Ganjang-chikin (Soy-Garlic Fried Chicken)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Heavy Dutch oven or deep pot, at least 5 liters
• •Deep-fry thermometer
• •Wire rack set over a sheet pan
• •Spider strainer or long metal tongs
• •Small saucepan
• •Large mixing bowl

Instructions

1. 1

   Season the chicken

   Pat the chicken very dry, then toss it with the salt, pepper, soju, grated garlic, and grated ginger. Let it stand 20 minutes at room temperature. The short seasoning time is enough for wings; longer makes the skin wet again, and wet skin fights the crust.

   If the chicken was frozen, drain it well and pat it twice. Water hiding near the bone spits in oil and softens the coating.
2. 2

   Mix the coating

   Stir the potato starch, flour, and baking powder together in a wide bowl. Add the egg white and 2 tablespoons cold water, then rub and toss until the mixture forms small dry clumps. It should look uneven, not like smooth batter. Those little clumps fry into the rough, crisp surface that holds a thin glaze.

3. 3

   Coat each piece

   Add the chicken to the starch mixture and press the coating firmly onto every piece, especially around the joints. Shake off loose powder, then rest the coated chicken on a rack for 10 minutes. This rest hydrates the starch just enough so it grips the skin instead of falling into the oil.

4. 4

   Make the glaze

   In a small saucepan, combine the soy sauce, syrup, brown sugar, mirin, water, minced garlic, grated ginger, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and gochugaru if using. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook 4 to 6 minutes, until the bubbles look glossy and the sauce lightly coats a spoon. Stop there. If you reduce it until it is thick in the pan, it will turn salty and sticky on the chicken.

5. 5

   First fry

   Heat the oil in a heavy pot to 160°C. Fry the chicken in batches, 6 to 7 minutes for flats and 7 to 8 minutes for drumettes, until pale golden and cooked through. Keep the oil between 150°C and 165°C. This first fry cooks the meat; chasing dark color now only dries it out.

   Use a thermometer. Guessing oil temperature is how good chicken becomes greasy chicken.
6. 6

   Rest before frying

   Lift the chicken to a rack and rest it 10 minutes while the oil climbs to 190°C. The rest is not idleness. Moisture moves outward from the meat, and the second fry drives it off so the crust hardens.

7. 7

   Second fry

   Fry the chicken a second time in batches at 185°C to 190°C for 2 to 3 minutes, until the crust is deep golden, dry-looking, and hard when tapped with tongs. Drain on a rack, not paper towels, because trapped moisture softens the underside.

8. 8

   Glaze lightly

   Warm the glaze if it has thickened, then put the fried chicken in a large bowl and drizzle over about two-thirds of the glaze. Toss quickly with a wide spoon or brush it on piece by piece. Add more only if the chicken still looks bare. The goal is shine and cling, not a puddle at the bottom.

9. 9

   Finish and serve

   Scatter toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions over the chicken. Serve at once with chicken-mu and cold beer if that is your table tonight. Eat while the glaze is glossy and the crust still talks under your teeth.

Chef Tips

• •Wings are the easiest home cut for ganjang-chikin because they cook evenly and give plenty of skin for the crust. If you use boneless thigh, cut it into 4cm pieces and fry a little less; breast meat dries before the crust has its say.
• •Potato starch makes the cleanest Korean fried chicken crust. Cornstarch can stand in, but it fries a little harder and less delicate. All flour makes a heavier shell, so do not replace all the starch with flour.
• •The safe shortcut is making the glaze a day ahead. The unsafe shortcut is skipping the second fry. 시대가 바뀌면 음식도 바뀌어야 해요. When times change, food must change too, but the crust is the dish's spine.
• •Keep the sauce thin enough to brush. Ganjang-chikin should not eat like candy. If the glaze tightens too much, loosen it with 1 tablespoon water over low heat.
• •For a dinner party, fry once before guests arrive, hold the chicken on racks at room temperature for up to 45 minutes, then second-fry and glaze just before serving.

Advance Preparation

• •The soy-garlic glaze can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. Rewarm it gently and loosen with 1 to 2 tablespoons water before glazing.
• •The chicken can be seasoned up to 4 hours ahead and kept refrigerated, uncovered if your refrigerator is clean and not crowded. Pat it dry again before coating.
• •For the best texture, do not fully fry and sauce the chicken ahead. Leftovers keep 2 days refrigerated, but reheat them uncovered in a 200°C oven or air fryer until the crust firms again, then brush with a little fresh glaze.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 350g)