — I haven’t the faintest idea about the rules, but who cares? The thundering hooves, the mallet swings, the collective gasp of the crowd… it’s pure electricity, even to a complete polo novice like me. And the food? Chef’s kiss. The afternoon tea and scones alone are worth the ticket. Did you know that polo is one of the oldest team sports in the world — first played in Persia over 2,500 years ago as military training for the king’s elite cavalry? Thousands of warriors, one ball. Somehow it evolved into this gorgeous, sun-drenched afternoon with scones. I’d say that’s progress. 🐴 Thank you to the wonderful @polointhepark team for having me — see you on the lawn again next year! #polo #london #polointhepark3 days ago via Instagram
@judyjoochef Instagram profile imageToday we’re making bulgogi, the K-BBQ dish that started so many people’s love affair with Korean food. And honestly? Once you make it at home, you’ll never look back. Quick fun fact: bulgogi literally translates to “fire meat” — bul (fire) + gogi (meat). Its roots trace all the way back to dish called “maekjeok”, seasoned beef skewers grilled over open flames during the Goguryeo era, more than 2,000 years ago. So when you’re cooking this, you’re cooking history. No wonder it’s such a beloved gateway into Korean cuisine. Here’s how to make it: Start with thinly sliced Korean-style bulgogi beef — you can grab it pre-sliced at any Korean grocery store (this is the move, trust me). For the marinade, throw garlic, ginger, Asian pear, soy sauce, anchovy sauce, sesame oil, mirin, soju, sugar, and a crack of black pepper into a food processor and blitz until silky smooth. The pear is the secret weapon — it tenderizes the meat AND adds a gorgeous natural sweetness. ✨ Pour the marinade into a zip-top bag with the beef, give it a good massage, and let those flavors really sink in. Heat your griddle or pan until SCREAMING hot, then sear the bulgogi until edges are charred. That caramelization = flavor. I love serving this the proper, authentic way — with ssam (lettuce wraps), a scoop of warm rice, a smear of ssamjang, loaded with bulgogi, and then topped with pickled radish. Wrap it all up, pop the whole thing in your mouth in one bite (yes, the whole thing!), and thank me later. Find this recipe and more in my latest book, K-Quick! Tag a friend you’d share a bulgogi wrap with! Thank you @samsunguk @samsung Ingredients: Thank you @koreafoodsuk GLAM: Thank you @jonesroadbeauty @justbobbidotcom5 days ago via Instagram
@judyjoochef Instagram profile imageThey said I didn’t look like a chef. I said, “ Watch me feed Madison Square Garden and Citi Field!” 🍗 And with the @nyknicks in the NBA Finals, MSG has never been louder — or better fed. There’s something deeply satisfying about 20,000 New Yorkers eating Korean fried chicken while cheering on their team. That’s the Seoul Bird dream, right there. So honored to be featured in @womanaroundtown, sharing a little of my story — from Columbia engineering grad to Wall Street, to walking away from it all to go to culinary school (my parents were horrified), to cooking at Michelin-starred kitchens, to becoming the first female Iron Chef UK. None of it was the plan. All of it was worth it. Seoul Bird was born from a love of Korean street food — and a belief that it deserved a global stage. From London to New York, we’re just getting started. And yes — there’s a new book (my 4th!) coming in Nov— “Mukja: Let’s Eat!” Head to WomanAroundTown.com for the full interview. Go Knicks! #Mukja #NYKnicks #NYCFood #KoreanFood #cheflife1 week ago via Instagram
@judyjoochef Instagram profile imageBack in my K-Quick Kitchen — and today we’re giving McDonald’s fried apple pies the Korean glow-up they deserve. Apple Pie Mandu (dumplings), yeah baby! Dumplings have been showing up in Korean royal cookbooks since at least the 14th century, when they were considered a luxurious dish served during festivals and celebrations. Today, “mandu” come in countless shapes — half-moon, round, pleated, pinched — and are stuffed with everything from kimchi and pork to tofu and glass noodles. So why not stuff them with apple pie filling? The beauty of mandu is the wrapper — that thin, snappy skin crisps up like a DREAM when fried, giving you a shatter-crisp shell that rivals the Golden Arches. Here’s my K-Quick move: To save time—Start with pre-made apple pie filling, but pimp it out: a squeeze of lemon, fresh apples, a hit of cinnamon, maybe a splash of bourbon or rum if you’re feeling fancy. Trust me, adding a few fresh ingredients makes all the difference. Wrap a spoonful inside a dumpling wrapper, seal those edges tight, and fry until golden, blistered, and gorgeous. Finish with a generous toss in cinnamon sugar while they’re still warm. Eat them straight up while they’re piping hot, or pile them over a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the ULTIMATE sundae moment. There’s truly no wrong answer here. A true American classic, reimagined the K-Quick way — warm, tart, crispy, sweet, and absolutely made for sharing. Thank you @samsunguk @samsung Ingredients: @koreafoodsuk @seoulplazauk Glam: Thank you @jonesroadbeauty @justbobbidotcom1 week ago via Instagram
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