Crispy Korean Fried Chicken Thighs (Cantonese Style) | Sweet & Spicy Gochujang Chicken

📜 Full Detailed Recipe – Korean Fried Chicken (Cantonese Style)

Servings: 4–5 people
Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus 1 hour marination)
Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: ~1 hour 45 minutes

🧂 Ingredients
For the Chicken:
10–12 chicken thighs (defrosted, skin on)
2 heaped tsp baking soda (for cleaning)
Water (for soaking and rinsing)

For the Marinade:
1 tsp salt
1 tsp white pepper
5 tsp sugar
1 tsp chicken bouillon powder
1 heaped tbsp crushed garlic (store-bought or homemade)
1 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Chinese rice wine
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large egg
4 heaped tsp cornstarch

For Coating:
All-purpose flour (about 1½–2 cups, enough to coat all pieces)

For Frying:
Sunflower oil (or any neutral oil, for deep frying)
For the Korean Sauce:
¾ cup water
¼ cup white vinegar
Pinch of salt
4 tbsp sugar (adjust to taste)
½ cup tomato sauce (ketchup)
1 tbsp Korean gochujang (chili paste)
Sesame seeds (for garnish)

🔪 Preparation Steps
1️⃣ Prep and Clean the Chicken
Cut chicken thighs into smaller bite-sized pieces.
Make shallow slits across the thicker parts so flavors absorb better.
Add 2 heaped teaspoons of baking soda and water to the chicken. Mix and let it sit for 10 minutes.
Rinse thoroughly 2–3 times to remove any residue and drain completely.

2️⃣ Marinate the Chicken
Sprinkle salt, white pepper, sugar, chicken bouillon, and crushed garlic over the chicken.
Mix by hand (or with gloves) to rub the flavors into the meat.
Drizzle oyster sauce, soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, and olive oil.
Crack one egg and mix again until everything is combined.
Add 4 heaped teaspoons of cornstarch and mix until the marinade becomes thick and sticky.
Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to let flavors absorb and batter set.

3️⃣ Coat the Chicken
After marination, mix once more — the batter should be thick and gooey.
Place all-purpose flour in a tray.
Dredge each chicken piece in the flour, ensuring full coverage. Shake off excess flour.
Set aside on a tray before frying.

4️⃣ First Fry (Low-Medium Heat)
Heat sunflower oil in a wok or deep pot.
Test oil temperature with a crumb — it should sizzle immediately.
Add chicken pieces in small batches (don’t overcrowd).
Fry for about 1–2 minutes, just until a light crust forms.
Remove and set aside on a rack or paper towel.
Repeat for all batches.

5️⃣ Make the Korean Sweet & Spicy Sauce
In a pan on low heat, add ¾ cup of water and ¼ cup of vinegar.
Add a pinch of salt and 4 tbsp sugar, stirring to dissolve.
Pour in ½ cup tomato sauce and stir until smooth.
Add 1 tbsp gochujang, increase the heat slightly, and stir until the paste melts and blends into a rich red sauce.
Taste and adjust sweetness or spiciness as desired.
Once thickened slightly, remove from heat and set aside.

6️⃣ Second Fry (High Heat for Crispiness)
Heat the oil on high heat.
Fry chicken again in batches for 3–4 minutes until golden brown and extra crispy.
Remove and drain on paper towels.

7️⃣ Toss with Sauce
Place fried chicken in a clean wok or large bowl.
Pour the sauce over gradually while tossing the chicken to coat evenly.
Sprinkle sesame seeds over the top.
Toss quickly on medium heat for a few seconds to let the sauce absorb without losing crispiness.

🍗 Serve and Enjoy
Serve hot and crispy!
Pair with steamed rice, or enjoy as a snack. The combination of Cantonese seasoning and Korean gochujang creates a perfect sweet, spicy, and crispy fried chicken — “Korean Fried Chicken, My Style!”

00:00 - Intro: Korean Fried Chicken
00:17 - Cleaning and Cutting the Whole Chicken
09:57 - Marinating the Chicken for Maximum Flavor
16:43 - Coating the Chicken in flour
18:57 - Deep frying chicken - First Fry
23:01 - Making Korean Fried Chicken sauce
29:23 - Double Fry for Extra Crispy Texture
34:43 - Tossing Chicken in Korean Fried Chicken sauce
38:11 - Final Plating and Taste Test