MAMALOLI

Delicious and Easy Asian Recipes

Korean Sweet and Spicy Chicken

Korean Sweet and Spicy Chicken

Korean Sweet and Spicy Chicken

Kkanpungi, Korean sweet and spicy chicken, is another one of my favorite Korean-Chinese dishes. I always have a hard time choosing between this dish and Korean Sweet And Sour Pork. Now that I can make kkanpungi at home, I don’t have to worry about choosing or MSG!

Kkanpungi is traditionally made with chicken wings, but a lot of restaurants will use the leg or thigh meat to make it easier to eat. Kkanpungi is slightly sweet and sour with a spicy taste and it is usually served with fried rice or black bean noodles (Jajangmyeon).

For a crisp chicken texture even with the sauce, an important step is to use Potato Starch. Make the potato starch/water mixture ahead of time (at least 2 hours ahead). I like to mix the potato starch and water and leave it in the refrigerator overnight.

This recipe makes about 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 12 oz Chicken Leg or thigh meat
  • a little bit salt to season meat
  • 1 egg white
  • 6 tablespoon Potato Starch
  • 7 tablespoon water
  • oil to fry
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 green onion chopped
  • 1/4 cup bell pepper chopped (50g)
  • 1/4 cup peas and carrot (50g)
  • 7 to 10 dried red chili pepper

For the sauce:

  • 1 tablespoon water or chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon chili oil (for last step)

Cooking Instructions

  1. Mix 6 tablespoon Potato Starch with 7 tablespoon water and let the potato starch settle in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (overnight preferred). Prepare the vegetables for the sauce (mince the garlic, chop the green onion and bell pepper, and take the seeds out of the chili pepper).
  2. In a small bowl, mix together water (chicken stock), oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, ground black pepper, and sesame oil. Put aside. Cut chicken to bite sized pieces and lightly season with salt and pepper.
  3. When the potato starch and water have separated completely, drain the water. Mash the potato starch with a spoon and mix with the chicken and 1 egg white.
  4. Deep Fry the chicken at 375 degrees F for about 3 minutes. Drain the oil from the chicken on a paper towel and wait for the oil to heat back up. Fry all the chicken together once more for about another 3 to 4 minutes. This will keep the chicken crisp even when the sauce is added. Stir the oil with long chopsticks to let the steam (moisture) out once in a while.
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  5. From here on, it will only take about a minute to complete this dish. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large wok over high heat. Add the dried chili peppers. After about 10 seconds, add the garlic, green onion, peas and carrot, and bell pepper and sauté for about 10 to 20 seconds.
  6. Now add the fried chicken and sauté with the veggies. Pour the sauce and sauté again. For the final step, add 1 tablespoon of chili oil and sauté once more. Serve with fried rice or black bean noodles (Jajangmyeon).