Chicken
Yangnyeom Chicken
양념치킨
Korean fried chicken double-fried for extra crisp, then tossed in a sweet-and-spicy yangnyeom sauce — a beloved street-stall staple.
May 9, 2026
Yangnyeom chicken (양념치킨) is one of Korea's most beloved fried-chicken dishes, served at street stalls and chicken specialty shops nationwide. The chicken is fried twice for an extra-crispy crust, then coated generously in a sweet-and-spicy yangnyeom (seasoning) sauce. The freshly-fried savoriness layered with the deep umami of gochujang and garlic pairs perfectly with beer or soda. It takes some effort, but you can recreate the authentic taste at home.
Instructions
Fry the chicken
- 1
Soak the chicken in water for at least 2 hours.
- 2
If any innards remain on the chicken, rinse them off under running water.
- 3
Wash the chicken thoroughly with water.
- 4
Place the washed chicken in a large bowl and pierce the surface with a fork.
- 5
Add 1/3 tbsp of pepper.
- 6
Add 1/2 tbsp of seasoned salt.
- 7
Mix everything thoroughly and let it rest for 2–3 hours.
- 8
Pour in 1 cup of milk and let it rest for another 20 minutes.
- 9
Add 1 cup of tempura flour and mix well to create a batter that coats every piece.
- 10
Put 1 cup of tempura flour into a separate plastic bag.
- 11
Place the battered chicken into the bag prepared in the previous step.
- 12
Shake the bag to coat the chicken evenly with flour.
- 13
Pour 1.8L of vegetable oil into a deep pan (or pot) and place it over heat.
- 14
Once the oil reaches 170°C (340°F), add the chicken.
- 15
Fry for about 7 minutes.
- 16
When the crust turns golden, turn off the heat, lift the chicken with a strainer, drain, and set aside on a tray.
- 17
Skim out the fried debris with a fine strainer to clean the oil. (Dropping in a bit of cold rice is another way to clean it.)
- 18
Turn the heat back on. When the oil returns to 170°C, fry the chicken a second time for 1–2 minutes.
- 19
Lift with a strainer, drain, and place on a tray.
Make the yangnyeom sauce
- 1
Add 3 1/2 tbsp of soy sauce (35g) to a saucepan.
- 2
Add 3 tbsp of fine gochugaru (15g).
- 3
Add 1/3 cup of brown sugar (50g).
- 4
Add 1/2 cup of minced garlic (65g).
- 5
Add 4/5 cup of corn syrup (220g).
- 6
Add 1/3 cup of ketchup (75g).
- 7
Add 1/4 cup of gochujang (45g).
- 8
Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir until everything is well combined.
- 9
When it boils, turn off the heat after about 30 seconds.
- 10
In a separate pan, lightly toast 20g of crushed almonds (or peanuts).
Finish
- 1
Place the fried chicken in a large bowl and pour the warm yangnyeom sauce over it, tossing to coat every piece.
- 2
Plate it up and sprinkle the toasted almonds on top to finish.
