Name: Korean Chicken
Yield: 4

Korean Chicken Recipe starts with crispy chicken coated in a sticky, sweet, savory sauce with just the right kick. The kind of dinner that has everyone asking for seconds!

Korean Chicken Recipe on a bed of rice with fresh green onions and sesame seeds on top.

Author’s Notes

The Korean Chicken That Beat My Kids’ Favorite Dinner!

I love spicy food, but most of my family does not. Unless spicy Takis count, because my pre-teen boys can demolish a bag, haha.

Because of that, I usually save Korean dishes for my husband and I while keeping things milder for the kids.

While I was testing this Korean Chicken recipe, I mostly made it for myself for lunches. When I did finally serve it for dinner, I also made my orange chicken sauce, just in case.

I set both dishes on the table fully expecting orange chicken to win. Instead, everyone (except my daughter) tried the Korean chicken and kept going back for more. My husband could not stop commenting on how good the sauce was.

Since it was such a hit, I figured out how to make it milder so my daughter can enjoy it too. I also used a reliable weeknight shortcut, pre-cooked chicken, and now keep a big batch of the sauce in the fridge for fast, straightforward dinners all week!

All the sauce ingredients prepped and ready, including ketchup, oil, soy sauce, gochujang, honey, sesame seeds, garlic, and brown sugar.

Korean Chicken Recipe Ingredients

Ingredients	Tips
Crispy chicken	Nothing beats my from-scratch fried chicken included in the recipe card, but it is not always ideal for weeknight dinners, so feel free to use a reliable shortcut here.
Sesame oil & garlic	Toasted sesame oil adds big flavor fast. Stir the garlic constantly so it doesn’t burn.
Ketchup & gochujang	Gochujang can vary a lot brand to brand, so use one you know you love! Start with less and add more if you want extra heat.
Honey & brown sugar	This combo balances the spice and gives the sauce that gorgeous sticky glaze.
Soy sauce & toppings	Use regular soy sauce (not lite) in this recipe. Finish with sesame seeds and green onions if you’d like.

How To Make Korean Chicken Recipe

Cook chicken: Prepare the chicken, either from scratch or using my shortcut method.
Start the sauce: Heat oil in a pot, add garlic, and stir just until fragrant.
Build the sauce: mix in the remaining sauce components and cook until smooth.
Adjust flavor: Taste and tweak the heat or seasoning as needed.
Toss & serve: Coat the chicken with sauce and serve right away!

The chicken whisked into a batter and then deep fried and added to a bowl.

What To Serve With This Korean Chicken Recipe

Steamed Rice: Classic and reliable for soaking up any extra sauce.
Simple Veggies: Broccoli, green beans, or snap peas keep things straightforward and fresh.
Crunchy Slaw: My simple Asian slaw recipe is the BEST side to this dish!
Cucumber Salad: Cool, crisp, and a great balance to the saucy chicken.
Lettuce Cups: Spoon chicken into butter lettuce for a fun, lighter option.

The sauce whisked together in a pot and then the fried chicken added to it for a flavorful Korean chicken recipe.

the cook’s note

Shortcut vs From Scratch Chicken

I included my from-scratch fried chicken for the best crispy, takeout-style results, but on busy nights I almost always use frozen chicken tenders (cooked in my air fryer) when making this Korean chicken recipe. Once it is tossed in the sauce, both options are satisfying, and the shortcut makes this an straightforward repeat weeknight dinner.

Storage

Fried chicken loses its crisp quickly, so it is best to store the chicken and sauce separately. The sauce keeps well in the fridge for a few days. When ready to eat, cook fresh chicken, warm the sauce, and toss together right before serving.