This crispy chicken is a Korean-inspired dish that is hot and spicy! Boneless and skinless thigh meat is dredged in cornstarch and fried until golden brown. Tossed in a vibrantly red and fiery sauce, Crispy Buldak Chicken is super flavourful and most certainly meant for the brave!

Did you know that spicy food is supposed to relieve stress? Maybe it just causes you to forget about stress for a while, because you’re more consumed with cooling your mouth! The last thing I want to do is to make you afraid to try this dish. Yes, Crispy Buldak Chicken is spicy, but if you have any tolerance for spicy food at all, you will handle this one like a pro!
I used to be so afraid of spicy food. In fact, I couldn’t even handle dried red chili flakes. Over the years, I have gradually increased my threshold by incorporating a little heat at a time. It didn’t take long at all to graduate from dried red chili flakes, to jalapenos, hot sauce, sriracha, chipotle peppers in adobo, and of course, gochujang and gochugaru.
So, this chicken was perfect for me. It certainly has a little bit of heat to it, but it also has some honey for sweetness too, which will balance out the heat. With lots of fresh garlic and ginger, and that topping of melted mozzarella cheese and sliced green onions, this Crispy Buldak Chicken is about to wake up all of your senses!
Make your own online recipe box!
Click the in the lower right corner of your screen
& follow the quick and easy instructions!
WHAT IS BULDAK CHICKEN?
Buldak chicken is sometimes called fire chicken. It is a heavily spiced dish in which the chicken is sometimes fried, like you see here, or grilled. Grilling the chicken is more authentically Korean, but I opted for frying, because not everyone has access to a grill. This way, you have no excuse not to make it at home!
The name, buldak, literally translates to fire chicken. The word bul means fire and dak means chicken. This disk became super popular in South Korea in the early 2000s. The rise in popularity set the trend for extremely hot dishes in South Korea, which led to the rise of buldak franchise restaurants. A legal battle ensued when the term buldak was claimed to have been previously copyrighted. In 2008, the patent office in Korea came to the conclusion that the term was a general term and it became free for public use.
The spicy sauce usually consists of gochugaru, gochujang, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and a sweetening agent, such as honey or sugar. To keep this recipe as authentic as possible, I’m usig all of those ingredients in this version.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE
The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.
- Chicken – For best results, use boneless skinless chicken thighs. Lay the chicken flat and cut it into thin strips against the grain.
- Ground Black Pepper
- Cornstarch – The cornstarch is the key to a light and crispy batter.
- Gochugaru – This is a coarsely ground Korean chili powder, usually made from sun-dried peppers without the seeds.
- Gochujang – A spicy paste used in Korean cooking, made from red chili peppers, fermented soybeans, rice, and salt. You can find both of these in many big chain grocery stores and most certainly in Asian markets. Gochugaru and gochujang are both also available on Amazon.
- Soy Sauce – Like I always say, use low sodium soy sauce to prevent the dish from being too salty.
- Honey – Honey sweetens the sauce, but also helps to keep it smooth and sticky.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic will result in the best flavour every single time.
- Ginger – Fresh ginger is the way to go. It adds a warming, spicy flavour to recipes.
- Green Onions – These add a burst of freshness to the chicken.
- Water
- Mozzarella Cheese – The melted mozzarella is optional, but it is very commonly used in authentic Korean buldak chicken. Also, the cheese helps to cool the spiciness too.
- Sesame Seeds
WHAT IS GOCHUJANG?
Gochujang is one of my new favourite ingredients. Don’t worry; it’s not too spicy at all and you can totally control how much you’re adding to your recipes. So, what is gochujang? It’s basically a savory, sweet, and spicy sauce made from red chilies, soybeans, barley/rice, etc. It’s spicy and sweet all at the same time. Oh, and a little goes a long way!
I’m a weakling when it comes to spicy and heat toleration, so if I can handle it, so can you! Gochujang is also very easy to find. It’s at every Asian supermarket, and even some of the larger national grocers. If you can’t find it, you can substitute by mixing together 1 tablespoon each of chili powder, ketchup, soy sauce, and sugar. Add in 1/2 teaspoon of dried red chili flakes and whisk together. Let it sit in the fridge for a few hours to marry together.
Gochujang cannot be completely replicated in substitute form, but that little recipe will give you a decent substitute without the depth and complexity of the original gochujang flavour. Trust me, Dear Reader, it will still be delicious!

WHAT IS GOCHUGARU?
Gochugaru is a Korean ingredient and has become almost essential to Korean cuisine. It has a fiery flavour, but at the same time, it has sweetness and complexity. In essence, it is a textured chili powder ranging from mild to hot. The range depends greatly on the type of peppers and the preparation.
Also known as Korean chili flakes, Korean hot pepper flakes, and Korean chili powder, it is likely something you have already tasted before, especially if you have eaten Korean-style kimchi or cucumber salad. I love that it is so vividly and vibrantly red, which comes through in whatever recipe it is added to!
HOW TO MAKE CRISPY BULDAK CHICKEN
Step 1: Toss Chicken with Cornstarch
The first thing you want to do is to add the prepared chicken to a bowl. Add the ground black pepper and toss to coat well. Because both the soy sauce and the gochujang are salty, there is no need to add any additional salt. Next, add the cornstarch and toss until all of the chicken is well coated. Set this aside until you are ready to fry the chicken.
Do you have a question or comment?
Would you like to leave a review?
Scroll down to the comment section and write me a message.
I will personally respond as soon as possible!
Step 2: Prepare the Sauce and Prep the Frying Oil
Add the gochugaru, gochujang, soy sauce, water, honey, garlic, ginger, and water to a bowl and whisk well to combine. Set that aside. Next, add four inches of vegetable oil to a heavy bottomed pot. Turn on the heat and heat the oil to 315 degrees F.
Step 3: Fry the Chicken
Once you’re all ready to go and the oil is hot enough, it’s time to fry! Using tongs, lower the chicken into into the oil one piece at a time. Don’t overcrowd the pot. I tend to fry them off about a four or five pieces at a time. The chicken fries really quickly; it only needs about 4 minutes.
Once all of the chicken is fried, increase the heat of the oil to 350 degrees. Carefully place all of the chicken back into the oil. This is what I refer to as the second fry and it will add further crisp to your chicken and it only needs another 3-4 minutes. Remove from the oil and drain well.

Step 4: Bring it all Together
In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, add the sauce mixture and all of the fried chicken. Toss the chicken well into the sauce until well coated. Continue to move the chicken about the skillet until the sauce begins to caramelize and the chicken begins to char just slightly. Remove from the heat and sprinkle over the sesame seeds. Transfer all of the chicken to a oven-safe platter or a plate.
Top the chicken with the shredded mozzarella cheese. Place the platter under the broiler until the cheese is melted. Remove from the broiler and top with more sesame seeds and freshly chopped green onions. Serve immediately.
WHICH CHOICE OF CHICKEN WORKS BEST?
For this Crispy Buldak Chicken recipe, I would highly recommend boneless, skinless chicken thighs. I love working with chicken thighs. No matter what cooking method I throw at them, they always come out tender and moist. I’m also a fan of dark meat. I think it’s more flavourful. So, boneless, skinless chicken thighs are the way to go in my opinion.
You can certainly use breast meat for this recipe too. Because breast meat tends to cook faster than dark meat, you’ll want to ensure that the breast meat is cut into larger strips. Breast meat can dry out rather quickly, especially if you’re planning to immerse it into hot oil. Using a larger piece of the breast meat will ensure that it doesn’t become over done and too dry. There’s nothing worse than dry breast meat!
Unlike chicken breast, you can cut the boneless, skinless chicken thighs into smaller strips. They don’t have to be perfectly even. My rule of thumb is as follows: fry the thigh meat until golden brown. It’s really that simple.

OTTAWA VALLEY MEATS
The chicken you see in the photographs is from Ottawa Valley Meats. I used one package of the skinless boneless chicken thighs, which is one pound. Sourced from local generational family farms that organically feed and raise White Rock chickens in a free-range environment. All their chicken products are air-chilled; this process significantly limits water content and ensures a superior taste and texture.
You can find a complete list at Ottawa Valley Meats. If you are in Ontario, be sure to take a look at the website. Ottawa Valley Meats offers seafood, beef, poultry, pork, etc. And, they deliver right to your door! The product comes in a freezer-refrigerated truck, which means the box doesn’t need to be stuffed with ice packs or dry ice. And, the food doesn’t need to be packaged into those silver cooler bags. Do you know what that means for me? Less waste! Give them a try – you won’t be disappointed!

SERVING SUGGESTIONS
If you’re much like me, you can be easily satisfied with just a plate of Crispy Buldak Chicken all on its own! But, I’m so used to preparing recipes for Lord Byron’s Kitchen and just eating them standing over the kitchen sink once the photographs are taken! If, however, I were serving this chicken as a meal, I would want to serve it with a few sides. Keep in mind that any fried chicken can feel heavy because of the oil, and in this case, it’s sweet and spicy. So, serve it with something rather plain.
Plain!? I can’t think of another word! What I mean is something with a subtle flavour – like steamed rice! That’s a great option with this chicken. I would also consider serving it with a coleslaw. I’m not sure if that’s a Korean thing, but spicy chicken with coleslaw is certainly common in North America. Plus, coleslaw will help to cool the spiciness.
Veggies will certainly help to cool the tongue if this chicken is too hot for you. Pickled Radish is the perfect accompaniment! Koreans love pickled radish with fried chicken. At the end of the day, you can serve it with whatever you want. I completely support serving whatever works for you – what about just a plate of well-seasoned fries or a side of steamed broccoli? Yes!
Do You Like This Recipe?
You should consider trying these other delicious recipes too!





Crispy Buldak Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs *see notes below
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons gochujang
- 2 tablespoons gochugaru
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, plus more for garnish
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
Instructions
- Place the prepared chicken into a bowl with the ground black pepper. Toss to coat well. Next, add the cornstarch and toss until all of the chicken is well coated. Set this aside until you are ready to fry the chicken.
- Add the gochugaru, gochujang, soy sauce, water, honey, garlic, ginger, and water to a bowl and whisk well to combine. Set that aside.
- Next, add four inches of vegetable oil to a heavy bottomed pot. Turn on the heat and heat the oil to 315 degrees F.
- Using tongs, lower the chicken into into the oil one piece at a time. Don’t overcrowd the pot. Fry in batches. The chicken fries really quickly; it only needs about 4 minutes.
- Once all of the chicken is fried, increase the heat of the oil to 350 degrees. Carefully place all of the chicken back into the oil. This is what I refer to as the second fry and it will add further crisp to your chicken and it only needs another 3-4 minutes. Remove from the oil and drain well.
- In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, add the sauce mixture and all of the fried chicken. Toss the chicken well into the sauce until well coated. Continue to move the chicken about the skillet until the sauce begins to caramelize and the chicken begins to char just slightly. Remove from the heat and sprinkle over the sesame seeds. Transfer all of the chicken to a oven-safe platter or a plate.
- Top the chicken with the shredded mozzarella cheese. Place the platter under the broiler until the cheese is melted. Remove from the broiler and top with more sesame seeds and freshly chopped green onions. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Upload a photo and tag me so that I can see it!

Allyssa says
Thanks a lot for this very flavorful and easy to make recipe! Loved it! Highly recommended!
Gwynn says
I love trying new cuisines and flavors and am looking forward to making this recipe for my family this weekend! The flavors sound amazing!