Zippy’s Korean fried chicken recipe is a dish that originated in Korea and was popularized by restaurateur Zippy Kim. It is a fried chicken with a sweet and spicy sauce that is usually served alongside the chicken, which can be eaten as finger food.

We’ve put together this recipe for Zippy’s Korean fried chicken, which captures all the flavors without fuss.

Table of Contents

What is Zippy’s Korean fried chicken recipe?

This is Zippy’s Korean fried chicken recipe, a unique and delicious dish quickly becoming popular worldwide. It was created in New York City by a Korean family who is history buffs and big fans of Zippy the Pinhead.

He’s a cartoon character that they use as their symbol, with the slogan “Zippy eats everything.” This dish can be served hot or cold and easily made on your countertop.

How To Long Will It Take To Prepare?

Prepare time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4-6 pieces

How to make Zippy’s Korean fried chicken recipe?

Ingredients:

For the fried chicken:

1 cup all-purpose flour
One teaspoon of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Six large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into bite-size pieces)
2 cups of buttermilk
Oil for deep frying

For the spicy dipping sauce:

(Makes about 2 cups of sauce) 1/3 cup soy sauce (Kikkoman). For non-Kikkoman, use brand-name Soy Sauce, or if you don’t have soy sauce, you can substitute it with any other soy sauce. I prefer to use Kikkoman, which is made in Japan. 2 tablespoons gochugaru (red chili powder)
One tablespoon of light brown sugar
Two tablespoons of rice vinegar

Directions:

Step 1:

For the chicken

Add 1 cup of flour to a bowl and mix it with the baking powder and pepper.

Step 2:

Add half the buttermilk to the bowl. Stir it all with a spoon until you have a uniform batter. Then add the remaining buttermilk and stir again. The batter should be thick to hold on to the chicken pieces but not too thick that extra flour residue is left.

Step 3:

Add the chicken pieces to the batter and make sure they are coated in the batter.

Step 4:

Heat about 1/4 inch of oil in a medium-sized pot on medium-high heat. (Oil for deep frying).

Step 5:

Once the oil is hot enough, quickly dip each piece into the batter, one by one, and deep fry them for about 7 minutes or until golden brown on each side.

Step 6:

Drain the fried chicken pieces on paper towels and set aside.

Step 7:

For the spicy dipping sauce:

Once all the chicken pieces are fried, let them sit for a few minutes to cool down. The batter will become firm and should harden up (but it will still be softer than regular batter).

Step 8:

Add 1/3 cup soy sauce and two tablespoons of gochujang (red chili powder) to a small bowl. Stir until they are mixed well.

Step 9:

Add one tablespoon of sugar and two tablespoons of vinegar to a small bowl. Stir until they are mixed well.

Step 10:

Drizzle the spicy dipping sauce over the fried chicken pieces, one by one. Serve immediately as finger food with cooked rice and kimchi.

Additional Tips:

Try dipping the pieces in the spicy sauce first, then drizzle some more.
To make this dish more flavorful, you can use gochujang (Korean chili paste) instead of gochugaru (Korean red chili powder).
You can use light brown sugar instead of regular sugar for a milder sauce.
If you are concerned about using raw chicken, you can make this recipe using any other meat type or by just frying the batter.
If you don’t want to use buttermilk to make the batter, you can use water instead. Then add some baking soda (1/4 teaspoon) and stir until it’s well mixed.
If you want to smother the fried chicken pieces with additional hot sauce or red chili powder, that’s entirely up to your taste buds.

Precautions For Recipes:

Do not use regular chili powder or flakes because they will burn quickly. Gochugaru is a Korean food item that is unique to and only found in Korea, so if you don’t have it, I recommend substituting it with Korean chili flakes.
If you don’t want to fry the chicken deep, you can also shallow fry the chicken on each side for about 2 minutes on medium-high heat. Then drain them on paper towels and sprinkle them with some pepper before serving.
You can also deep-fry the chicken in a pan instead of deep-frying them in the pot. The chicken pieces will not become overcooked like when fried in the pool.
The sauce that is used for dipping can be simply replaced with other dipping sauces, such as honey mustard sauce or Worcestershire Sauce
The batter will be thick when first made, but once the chicken pieces are fried and drained, it will harden up again while cooling down.

Nutrition Facts of Zippy’s Korean fried chicken recipe:

Nutrition	Amount
Calories	408.3 kcal
Fat	12.4 g
Saturated Fat	1 g
Cholesterol	81.9 mg
Sodium	678.4 mg
Potassium	178.2 mg
Carbohydrates	2 g
Protein	23 g

Zippy’s Korean fried chicken recipe

7 health benefits of Zippy’s Korean fried chicken recipe-

1. Healthy Heart:

Fried chicken is an excellent source of cholesterol and saturated fats. This means that daily consumption of this food may lead to cardiovascular diseases, such as coronary heart disease and stroke. However, there are also some health benefits to consuming fried chicken.

2. Healthy Bones:

Fried chicken is high in phosphorous, calcium, and protein, essential for strong bones. Since the human body can’t naturally produce these minerals, they need to get them from a diet with a high amount of protein, like fried chicken.

3. Healthy Brain:

Fried chicken is also a great source of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps produce more feel-good chemicals in the brain. This may help balance the mood, making you happier and enjoying your everyday life more.

4. Healthy Liver:

The liver is essential in the body’s detoxification process because it helps remove harmful toxins from our body through the bile and stimulates the production of bile acids used to make cholesterol.

5. Healthy Lungs:

Lung health is also affected by fried chicken since it contains phosphorous and protein which may improve lung function and reduce asthma attacks.

6. Healthy Kidney:

Kidney health is also affected by fried chicken which contains protein that people use to prevent kidney stones from forming.

7. Healthy Skin:

Fried chicken is not only tasty but healthy too. This meal is rich in vitamin A, which helps the body make new skin cells and helps maintain healthy skin.

How does Korean fried chicken stay crispy?

There are a lot of theories regarding this issue. The most accepted one is that the oil used to deep-fry the chicken is quite cold and has deficient heat absorption. This makes the fried chicken pieces crispy without getting soggy after being cooked.

Apart from keeping the oil at a specific temperature, you can also add some ice cubes or water to your frying oil (these will be removed after cooking) which will reduce the surface temperature of the oil, keeping it cool enough not to burn the chicken.

What is Korean fried chicken sauce made of?

The sauce used to dip Korean fried chicken is called ‘gochujang,’ a spicy and tangy chili paste made from fermented soybeans, red chili powder, fermented barley, garlic, and other spices. However, you can use different sauces to enjoy the same taste.

How to make Korean fried chicken recipes for kids?

You can use boneless and skinless chicken breasts instead of bone-in chicken for a healthier version of this dish. You can skip the frying step and serve them with non-fried breaded chicken if you prefer.

The dipping sauce comprises gochujang, hot pepper paste, garlic powder, and salt. If you don’t have gochujang, you can easily replace it with chili sauces such as sriracha sauce or ketchup.

How can I make my own Korean Fried Chicken Sauce?

The sauce used to dip Korean fried chicken is called ‘gochujang,’ a spicy and tangy chili paste made from fermented soybeans, red chili powder, fermented barley, garlic, and other spices.

You can easily make your gochujang at home by combining soy sauce (1 tbs), vinegar (1 tbs), and sesame oil (2 tbs) in a small bowl. Then mix it well using a unique technique called Soybean Milk Bowl Mixing.

What kind of oil should I use for Korean fried chicken?

You can use any neutral or vegetable oil but avoid using olive oil or peanut oil because they tend to burn. The oil used to fry chicken is not just regular cooking oil. It is a vegetable oil with low heat absorption and strong adhesiveness to the chicken, even when cooked.

How do you make fried chicken crispy and juicy?

There are two essential steps to make the fried chicken juicy and crispy. The first step is to coat the chicken with sugar, which makes the outer layer of the meat stick together better.

The sugar also gives the meat a brown color, making it look more appealing when cooked. The second step is to cook it until it’s golden brown on both sides, which helps keep it crispy even after being cooked for a long time.

What To Serve With The Zippy’s Korean fried chicken recipe?

Korean fried chicken goes so well with the dipping sauce made of gochujang, hot pepper paste, garlic powder, and salt. It can go with a big bowl of rice topped with some onion rings on the side. You can also serve your Zippy’s Korean fried chicken recipe with a variety of side dishes, such as

How To Store Zippy’s Korean fried chicken recipe?

Since this recipe doesn’t need to be refrigerated, you can store it at room temperature for a week, tightly wrapped in plastic. If required, you can place it in the refrigerator for up to two days. Be sure to bring the chicken before serving because it tends to get soggy when left at room temperature.

How To Reheat Leftover Chicken?

If you have leftover fried chicken, reheat it in a heat-safe dish, add 1/2 cup of water-cover, and microwave on high for 5 minutes.