We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
Anthony Bourdain was all about fried chicken. While filming his Cajun “Parts Unknown” episode, the chef-slash-writer famously hit the local Popeye’s every single day. Meanwhile, Bourdain was also an enthusiastic proponent of Korean-American fusion cuisine. It’s no surprise, then, that his iconic 2016 cookbook “Appetites” includes a recipe for Korean fried chicken. Bourdain’s recipe follows the fry/freeze/fry method – a popular technique for cooking Korean fried chicken that takes two days, but is well worth it for the results.
Per this method, the chicken is double-fried — first blanched to a par-cook, then frozen overnight before the second dunk. This extra step yields a texturally crispy, airy exterior crust, which, in turn, also helps facilitate sauce-adhesion for a stickier, richer coating and bolder flavor. From a scientific standpoint, when the water particles inside the chicken freeze, the crystallization helps prevent tough starch structures from forming, creating crisp airiness.
“There are many ways to make tasty fried chicken, and I like them all, but I’m particularly enamored of the Korean way, which requires some planning ahead but is extremely satisfying,” wrote Bourdain in his cookbook (via Nuvo). “The freezing step makes this dish into a two-day affair, and you’ll need to clear some room in your freezer, but it’s essential for extra-crisp results.” If your home freezer is large enough to accommodate a medium-sized baking sheet, your fried chicken game is about to get a major upgrade.
Bourdain’s Korean fried chicken gets frozen overnight between two rounds of frying
Bourdain’s Korean fried chicken begins with a minimal, hour-long marinade of roasted chili oil, kosher salt, and gochugaru. From there, the chicken legs get dredged in a layer of potato starch or tapioca starch, then fried in a large pan of hot peanut oil. Once the chicken has been flipped and cooked to roughly 75% doneness, says Bourdain, pull it.
A sheet pan of the cooled chicken should be plastic-wrapped and frozen overnight. Space permitting, this prep method also means that foodies could keep a tray of nearly-finished fried chicken ready to go and stocked on hand for future dinners, if desired. Got a spacious chest freezer in the garage? This could be a solid meal prep move.
The next day, that chicken gets thawed for about an hour before being fried once more to a golden brown crisp. While the legs are still hot, they get brushed with sticky sauce — a luscious glaze of garlic, gochujang, fish sauce, soy sauce, maple syrup, cheongju (Korean rice wine), Frank’s RedHot, and a generous pinch of MSG. We’re extra thankful for that extra-clinging sauce coverage with an impactful glaze like this. To complete the meal, Bourdain recommends pairing his double-fried Korean chicken with pickled radishes and cold beer. As a general rule, fried chicken pairs well with pale ales; Korean beer brand Magpie Pale Ale or crisp Korean Terra lager would aptly complement the meal.
