Japanese Fried Chicken Vs Korean: What's The Difference?

Seasoned and floured chicken dunked and sizzled in hot oil — the humble fried chicken has traveled to all corners of the globe, and talented chefs have picked it up and put their own spin on it to suit their homeland's cuisine. Among the most well-known versions are those from Korea (called "chikin") and Japan ("karaage"). But what exactly are the differences between these two?

Well, compared to the American version, Korean and Japanese fried chicken are typically double-fried. After getting the first fry to crisp up the skin, the chicken is given a short break to let the skin cool down to prevent burning. Then, it's given a second fry to cook the interior meat the rest of the way. That's how you get chicken that is shatteringly crisp on the outside, while still juicy and tender on the inside (seriously, try this two-fry method with your homemade fried chicken — it's incredible).

Now that we've got that out of the way, let's get to the fun part: How Korean and Japanese fried chicken differ from one another. And boy, there's a lot to talk about!

The difference between the two types shows even before the oil gets hot. To make Korean fried chicken, you'll typically start with very familiar "fried chicken" cuts that'd feel right at home in an American chicken bucket, such as bone-in wings and drumsticks. It's not the same for Japanese fried chicken. Regular cuts are chopped down into smaller, bite-sized chunks, but many restaurants and chefs just prefer using boneless filets altogether. The reason has to do with "karaage" itself, which isn't the name for the fried chicken, but a cooking technique where food is fried, then coated in a thin layer of flour and starch. In addition to being easier to eat using chopsticks, karaage fried chicken cooks faster and becomes super crisp when done properly.

Last but not least, before they go into the fryer, Japanese-style chickens are typically marinated in an aromatic mixture of soy sauce, ginger, sake, and mirin (a type of rice cooking wine). The marinade can deodorize the raw poultry smell and, thanks to the alcohol content, helps tenderize the meat, as well. Korean fried chicken is usually fried as is unless the chef decides to give their recipe a twist.

This is where the two styles of fried chicken show their personality. Simplicity is the name for Japanese karaage. While it is complex in the preparation steps, by the time it arrives at your table, it usually comes without any fancy garnish. You can eat it together with steamed rice or some pickles, but as far as presentation goes, it's as simple as you can get.

Korean fried chicken is the exact opposite. While you can still order classic, "plain" fried chicken (huraideu-chikin), Korean-style chicken really stands out through the glazed recipes. Take yangnyeom-chikin as an example. It's fried chicken glazed with a sweet-sour sauce that's seasoned with gochujang, a type of Korean red chili pepper paste. There's also ganjang-chikin, which is dressed in a soy sauce-based glaze, or heoni-boteo-chikin, which is fried chicken smothered in rich and sweet honey butter sauce.

There's more room to experiment with Korean fried chicken. You can mix up sauces and glazes to give it the exact flavor and texture you'd like. Japanese fried chicken, on the other hand, is slightly more conservative, and a good plate of karaage is determined more by the technique of the chef and the quality of the chicken. Both are delicious in their own right, and if you haven't tried either already, consider this your personal invitation!