This recipe for Korean popcorn chicken is easy and without a shadow of a doubt the most delicious versions of this dish I have ever had. I know…the strawberry jam feels very outside the box, but I am reliably informed (and by that I mean a random lady on the internet said) that it is the secret ingredient used by the favourite street food chain in Korea. It was a risk following this tip but random internet lady was correct, and the sauce is sensational. The Korean chilli paste and strawberry jam work mouth-wateringly well together and I will never go back. I think you’re just gonna have to trust me.

I made a bowl of this from 6 chicken thighs and I could happily have eaten the whole bowl myself. As a preventative measure I warned my sister to expect a delivery of some, and once I had committed to that I couldn’t scoff them all myself. Make this recipe but do not make the same mistake as me! TELL NO ONE, and enjoy it all yourself in front of a Korean drama. Bon appetite!

Recipe

For the fried chicken 

6 small chicken thighs cut into popcorn sized pieces 

1 egg 

3 heaped tablespoons corn flour 

2 tablespoons soy sauce 

1 teaspoon salt 

1 clove garlic minced with same amount of fresh ginger 

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (mince an extra clove of garlic if you don’t have)

3 grinds of black pepper 

For the sauce

2 teaspoon of gochujang chilli paste

2 heaped teaspoon strawberry jam 

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 

2 tablespoons ketchup 

2 teaspoon of sesame oil 

2 tablespoon of soy sauce 

1 teaspoon of garlic powder (or a clove of minced garlic) 

1/2 teaspoon of salt (or even better, salt to taste) 

Method: 

1. Cut the chicken thighs into popcorn size pieces and place in a bowl. Add all the rest of the ingredients for the fried chicken in and stir in one direction to combine.

2. Heat sunflower oil in a large pot. You need around two inches.

3. Make the sauce. Place all the sauce ingredients in a sauce pan (it should be large enough to fit all the chicken in later) and heat until bubbling. Continue to let the sauce bubble until it becomes thick and coats a spoon really well. The thickness we are looking for here is about the same as melted chocolate, it coats the spoon and doesn’t run off it immediately. Set the sauce aside.

4. Fry the chicken. When the oil is around 175 degrees ( or bubbles furiously when a test piece of chicken is placed in) drop the chicken pieces into the oil 1 by 1. You can do this first fry in two batches to ensure the chicken has a similar cooking time. Once all the chicken has had around 5 minutes in the oil and the outside is golden, remove the chicken onto a plate lined with paper towel. Turn the heat on the oil up (180-185 is good) and after the temperature has risen return all the chicken for a second fry. When the chicken is a deep brown/gold color remove the chicken and briefly drain on kitchen towel.

5. Warm the sauce through and then off the heat add the chicken to the sauce and stir to coat all the chicken pieces well in the sticky sauce.

6. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with sesame seeds and optionally, sliced spring onion.