Crispy Gochugaru Honey Fried Chicken

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 4 servings
• Prep Time: 25 minutes plus 30 minutes marinating
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Quick Ingredients

• Chicken: 2 1/2 pounds chicken wingettes and drumettes, patted dry
• Marinade: 1 cup buttermilk, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• Dredge: 1 cup all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup cornstarch, 1/4 cup rice flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 tablespoon gochugaru, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• Frying: 7 cups neutral oil, or enough to reach a 2-inch depth in a Dutch oven
• Gochugaru honey glaze: 1/3 cup honey, 2 tablespoons gochugaru, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 3 grated garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, 1 tablespoon water
• Finish: 2 teaspoons gochugaru, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, 2 thinly sliced scallions, lime wedges

Do This

• 1. Marinate chicken with buttermilk, salt, garlic powder, ginger, and pepper for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
• 2. Simmer the honey glaze ingredients for 2 to 3 minutes until glossy; keep warm.
• 3. Mix the dredge, coat the marinated chicken well, and rest on a rack for 10 minutes.
• 4. Heat oil to 325°F and fry chicken in 2 batches for 8 to 9 minutes per batch.
• 5. Rest chicken 10 minutes, then increase oil to 375°F and fry again for 2 to 3 minutes until very crisp.
• 6. Toss hot chicken lightly with warm gochugaru honey glaze, then dust with extra gochugaru, sesame seeds, and scallions.
• 7. Serve immediately with lime wedges while the crust is crackly and glossy.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Sweet heat without overwhelming spice: Honey softens the chile warmth, while gochugaru brings fruity, smoky, bright-red flavor.
• Extra-crisp texture: A flour, cornstarch, and rice flour coating plus a double-fry method gives the chicken a light, shattering crust.
• Big flavor from simple ingredients: Garlic, ginger, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and butter make a glossy glaze that clings beautifully.
• Perfect for sharing: Serve it as a bold dinner, party platter, game-day snack, or weekend fried chicken feast.

Grocery List

• Protein: 2 1/2 pounds chicken wingettes and drumettes
• Produce: Fresh garlic, fresh ginger, scallions, lime wedges
• Dairy: Buttermilk, unsalted butter
• Pantry: Neutral frying oil, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, rice flour, baking powder, Korean gochugaru chili flakes, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, light brown sugar, toasted sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, ground ginger

Full Ingredients

For the Chicken and Marinade

• 2 1/2 pounds chicken wingettes and drumettes, about 20 pieces, patted very dry
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Crisp Dredge

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup rice flour
• 1 tablespoon gochugaru, preferably medium-coarse Korean chili flakes
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For Frying

• 7 cups neutral oil, such as canola, peanut, or vegetable oil, or enough to reach a 2-inch depth in a 5 1/2-quart Dutch oven

For the Gochugaru Honey Glaze

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons gochugaru
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, packed
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

For Finishing and Serving

• 2 teaspoons gochugaru, for dusting
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• Flaky salt, to taste, if needed

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Marinate the chicken

In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, kosher salt, garlic powder, ground ginger, and black pepper. Add the chicken wingettes and drumettes, turning them until fully coated. Cover and refrigerate for exactly 30 minutes. This short marinade seasons the chicken, helps the coating cling, and keeps the meat juicy without making the crust heavy.

While the chicken marinates, set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet. You will use this for the dredged chicken and again for the fried chicken so the crust stays crisp instead of steaming.

Step 2: Make the gochugaru honey glaze

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the grated garlic and grated ginger and cook for 30 to 45 seconds, stirring constantly, just until fragrant. Do not let the garlic brown too much; browned garlic can make the glaze taste bitter.

Add the honey, gochugaru, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and water. Stir well and simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes, until the glaze looks shiny and slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the toasted sesame oil. Keep the glaze warm near the stove. If it thickens too much before using, loosen it with 1 teaspoon of warm water at a time.

Step 3: Mix the crisp dredge

In a wide shallow bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, rice flour, gochugaru, baking powder, kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. The cornstarch and rice flour are the key to a light, craggy, extra-crisp crust, while the gochugaru gives the coating a warm red tint and gentle smoky chile flavor.

Step 4: Coat the chicken and let it rest

Remove the chicken from the marinade one piece at a time, letting the excess buttermilk drip back into the bowl. Place each piece in the dredge and press firmly so the flour mixture sticks to every surface, especially around the joints and edges. Shake off loose excess, then place the coated chicken on the prepared wire rack.

Let the dredged chicken rest uncovered for 10 minutes at room temperature while you heat the oil. This rest helps hydrate the coating, creating those small, crunchy flakes that make fried chicken so satisfying.

Step 5: First fry at 325°F

Pour the oil into a heavy Dutch oven or deep, sturdy pot until it reaches a 2-inch depth. Heat over medium-high heat to 325°F, using a deep-fry or instant-read thermometer to monitor the temperature. Line a second rimmed baking sheet with a clean wire rack for the fried chicken.

Working in 2 batches, carefully lower half the chicken into the oil. Fry for 8 to 9 minutes, turning occasionally with tongs, until the coating is set and pale golden. The oil temperature will drop when the chicken goes in; adjust the heat as needed to keep it between 300°F and 325°F. Transfer the chicken to the clean rack. Bring the oil back to 325°F before frying the second batch for another 8 to 9 minutes.

Step 6: Rest, then second fry at 375°F

Let the first-fried chicken rest on the rack for 10 minutes. This pause allows steam to escape and sets the crust for a crunchier second fry. Increase the oil temperature to 375°F.

Return the chicken to the hot oil in 2 batches and fry for 2 to 3 minutes per batch, until the crust is deeply golden, craggy, and audibly crisp. The chicken should register at least 165°F in the thickest part; for wings, 175°F to 185°F gives the most tender texture around the bone. Transfer the chicken back to the rack and let it drain for 2 minutes.

Step 7: Glaze and dust the chicken

Place the hot fried chicken in a large heatproof bowl. Drizzle in about two-thirds of the warm gochugaru honey glaze and toss gently with tongs until the chicken is lightly coated and glossy. Add more glaze only if needed; a thin coating keeps the crust crisp while still delivering sweet heat.

Immediately dust the glazed chicken with 2 teaspoons gochugaru, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, and finish with thinly sliced scallions. The final dusting gives the chicken its signature bright red color, a fruity chile aroma, and a gentle smoky kick.

Step 8: Serve right away

Transfer the gochugaru honey fried chicken to a platter and serve immediately with lime wedges. A quick squeeze of lime brightens the honey glaze and balances the richness of the fried crust. This chicken is best enjoyed hot, when the outside is sticky-crisp and the inside is juicy.

Pro Tips

• Use Korean gochugaru, not generic crushed red pepper: Gochugaru has a fruity, gently smoky flavor and a beautiful red color without the sharp bitterness of many chile flakes.
• Keep the oil temperature steady: Too cool and the crust absorbs oil; too hot and the outside darkens before the chicken cooks through. A thermometer makes this recipe much easier.
• Do not skip the 10-minute dredge rest: That short rest helps the flour mixture cling and creates a sturdier, crispier crust.
• Glaze lightly for maximum crunch: Toss with enough glaze to coat, not soak. Serve extra glaze on the side if you like a saucier chicken.
• Season while hot: The finishing gochugaru, sesame seeds, and scallions cling best when the chicken is fresh from the fryer.

Variations

• Boneless gochugaru honey chicken bites: Use 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 2-inch pieces. First fry at 325°F for 4 to 5 minutes, rest 8 minutes, then second fry at 375°F for 2 minutes.
• Extra spicy version: Increase the glaze gochugaru to 3 tablespoons and add 1 teaspoon Korean hot pepper powder or cayenne to the dredge.
• More savory, less sweet: Reduce the honey to 1/4 cup and add 1 extra tablespoon soy sauce plus 1 teaspoon rice vinegar to the glaze.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Gochugaru honey fried chicken is crispiest immediately after frying and glazing. To store leftovers, let the chicken cool completely on a rack, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat on a wire rack set over a baking sheet in a 400°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until hot and re-crisped. If you have extra glaze, warm it separately and brush it on after reheating.

For make-ahead prep, marinate the chicken for up to 12 hours in the refrigerator. The glaze can be made up to 5 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator; rewarm gently before using. For the best crust, dredge the chicken no more than 30 minutes before frying.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 710 kcal | Carbs: 48g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 22g | Sodium: 1480mg | Cholesterol: 165mg