Korean Sweet & Crunchy Fried Chicken (Dak-gangjeong)

Steps

▶ Tap a timecode to jump to roughly that moment in the video.

1. 1
   Cut chicken tenderloin into ~2 inch strips, soak in milk, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to tenderize and remove any gamey smell.
   ▶ ≈0:50
2. 2
   Make the sauce by combining corn syrup, sugar, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, and yellow mustard, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely.
   ▶ ≈2:04
3. 3
   Prepare the ginger, garlic, and dried red peppers by slicing or mincing them.
   ▶ ≈2:31
4. 4
   Drain the milk-soaked chicken (keeping it slightly wet) and season with salt and black pepper.
   ▶ ≈3:17
5. 5
   Put the potato starch into a ziploc bag with the chicken and shake to evenly coat each piece for maximum crunch.
   ▶ ≈3:48
6. 6
   Heat a little oil in a pan over medium heat and sauté the garlic and ginger, then add the dried peppers briefly, being careful not to burn them.
   ▶ ≈4:32
7. 7
   Pour in the prepared sauce, reduce heat to low, and gently stir until bubbling and thickened; then set aside.
   ▶ ≈5:32
8. 8
   Heat about 4 cups of oil to around 350°F (7-10 minutes), then fry the coated chicken in batches until golden and crispy, about 4 minutes per batch.
   ▶ ≈6:18
9. 9
   Once the oil reaches about 330°F again, double-fry all the chicken together for about 3 more minutes for extra crunch — the secret to Korean fried chicken.
   ▶ ≈7:54
10. 10
    Toss peanuts in the pan for about 10 seconds until crunchy, then remove.
    ▶ ≈8:44
11. 11
    Reheat the sauce until bubbling, add the fried chicken, toss quickly, then sprinkle with sesame seeds and peanuts so every piece is coated in the sticky sauce.
    ▶ ≈9:04
12. 12
    Let cool slightly and separate any stuck pieces, then enjoy this sweet crunchy boneless dakgangjeong — great alongside radish pickles.
    ▶ ≈9:29