Korean Spicy Chicken

Korean Spicy Chicken (Yangnyeom-chikin) is one of the most beloved dishes of South Korea. In the 1970s, Korean fried chicken was born, inspired by American fried chicken and adapted to suit the Korean palate.

If you’ve tried Yangnyeom chicken, you know it’s packed with bold flavours and pairs perfectly with a refreshing soda on a relaxing day. Many Koreans believe that Yangnyeom-chikin is a sweet pleasure in life. And they’re right! The Korean way of preparing the chicken involves double-frying and tangy gochujang sauce. In this recipe, we are not taking the traditional route of frying the chicken; we are grilling it.

This recipe uses Gochuchang sauce. This fermented hot pepper sauce is versatile and can be used to make a number of Korean dishes, such as Bibimpap, Doenjang-jjigae, Fried Rice, Stir-fries, Kimchi Jigae, and Dips.

This is a fusion dish that encapsulates bold flavours with a modern twist. The word Yangnyeom means seasoned in the Korean language. The Yangnyeom sauce is mouth-watering, spicy, sweet, and tangy. It is made with honey, gochujang, white vinegar, garlic, and ketchup. We’ve changed the Yangnyeom sauce and added a new dimension to it.

Ingredients

Salt, Dried rosemary & Pepper, Rice vinegar, Honey, Ketchup, Minced garlic, Oyster sauce, Gochuchang. Drumsticks, Chicken thighs or Chicken wings are the best pieces to use in this dish.

Dried Rosemary has an earthy taste that is slightly lemony and peppery. It pairs beautifully with grilled chicken. Salt and pepper are essential. Yangnyeom Sauce is a vibrant Korean sauce with several ingredients that balance sweet, savoury, and spicy flavours.

Rice vinegar adds a bright and tangy taste. Honey offers its natural sweetness, which works hand in hand to bring out the flavours of the chicken. Ketchup provides a sweet tomatoey base for the sauce, reduces the heat of the gochujang, and enhances the taste of the oyster sauce.

The minced garlic infuses the sauce with a savoury note. This dish works well with three types of chicken: drumsticks, Chicken thighs, and Chicken wings. Keeping the skin on the chicken will enhance the overall flavour. When the chicken hits the grill pan, the skin will crisp up, making the exterior extra crispy and crunchy.

Instructions

Add cooking oil and butter to the pan. Set the temperature to medium-low. Add the chicken drumsticks to the pan. Add the salt, pepper, and dried Rosemary. The drumsticks should be cooked for approximately ten minutes on each side. Cover with foil to insulate the chicken and prevent drying out.

Now, its time to make the hot sauce. This sauce is a unique recipe that comes from South Korea. It is popular in restaurants. Start by adding ketchup, minced garlic, gochujang, honey, rice vinegar, and oyster sauce in a small bowl. Add two tablespoons of water to the sauce. Mix it up. Add it to a small pan. Cook on low heat. When the sauce starts to bubble, it is ready.

You can also use your favourite hot sauce for this recipe, instead of ketchup. Gochuchang is non-negotiable if you want to make an authentic recipe. Honey, rice vinegar and oyster sauce add different layers of flavours to the sauce. Taste the sauce to ensure that the flavours are right.

Remove the grilled chicken from the stove and coat the drumsticks with the hot sauce. Simple grilled chicken in the comfort of your home. Serve your Korean Spicy Chicken (Yangnyeom-chikin) with some Asian cucumber salad.

Korean Spicy Chicken is a simple and healthy recipe to make at home. It requires minimal effort and its incredibly delicious. Serve with lime wedges.

Expert tips

The key to perfectly grilled Korean Spicy Chicken (Chicken) is using foil and the correct temperature management. If you can’t measure the temperature using time, use a thermometer. The optimum internal temperature is 74 degrees celsius. You want your grill set on medium heat, not too hot. High heat will cook the outer layers faster than the inner layers.

The chicken will be crispy outside, slightly charred, and dry inside. Foil is essential in this process. It is non-negotiable and can help seal in the moisture of your chicken. The steam will act like a mini-oven. Once you have grilled both sides, remove them from the grill. Let the juice resettle inside the chicken. Did you know that there is also a fried chicken version of this recipe that is crispier than the grilled version? We’ll be making that soon, stay-tuned for that recipe.

How to Store Korean Spicy Chicken?

It is quiet simple to store in the fridge and it can be reheated on the stove. Line a Tupperware with parchment paper or foil. Add the Korean spicy chicken and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for two to three days. Reheat in the microwave. Alternatively, you can store the drumsticks separate to the sauce.

What to Serve with Korean Spicy Chicken?

This dish is incredibly popular in Korea. It is usually eaten alongside other main dishes and in combination with banchan’s which are vegetable-types of side dishes that include Kong Namul (Mung bean sprouts flavoured with sesame seed oil and soy sauce). Koreans eat this dish alongside Maekchu (Korean beer) or Soda. They also enjoy spicy Korean chicken with Rice, Kimchi, and kim (Korean seaweed).