Dakgangjeong – Crispy Korean Chicken Nuggets

Dakgangjeong – Crispy, bite-sized Korean fried chicken coated in a sweet and spicy glaze, topped with sesame seeds and nuts for extra crunch.

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thigh and/or breast
• 1/2 cup milk optional
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• pinch pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
• 1 tablespoon rice wine if not using milk
• ⅓ cup potato starch or corn starch
• oil for deep frying
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons rice wine or mirin
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon gochujang, 고추장 (Korean red chili pepper paste) Omit for a mild version and add 1 more tablespoon soy sauce (Also see note)
• 3 tablespoons honey or corn or rice syrup (use 4 tablespoons)
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• pinch pepper
• 1 to 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped peanuts or seeds

Directions

1. Remove any visible fat. Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces.
2. Soak the chicken pieces in milk for at least 30 minutes in the fridge. This step is optional.
3. Drain well. Mix with the salt, pepper, rice wine (if you didn’t use milk) garlic, and ginger. Let it sit for 20 to 30 minutes.
4. In a pan, add all the sauce ingredients, and stir well. Bring it to a boil. When it starts to bubble, reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer until it thickens slightly, about 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the heat off.
5. Coat each chicken piece well with the potato (or corn) starch.
6. Pour about 1 inch of oil in to a heavy bottom pan. Use a narrow and deep pan if available, When the oil is sufficiently hot (330°F), drop the chicken pieces in one at a time. Fry them in two batches. Overcrowding will drop the oil temperature too quickly. Cook until light golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove and set them on a wire rack or a paper towel-lined plate.
7. Reheat the oil to 330°F. Deep fry again until golden brown, about a minute or two. You can do the second frying in one batch.
8. Heat the sauce over medium low heat. Add the chicken and stir well until the chicken pieces are evenly coated.