Kkanpunggi (Korean-Style Sweet & Spicy Fried Chicken)
An easy kkanpunggi made in a single pan, from frying to simmering the sauce. This Korean-Chinese dish coats crispy pan-fried chicken with garlic, chili, and a sweet, sour, and spicy sauce.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- Boneless chicken thigh500g
- Garlic5 cloves
- Green chili pepper2 (or Cheongyang chili)
- Green onion2 stalks
- Starch powder2 tbsp
Seasoning & Sauce
- Red chili powder1 tbsp
- Cooking wine1 tbsp
- SaltA pinch
- Black pepperA pinch
- Soy sauce3 tbsp
- Sugar2 tbsp
- Vinegar2 tbsp
Directions
- 1
Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and season with salt, pepper, cooking wine, and chili powder.
- 2
While the chicken marinates, thinly slice the garlic and chop the chili and green onion.
- 3
Add 2 tablespoons of starch to the marinated chicken, toss evenly, and let sit for 10 minutes. This helps it fry up crispy with less splattering.
- 4
Heat a generous amount of oil in a pan and fry the chicken until golden and crisp.
- 5
Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate to drain off the oil.
- 6
Reheat the pan, add a little oil, and stir-fry the sliced garlic without burning it.
- 7
Once the garlic is fragrant, add the chopped chili and pour in the pre-mixed sauce, then bring to a boil. Taste and add more soy sauce or sugar if you like.
- 8
When the sauce boils, add the fried chicken and simmer until the liquid reduces, then turn off the heat, stir in the chopped green onion, and finish with a sprinkle of toasted sesame.
- 9
Arrange on a plate and serve.
Tips
If you like chicken skin, keep it on. Since the skin releases a lot of fat, you can use just a little oil when frying. Add Cheongyang chili for extra heat.