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korean fried chicken tenders
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4.93 from 14 votes

Korean Fried Chicken Tenders

These crispy Korean Fried Chicken Tenders are double fried to golden brown perfection and glazed with a sweet and spicy gochujang sauce!
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Korean
Keyword: chicken, chicken tenders, fried chicken, korean
Servings: 3
Author: Chris Joe

Ingredients

Chicken

Sauce

  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
  • 1/2 tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flake)
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup water

Seasoning Flour

Wet Batter

  • 1/2 cup flour all-purpose
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup cold soda water

Plain Flour

Oil

Instructions

  • In a bowl, mix together kosher salt, white pepper, black pepper, garlic powder, ginger powder, and cayenne pepper. Season the chicken tenders for at least 20 minutes to allow the salt to absorb into the chicken.
  • In another bowl, combine your ingredients for the Seasoning Flour and mix well. Add additional sparkling water to the seasoning flour 1-2 tbsp at a time and rub the flour with your hands to create additional craggily bits.
  • In a separate bowl, mix together your Wet Batter ingredients and whisk to combine. In a third bowl, add 1 cup of plain flour.
  • Dust the chicken in the plain flour, then dip your chicken in the Wet Batter and let any excess batter drip off. Next, coat the chicken in the Seasoning Flour and use your hands to pack the coating into the chicken. Place on a tray and let the chicken rest for 15 minutes while you heat up the oil.
  • Fry the chicken in batches at 350F for 4-5 minutes. Remove the chicken and let the oil come back up to 350F, then fry a 2nd time for 1-2 minutes. Remove to a tray and let rest.
  • In a medium saucepan, mix together the Sauce ingredients and simmer over medium high heat for 3-4 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Coat the chicken in the sauce and enjoy!

Notes

"DRY BRINE"
This is the KEY tip for quick but JUICY chicken! Season the chicken with salt & pepper for 15 minutes before cooking to allow the salt absorb into the meat. This "dry brine" will result in crispy skin and juicy meat. The salt will draw out some moisturize, so make sure to pat the chicken as dry as possible with a paper towel prior to sauteing in the pan. (Otherwise your skin will not get as crispy!)
DOUBLE FRY
I love to double fry my chicken, as this ensures my chicken tenders are both well-crisped AND cooked thoroughly. I know it's a little bit extra work but I guarantee it's worth it! If excess batter pieces are floating in the oil, strain them out with a strainer to prevent them from burning during the 2nd fry.
INTERNAL TEMPERATURE
If you are not a seasoned pro at cooking (and honestly, even if you are!) I would highly recommend you use a meat thermometer to check your chicken - you want the internal temp to be at 165F. Undercooked chicken can lead to food poisoning, so always err on the side of caution!