Southern Vs Korean Fried Chicken: The Key Differences In Flavor And Cooking

Fried chicken carries a down-home mystique tied to the American South, with family recipes guarded like heirlooms. But outside of Southern states and across international boundaries, fried chicken is similarly tasty, juicy, and revered — just in different ways. That rings true especially when discovering an Asian-inspired delight called Korean fried chicken. Southern and Korean versions share the same basic goal — crispy crust and juicy meat — but they get there in noticeably divergent ways.

First of all, in much of the American South, the signature fried-chicken style carries a thick, extra-crunchy crust created from a seasoned flour dredge (depending on the recipe, and nobody's telling.) Some versions also go through a buttermilk soak to tenderize and flavor the meat. Korean fried chicken, on the other hand, is prized for a thinner, extremely crackly exterior that stands up to sauces and glazes. That outer layer is obtained through starchy coatings, multiple frying steps, or sometimes the addition of vodka. 

Flavor structure is another big divider between the two. Southern fried chicken tends to build flavor into the buttermilk and the seasoned flour itself, commonly using paprika, pepper, garlic, and other spices. In many Korean fried chicken versions, the flavor is separated from the "crunch" by crisp-frying the chicken first and then glazing or coating it with sauces. The two most famous glazes to accompany Korean fried chicken are a garlicky, sweet-savory soy-based sauce, and a sweet-spicy, sticky red sauce made with gochujang, also called Korean chili paste. 

Deep South fried chicken generally follows a traditional format, with only slight variations per state or family. For example, some folks spice things up with hot sauces and cayenne pepper, or they sweeten with a drizzle of hot honey or even a sweet-tea infusion. But that's definitely the exception to classic Southern fried chicken. 

By contrast, Korean fried chicken enjoys a wider range of specific styles, with subtle nuances making Korean chicken so unique. The yangnyeom version, definitely a favorite, routinely employs the spicy-sweet, sticky red sauce, but a close second (or first depending on the region or chef), is dakgangjeong. It's a bite-sized fried chicken, also wearing a sticky, tangy glaze, but it's sweeter and sometimes comes sprinkled with peanut powder. Tongdak is considered the old-style of Korean fried chicken with a thicker crust, while a less-cultural but trendy practice is to sprinkle various forms of cheese powder on fried chicken.  

There are many tricks to getting Southern and Korean fried chicken versions just right. Check out this real, expert-shared secret to perfectly crispy Korean fried chicken — which doesn't include double frying. And try your hand at classic Southern buttermilk fried chicken with this approach from Recipe developer Leah Maroney.