Korean-Style Yangnyeom Chicken (양념 치킨) Recipe

If soy garlic chicken is the polite, reliable choice, yangnyeom chicken is the one everyone secretly orders more. 

I still remember the first time I tried making the sauce at home and got the ratio wrong — too much gochujang, not enough sugar, and it came out sharp and one-note instead of that addictive sweet-spicy balance you get from a good chicken place. 

A few tries later, I finally got it right, and now it's the one my friends specifically request when they come over.



Crispy fried chicken coated in a sweet and spicy yangnyeom

Crispy fried chicken coated in a sweet and spicy yangnyeom glaze.

So, What Is Yangnyeom Chicken?

Yangnyeom chicken is Korean fried chicken coated in a sticky, sweet-and-spicy red sauce built around gochujang, ketchup, and a touch of honey. 

"Yangnyeom" literally just means "seasoned," and this particular seasoning has become one of the most iconic flavors in Korean fried chicken culture — glossy, a little sticky on your fingers, and genuinely hard to stop eating.

What You'll Need (Serves 3–4)

  • 1 kg (2.2 lb) chicken wing flats and drumettes (bone-in, skin-on)
  • 1 cup potato starch
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup cold water to start, plus more as needed for a thin, pourable batter
  • Neutral oil, for deep frying

For the yangnyeom sauce:

  • 3 tbsp gochujang
  • 2 tbsp ketchup
  • 2 tbsp honey (or brown sugar)
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp grated ginger
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp water

For garnish: sesame seeds and a little chopped green onion, if you want it to look like it came from a restaurant.

chicken wing pieces, starch, flour, egg, oil, and gochujang sauce ingredients arranged on a wooden table.

Gather the chicken, batter ingredients, and sauce ingredients before cooking.

Let's Cook

1. Dry and batter the chicken.

Pat the chicken completely dry. Whisk together the potato starch, flour, salt, pepper, egg, and 1/4 cup cold water. 

Add more cold water a little at a time until the batter is smooth, thin, and pourable, then coat each piece. Keep raw chicken and its utensils separate from ready-to-eat foods.

2. First fry.

Use a deep, heavy pot and keep the oil below halfway up its sides to leave room for bubbling. 

Heat the oil to about 325°F (165°C) and fry the chicken in small batches for roughly 8–10 minutes, until cooked through but still light in color. 

Check that the thickest part reaches 165°F (74°C), without touching the bone with the thermometer; larger pieces may take longer. Rest on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes.

3. Second fry.

Bring the oil up to 375°F (190°C) and fry again in small batches for about 2–3 minutes, until golden and crisp. Watch closely so the coating does not burn.

4. Make the sauce.

During the rest between fries, combine all the sauce ingredients in a pan over medium heat. 

Simmer for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until it thickens into a glossy, sticky glaze. 

Lower the heat if it bubbles too vigorously, and add a little water if it becomes too thick to coat the chicken.

Glossy red gochujang sauce simmering in a stainless-steel pan with a wooden spoon, with fried chicken on a rack nearby.


Simmer the sauce briefly, stirring, until glossy and thick enough to coat the chicken.

5. Toss it together.

Turn off the heat, add the freshly fried chicken to the pan with the warm sauce, and toss quickly until every piece is coated.

Fried chicken wings being turned with tongs in glossy red yangnyeom sauce in a stainless-steel pan.


Toss freshly fried chicken in the warm sauce just before serving.

6. Serve immediately.

Top with sesame seeds and green onion, and eat it while it's still hot and the sauce is at its glossiest.

A Few Tips

  • Taste your sauce before tossing the chicken in — gochujang brands vary a lot in spice and saltiness, so adjust the honey or vinegar to balance it.

  • Toss the chicken in the sauce right before serving, not too far in advance, or the crispiness starts to fade.
  • Don't walk away from the sauce while it simmers — it can go from perfectly glossy to burnt pretty fast.

  • A little extra honey if your gochujang runs spicy is an easy fix I use often.

Quick FAQ

Is yangnyeom chicken very spicy?

It leans more sweet than spicy overall, though you can adjust the gochujang-to-honey ratio to make it milder or spicier depending on your taste.

Can I make the sauce ahead of time?

Yes. For an easy make-ahead option, prepare it the day before, refrigerate it promptly in a covered container, and reheat it gently before tossing with freshly fried chicken. 

Keep it separate from raw chicken.

Leftovers

Best eaten fresh, since the sauce softens the crispy coating the longer it sits. Refrigerate leftovers in a shallow, covered container within 2 hours (within 1 hour if the room or outdoor temperature is above 90°F / 32°C). 

Keep the fridge at 40°F (4°C) or below and use leftovers within 3–4 days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C); watch the sugary glaze closely to prevent scorching. 

Some crispness may return, but the coating will not be quite like freshly fried chicken.


Images are AI-generated illustrations. Food-safety guidance: USDA chicken wings and USDA leftovers.


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