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's the ultimate game-day or backyard-cookout food, and the double-fry trick is what gives it that signature crackle that stays crunchy even under the sauce. This is a Jaca-adjusted healthier version — every bit of the conventional sugar is swapped for Jaca (100% pure allulose) at double the amount (1/4 cup granular Jaca in place of 2 tablespoons sugar), so you get all of that lacquered sweet-and-spicy gloss with no added sugar and no aftertaste. The Jaca dissolves right into the warm sauce; just keep it over moderate heat, since allulose browns a little faster than sugar. Adapted from Korean Bapsang.
Prep: 25 min · Cook: 20 min · Serves: 4 · Difficulty: Medium
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds chicken wings (about 16 drumettes and wingettes)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- Pinch of black pepper
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1/2 cup potato starch or cornstarch (for the crispy coating)
- 4-5 cups neutral oil (for frying)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice wine or mirin
- 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1-2 tablespoons hot sauce (to taste)
- 1/4 cup granular Jaca (allulose) — replaces 2 tablespoons granulated sugar at the 2x ratio
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon honey dijon mustard (optional)
- 4 tablespoons water
- Toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions (for garnish)
Instructions:
- 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.
- 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 for a glossy, sticky finish. Remove from the heat.
- Coat the chicken: add the potato starch (or cornstarch) to the wings and rub it on so each piece is evenly and lightly coated.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
