Korean Fried Chicken Dredge Seasoning

Name: Korean Fried Chicken Dredge Seasoning
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 24 min
Total time: 44 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: ¾ cup (120 g) potato starch; ¼ cup (31 g) all-purpose flour; 2 tsp (12 g) fine sea salt; 1 tbsp (8 g) garlic powder; 2 tsp (4 g) ground ginger; 1 tsp (2.3 g) ground white pepper; 1 tbsp (6 g) fine gochugaru (Korean chili powder); 1 tsp (2½ g) onion powder; 1 tsp (4 g) granulated sugar; ½ tsp (2 g) baking powder; 2 lb (900 g) chicken wings, split into flats and drumettes, at room temperature for 15 minutes, patted very dry with paper towels (optional); 6 cups (1400 ml) neutral frying oil (canola, peanut or vegetable) (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A potato-starch-based dry mix with garlic, ginger, white pepper and gochugaru that fries up glass-crisp and lightly spicy. Make it on its own for jarring, or use it right away on chicken wings with a double fry.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 24 min
Wait: 18 min
Total: 1 hr 2 min
Makes: About 1¼ cups (190 g) dredge mix, enough to coat 2 lb (900 g) chicken wings

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the dredge mix
¾ cup (120 g) potato starch
¼ cup (31 g) all-purpose flour
2 tsp (12 g) fine sea salt
1 tbsp (8 g) garlic powder
2 tsp (4 g) ground ginger
1 tsp (2.3 g) ground white pepper
1 tbsp (6 g) fine gochugaru (Korean chili powder)
1 tsp (2.5 g) onion powder
1 tsp (4 g) granulated sugar
½ tsp (2 g) baking powder
To fry (optional)
2 lb (900 g) chicken wings, split into flats and drumettes, at room temperature for 15 minutes, patted very dry with paper towels (optional)
6 cups (1400 ml) neutral frying oil (canola, peanut or vegetable) (optional)

Equipment (9)

Medium mixing bowl
Fine-mesh sieve
Whisk
Large bowl or zip-top bag for dredging (2-gallon / 7.5 L)
Wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet
5-qt (4.7 L) heavy Dutch oven or deep pot
Deep-fry or instant-read thermometer
Spider skimmer or tongs
Airtight jar (about 2-cup / 500 ml) for storing leftover mix

Steps

Before you start

The dredge mix takes about 7 minutes. Everything after that is the optional fry, so stop at step 2 if you only want the blend.
Use potato starch, not potato flour. They are different products, and potato flour will turn gummy.
Use fine-ground gochugaru (the powder labeled for kimchi or seasoning). Coarse flakes can burn in the oil.
If frying, take the chicken out of the fridge 15 minutes ahead and pat it very dry. Surface moisture makes the coating patchy.

1
Measure the ingredients
- Spoon the potato starch and flour into measuring cups and level them off (don't pack).
- Measure the salt, garlic powder, ground ginger, white pepper, gochugaru, onion powder, sugar and baking powder into a medium bowl.
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Ready when: All ten dry ingredients are in the bowl and the measurements are level.
Tip: Weigh the starch and flour if you can. Scooped starch packs down and can throw the ratio off by 20%.
2
Whisk and sift
- Whisk everything together for 1 minute.
- Sift the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a second bowl, pressing out any lumps of garlic powder or starch with a spoon.
- Whisk again for 30 seconds.
- The finished mix should be a uniform pale orange-pink with no streaks of white.
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Ready when: Even pale orange-pink color with no white streaks or clumps; the mix feels silky when rubbed between your fingers.
Tip: If you only want the blend, stop here and jar it. Use 3 tbsp (about 30 g) per 4 oz (115 g) of chicken.
3
Dry the chicken
- Spread the wings on a tray lined with paper towels and pat the tops very dry.
- Turn them and pat again.
- Leave them a few minutes while you set up a wire rack over a baking sheet.
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Ready when: Wing skin feels tacky, not wet, when touched.
Tip: Wet skin turns the starch into a paste that slides off in the fryer.
4
Dredge and rest
- Put the wings in a large bowl or bag with the whole batch of dredge mix.
- Toss and press for 1 minute until every wing is evenly coated, then shake off the loose excess.
- Set them on the wire rack in a single layer and rest 10 minutes.
- The coating will darken slightly and look slightly damp as the starch hydrates.
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Ready when: The coating looks matte, slightly translucent in spots and sticks firmly when you touch a wing.
Tip: Don't skip the rest. Without it the coating turns patchy and the crunch is weaker.
5
Heat the oilOven 350°F / 175°C
- Pour 6 cups (1.4 L) oil into a 5-qt (4.7 L) Dutch oven so it is 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7 cm) deep and at least 3 inches below the rim.
- Clip in a thermometer and heat over medium-high until it reaches 350°F (175°C), about 8 minutes.
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Ready when: Thermometer reads 350°F (175°C).
Tip: Keep a lid nearby for smothering any flare-up, and never leave hot oil unattended.
6
First fryOven 350°F / 175°C
- Lower half the wings into the oil one by one, leaving them space.
- Fry 10 minutes, turning once halfway, until pale golden and the coating is set.
- Adjust the heat to hold 325 to 350°F (165 to 175°C).
- Lift out with a spider and set on the clean rack.
- Reheat the oil to 350°F (175°C) and fry the second batch the same way.
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Ready when: Pale golden, firm coating; a wing reads at least 165°F (74°C) at the thickest point.
Tip: Crowding drops the oil temperature sharply and leads to greasy, soft wings.
7
Rest between friesOven 375°F / 190°C
- Let all the wings rest on the rack for 8 minutes while you bring the oil up to 375°F (190°C).
- Moisture in the meat migrates outward and evaporates, which is what makes the second fry extra crisp.
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Ready when: Oil reads 375°F (190°C) and the wings no longer steam.
8
Second fryOven 375°F / 190°C
- Fry the wings in two batches for 2 minutes each at 375°F (190°C), until deep golden and the coating sounds crackly when tapped with tongs.
- Return the oil to 375°F between batches.
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Ready when: Deep golden brown, blistered coating that crackles when tapped; internal temperature at least 165°F (74°C).
Tip: Watch closely. The sugar in the mix browns quickly at this temperature.
9
Drain and serve
- Move the wings to the clean wire rack and let them drain for 2 minutes.
- Serve right away, plain or tossed in your favorite Korean sauce.
- Pour any leftover unused dredge into an airtight jar only if it never touched raw chicken.
- Otherwise discard it.
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Ready when: Wings are crisp, no longer dripping oil, and cool enough to hold.
Tip: Let the oil cool completely before straining and storing it.

Good to know

Tips

Potato starch gives the thin, glassy, shatter-crisp crust typical of Korean fried chicken. The small amount of flour adds a little color and body.
Double frying is what keeps the crust crisp even after saucing. The first fry cooks the chicken and the second drives out moisture.
Season the mix slightly stronger than you think you need. Starch coatings mute salt, and the chicken itself is unseasoned.
Never reuse dredge that has touched raw chicken. Keep a separate clean portion if you want to store leftovers.

Make ahead

"Make and jar the dry mix up to 3 months ahead (before it touches raw chicken). Shake the jar well before using, since starch can settle."

Storage & reheating

"Unused dry mix: airtight jar in a cool, dark pantry for up to 3 months, or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Fried wings: room temperature up to 2 hours; fridge in an airtight container up to 3 days. Reheat on a rack in a 400°F (200°C) oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or in an air fryer at 380°F (193°C) for 4 to 5 minutes, until hot and crisp. Fried wings don't freeze well."

Substitutions

potato starch → cornstarch. Works well but gives a slightly harder, less delicate crunch. Use the same weight.
fine gochugaru (Korean chili powder) → sweet paprika plus a pinch of cayenne. Use 1 tbsp paprika and ⅛ tsp cayenne. You lose the fruity Korean flavor.
ground white pepper → finely ground black pepper. Use the same amount. The flavor is sharper, and you'll see dark specks in the coating.
all-purpose flour → more potato starch. Swap in ¼ cup (40 g) potato starch for a gluten-free mix with an even lighter crust.