In the United States, chain restaurants serving Korean Fried Chicken have multiplied by 22 percent this year alone. Among those helping popularize Korean Fried Chicken is chef Judy Joo, co-founder of Seoul Bird. She told “Sunday Morning” that the recipe’s origin stems from African American soldiers serving in the Korean War, who brought the dish with them. “When you’re away from home and you’re fighting a war, what do you want? You want comfort,” Joo said. “I love that it’s kind of a full circle moment, like, literally, because it’s come back around the world in this amazing way and in a type of popularity unseen.” She offers “Sunday Morning” viewers her Korean Friend Chicken Bites recipe. “These crowd-pleasing bites will disappear in no time,” she writes. “Feel free to substitute any cut of chicken and even use shiitake mushrooms for a vegetarian twist.” Korean Fried Chicken Bites By Judy Joo Serves 4 Ingredients: 900g (2 lbs) boneless skin-on chicken thighs (or skinless), cut into 2. 5cm (1-inch) pieces 125g (¾ cup) potato starch 1. 5-2. 6 liters (8-11 cups) vegetable, peanut, or other neutral oil For the Batter Mix: 90g (½ cup) potato starch 30g (¼ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour 2½ tsp onion powder 2½ tsp garlic powder ½ tsp baking powder 1 tbsp sea or kosher salt For the Spicy Chicken Sauce: 2 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste) 2 tbsp Korean rice syrup (or honey, to taste) 65ml (¼ cup) soy sauce 2 tbsp light brown sugar 1 tbsp rice vinegar 1 tbsp grated garlic 1 tbsp roasted sesame oil To Serve: 1 green onion, thinly sliced 1 red Korean or Fresno chili, thinly sliced Instructions: Place a wire rack on a baking sheet. Dust the chicken pieces with the potato starch, shaking the excess off well. Place the chicken on a rack positioned over a sheet tray to dry out. Set aside. Next, make the batter mix. In a large bowl, whisk together all the ingredients. Set aside. Now, make the spicy chicken sauce. Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and whisk in 1 tbsp water. Place the pan over medium-low heat. Bring up to a low simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes, while mixing (to prevent burning), then remove from the heat and set aside. In a large, wide, heavy-based saucepan at least 13cm (5-inch) deep, heat 5cm (2-inches) vegetable oil using a cooking thermometer over a medium-high heat until it reaches 325°F (165°C). Place a wire rack over a baking sheet and place it next to the saucepan. To the dry batter mix, add about 200ml (scant 1 cup) ice cold water and whisk together the consistency of the batter should be like paint. Using tongs, dip the chicken pieces one by one into the wet batter mix and fry for 2-3 minutes until they are golden brown and registers 165°F (74°C) with a temperature probe. You’ll have to hold each piece of chicken in the hot oil for a few seconds before releasing to prevent them sticking to the bottom. Fry as many pieces of chicken as can fit in the fryer without touching or crowding. Adjust to heat to keep the temperature of the oil at 325°F. Place the cooked chicken on the clean rack to rest. Once all of the chicken has been cooked, heat the oil to 350°F (180°C). Just before serving, place all of the chicken back in the oil, and refry quickly to crisp up about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Place back on the rack to drain off any excess oil. To serve: Transfer the chicken to a platter and serve with the spicy sauce on the side, or drizzle the sauce over the chicken. Or if you prefer your pieces coated in the sauce, place a few pieces in a bowl and using a silicon pastry brush, brush the spicy sauce onto the chicken pieces to coat. Place on a serving platter and garnish with green onions and chilis. Serve immediately. For more info: Seoul Bird judyjoo. com Check out more recipes from the “Sunday Morning” 2025 Food Issue Recipe Index!.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/recipe-korean-fried-chicken-bites-by-judy-joo/
Recipe: Korean Fried Chicken Bites by Judy Joo
