Sweet & Spicy Korean Fried Chicken (Yangnyeom) with Jaca
Yangnyeom-tongdak is Korea's most famous fried chicken — shatteringly crispy double-fried wings tossed in a glossy, sticky-sweet, gochujang-spiked red sauce that hits every note at once: sweet, spicy, savory, and a little tangy. It is the ultimate game-day, movie-night, or backyard-cookout food, and the double-fry trick is what gives it that signature crackle that stays crunchy even under the sauce. Our version swaps every bit of the conventional sugar for Jaca (100% pure allulose) at double the amount — 1/4 cup of granular Jaca in place of the original 2 tablespoons of sugar — so you get all of that lacquered sweet-and-spicy gloss with no added sugar and no aftertaste. Because the Jaca dissolves right into the warm sauce, it melts in smoothly and gives you that glossy, clingy finish; just keep the sauce over moderate heat, since allulose browns a little faster than sugar. Adapted from Korean Bapsang. This is a Jaca-adjusted healthier version.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken wings (about 16 drumettes and wingettes)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger (grated)
- 1/2 cup potato starch or cornstarch (for the crispy coating)
- 4-5 cups neutral oil (for frying)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (for the sauce)
- 2 tablespoons rice wine or mirin
- 1-1 1/2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1-2 tablespoons hot sauce (to taste)
- 1/4 cup Jaca (allulose), granular (replaces 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar at the 2x ratio, with no added sugar and no aftertaste)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon garlic (minced)
- 1/2 teaspoon honey dijon mustard (optional)
- 4 tablespoons water (for the sauce)
- toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions (for garnish)
Sweetener Used
1/4 cup granular Jaca Allulose
Replaces: 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
- 1
Pat the wings dry and toss them with the salt, black pepper, and grated ginger. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, or overnight for the best flavor.
- 2
Make the sauce: combine the soy sauce, rice wine, gochujang, hot sauce, granular Jaca, honey, minced garlic, mustard (if using), and water in a small saucepan. Stir well and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then simmer for 4-5 minutes until slightly thickened. The Jaca dissolves smoothly into the warm sauce, giving it that glossy, sticky finish with no graininess. Remove from the heat.
- 3
Coat the chicken: add the potato starch (or cornstarch) to the wings and rub it on so each piece is evenly and lightly coated.
- 4
First fry: heat the oil to 320-330°F (160-165°C). Add the wings one at a time and fry in two batches for about 6 minutes, until lightly golden. Drain on a wire rack.
- 5
Second fry: reheat the oil to 350-360°F (175-180°C). Return all the wings together and fry for about 5 minutes, until deep golden and extra crispy. Drain again on the rack.
- 6
Toss the hot wings in the warm Jaca sauce until fully coated (or brush it on for a lighter glaze). Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions and serve right away, while crispy.
Pro Tips
- Double-frying is the secret to Korean fried chicken: the first fry cooks the chicken through, and the second, hotter fry drives out moisture for that signature shatter-crisp crunch.
- Pat the wings as dry as possible before coating — surface moisture is the enemy of a crispy crust.
- Sauce the chicken right before serving. Tossed too early, even the crispiest crust will start to soften.
- Jaca is about 70% as sweet as sugar, which is exactly why we double it — you get full sweetness with no added sugar and no aftertaste.
- Keep the sauce over moderate heat while it simmers; allulose browns a little faster than sugar, so you want it glossy and sticky, not caramelized.