Charim and HAP
Korean Sweet Spicy Dakgangjeong cooking process
HAP turned Charim's Korean Sweet Spicy Dakgangjeong recipe into a 17-second cooking video.
See more from HAP on YouTubeKorean Sweet Spicy Dakgangjeong
Quick answer
- Total time
- 45 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 9
About this dish
Yangnyeom dakgangjeong is Korean sweet-spicy fried chicken made by cutting boneless thigh meat into bite-size pieces, dredging them in potato starch, and running them through a two-stage fry.
Read more
The first fry at 170 degrees Celsius cooks the meat through; the second fry at 185 degrees drives off the residual moisture the crust absorbed during the first pass, hardening the exterior into a shell that can withstand sauce tossing without collapsing. The glaze is a reduction of gochujang, gochugaru, corn syrup, and soy sauce, simmered down until the mixture is thick enough to coat a spoon without dripping off. Tossing the finished chicken in the hot glaze must happen off the heat and within twenty seconds, because the steam trapped between sauce and crust will turn the coating soggy if the process drags on. When done correctly, the result is a glossy, sticky exterior that crackles audibly at first bite even after the dish has cooled to room temperature, surrounding thigh meat that stays juicy inside.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Cut 600 g boneless chicken thigh into even bite-size pieces, then season with 0.8 teaspoon salt and 0.5 teaspoon black pepper.
Let it stand for 10 minutes so the seasoning reaches the surface evenly before coating.
- 2Step
Add the 120 g potato starch in portions and press it onto every piece until no wet patches remain.
Shake off excess starch lightly so the coating stays thin, even, and able to crisp instead of turning pasty.
- 3Heat
Heat 900 ml frying oil to 170°C and add the chicken without crowding the pieces.
Fry for 4 minutes, until the coating turns pale golden and the meat cooks through, then lift it out and rest briefly.
- 4Heat
Raise the oil to 185C and fry the chicken a second time for 1 minute 30 seconds.
When the crust feels firm and the frying sound lightens, drain it and check that the thickest piece is cooked through.
- 5Control
Put 1.5 tablespoons gochujang, 1 tablespoon gochugaru, 3 tablespoons corn syrup, and 1 tablespoon soy sauce in a pan.
Simmer over medium-low heat until thick enough to cling thinly to a spoon instead of running off.
- 6Finish
Turn off the heat before adding the fried chicken to the glaze, then toss quickly and finish within 20 seconds.
Serve as soon as the pieces look thinly glossy, before trapped steam softens the crust.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Double-fried boneless chicken pieces tossed in a sweet and spicy gochugaru-based glaze.
- Finish cue
- Serve as soon as the pieces look thinly glossy, before trapped steam softens the crust.
- Avoid this
- Over-frying the second round can make chicken tough.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
45min, 9 ingredients
Category median
30min, 8 ingredients
Based on 109 recipes
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Tips
Estimated nutrition (per serving)
Variations
Gochujang Honey Dakgangjeong
Crispy fried chicken glazed with gochujang and honey. Spicy kick followed by gentle sweetness makes it highly addictive.