KOREAN CHICKEN NUGGETS

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lb chicken thighs, diced into bite size pieces
• 1/4 cup finely chopped peanut, optional
• oil, for deep-frying

FOR CHICKEN COATING

• 1/2 cup cake flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

FOR CHICKEN SEASONING

• 2 tsp ginger paste
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp sweet rice wine
• 1 egg white, beaten
• 1 tbsp oil

FOR DAKGANGJEONG SAUCE

• 6 tbsp chili sauce
• 2 tbsp Korean chili paste (gochujang)
• 1 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 6 tbsp Korean rice syrup (jocheong), or dark corn syrup
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp chili oil
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp sweet rice wine (mirim)

EQUIPMENT

• wire strainer

INSTRUCTIONS 

TO MAKE THE CHICKEN COATING

1. Mix all the ingredients well. Reserve 2 tablespoon of the mixture on the side. Put the rest of coating mixture in a zip bag and set aside.

TO SEASON THE CHICKEN

1. Put chicken in a large mixing bowl, add reserved 2 tablespoon of chicken coating, ginger, salt, pepper, rice wine, egg white, and oil. Mix with your hand to coat evenly.

TO DEEP-FRY

1. Heat oil to 340˚F. Add chicken into the coating mixture in a zip bag; shake well to coat evenly. Shake off the excess coating from chicken pieces.
2. Deep-fry chicken in small batches, about 2-3 minutes, until they are lightly golden. As you deep-fry, stir them with metal tongs or a wire skimmer to keep them from sticking to each other. Shake off excess oil as you take the chicken pieces out of the oil.
3. After the first frying is over, do the second frying until they get deep golden brown; about 2 minutes. Keep them on a wired rack to prevent them from getting soggy.

TO MAKE DAKGANGJEONG SAUCE

1. Combine chili sauce, Korean chili paste, ketchup, Korean rice syrup, sugar, garlic, chili oil, rice vinegar, and rice wine in a skillet.
2. Bring thel sauce to boil over medium high heat until it thickens to a glaze consistency, stirring constantly.
3. Add chicken and toss well to coat with the glaze. To garnish, sprinkle with chopped peanuts. Serve hot.