Name: Spicy Garlic Fried Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 500 g chicken thigh (or breast fillets (1.1 pounds), cut into bite size pieces (you can use pork or beef)); 2 dried red chilies ((I used thai chili. Add more if you want it spicier)); 30 g leek ((1 ounce), thin sliced into rings); 50 g red bell pepper (/ capsicum (1.7 ounces), cut into small cubes (use 1 or 2 hot cayenne pepper to make it spicier)); 50 g green bell pepper (/ capsicum (1.7 ounces), cut into small cubes (use 1 or 2 hot cayenne pepper to make it spicier)); 80 g onion ((2.8 ounces), cut into small cubes); 1/4 lemon ((optional, garnish), thinly sliced); 2 Tbsp vegetable oil ((I used rice bran oil) or chili oil (to make it spicier)); Some vegetable oil (for deep frying); 1 Tbsp rice wine; 1 Tbsp soy sauce; 1 tsp Korean curry powder ((optional)); A few sprinkles ground black pepper; A few sprinkles fine sea salt; 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (or rice vinegar); 2 Tbsp soy sauce; 2 Tbsp oyster sauce; 2 Tbsp honey; 2 Tbsp rice wine; 1 Tbsp minced garlic; 1 tsp minced ginger; 1 tsp sesame oil; 1 tsp lemon juice; 1 cup potato starch ((or corn starch)); 1 egg white

Spicy garlic fried chicken (Kkanpunggi) is a popular Korean Chinese fusion dish. Double deep fried chicken is super crispy and it is coated with addictively spicy and sweet garlic sauce!

Today, I’m sharing a hard to resist spicy garlic fried chicken recipe.

Spicy garlic fried chicken is known as Kkanpunggi (깐풍기) in Korea. It’s a popular Korean Chinese fusion dish.

The chicken is double deep fried then stir fried in spicy garlic sauce. Though, it has a subtle sweet and sour note to it as well.

As you can imagine, the whole thing is quite addictive and moreish! So every time I go to a Korean Chinese restaurant, I normally face two dilemmas.

First one is, whether to order sweet and sour pork (tangsuyuk) or this spicy garlic fried chicken (kkanpunggi) as a main / shared meal. Once that’s resolved, my next dilemma is whether to order black bean noodles (jajangmyeon) or spicy seafood noodle soup (jjampong)

I try to alter between these two sets of food, but it is a hard decision to make!

Another thing I want to point out is while kkanpunggi is a spicy and garlicky dish, I don’t spice up mine much, so that my little daughter can eat it too.

So the below recipe is more focused on a salty savory sweet and sour taste. Though, I left all the hints below to help you make it spicier to your heart’s content. 😉

Anyway, hope you try this soon! It’s a crowd pleaser!

P.S. My other Korean chicken recipes, you might like to try! Popcorn Chicken and Baked Korean Chicken Wings

Ingredients for Spicy Garlic Fried Chicken, serves 4 as a main shared meal

Meat and Others

500 g / 1.1 pounds chicken thigh or breast fillets, cut into bite size pieces (you can use pork or beef)
2 dried red chilies (I used thai chili. Add more if you want it spicier)
30 g / 1 ounce leek, thin sliced into rings
50 g / 1.7 ounces red bell pepper / capsicum, cut into small cubes (use 1 or 2 hot cayenne pepper to make it spicier)
50 g / 1.7 ounces green bell pepper / capsicum, cut into small cubes (use 1 or 2 hot cayenne pepper to make it spicier)
80 g / 2.8 ounces onion, cut into small cubes
1/4 lemon (optional, garnish), thinly sliced
2 Tbsp vegetable oil (I used rice bran oil) or chili oil (to make it spicier)
Some vegetable oil for deep frying

Garlic Chicken Marinade (Mix these together in a bowl)

1 Tbsp rice wine
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp Korean curry powder (optional)
A few sprinkles of ground black pepper
A few sprinkles of fine sea salt

Garlic Sauce (Mix these together in a bowl)

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp oyster sauce
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp rice wine
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp lemon juice

Chicken Batter

1 cup potato starch (or corn starch)
1 egg white

* 1 Tbsp = 15 ml, 1 Cup = 250 ml

** I listed 3 different ways to adjust the spice level above using dried red chilies, hot cayenne peppers, and chili oil. Use these with moderation so that it doesn’t turn out to be overly spicy!

How to Make Spicy Garlic Fried Chicken

1. Combine the chicken pieces with the marinade sauce then leave it in the fridge covered while you prepare the other ingredients (about 15 minutes).

2. When all the ingredients are ready, take out the chicken from the fridge, then combine it with the batter ingredients. Mix it well.

3. Pour a generous amount of vegetable oil into a deep wok and when it reaches about 175 C / 347 F, add one battered chicken piece. When it floats, add more chicken and deep fry all the chicken pieces. As you fry them, take out the fried chicken onto some kitchen paper to soak some oil off. Deep fry all the chicken pieces once more for a crispy texture. Take them out and set aside.

4. In a heated skillet / wok, add the vegetable oil (2 Tbsp), leek and dried chilies. Stir fry them quickly over medium high heat until fragrant, then take the leek and chilies out. You can discard these or add back onto the final dish later. (I discarded.)

5. Add the bell peppers / capsicum and onion into the skillet, stir fry it. Add the garlic sauce and stir quickly. Then heat the sauce until it slightly thickens.

6. Add the fried chicken into the skillet and gently mix them around so that it gets lightly coated with the garlic sauce. Serve the chicken onto a plate and garnish with some lemon slices (optional). Eat while hot. (It can be reheated later, though it is less crispy as time goes.)