Crispy Padak (Fried Chicken with Scallions)
A chicken dish featuring twice-fried crispy chicken paired with pungent shredded green onions and mustard sauce.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
This whole chicken dish maximizes crispiness by coating the chicken in a blend of frying mix and potato starch before frying it twice in oil. Paired with a sweet and spicy sauce, refreshing shredded green onions, and mustard sauce, it is great as a bar snack or an afternoon bite.
- Servings
- about 3–4 servings
- Cook time
- 20 minprep not included
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Whole chicken1 whole, 1 kg (large)
Marinade
- Salt1 tsp
- Ground black pepper1 tsp
- Ginger powder1/2 tsp
Batter
- Potato starch3 tbsp
- Egg1
Mustard Sauce
- Prepared yellow mustard1 tbsp
- Vinegar2 tbsp
- Sugar1 tbsp
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang)2 tbsp
Seasoned Sauce (for half a chicken)
- Onion1/3 (grated)
- Ketchup2 tbsp
- Gochujang (Korean red chili paste)1 tbsp
- Minced garlic1 tbsp
- Sugar1/2 tbsp
- Hot sauce1 tbsp
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang)1 tbsp
- Corn syrup (mulyeot)2 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)2 tbsp
- Minced peanuts (or toasted sesame seeds)
- If you don't have hot sauce, you can substitute 1/2 tbsp of gochujang (Korean red chili paste).
- Adding a little curry powder to the marinade eliminates any gamey smell and adds a nicer aroma.
- Trim the fat from the chicken; if you are sensitive to chicken odors, you can soak it in milk for 30 minutes before using.
- Adjust the amount of sugar or vinegar in the mustard sauce to suit your taste.
Steps
1. Trim the fat from the chicken; if you are sensitive to chicken odors, you can soak it in milk for 30 minutes before using.
Chicken takes a long time to cook through to the center, so making one or two slashes with a knife is helpful.
Add all the marinade ingredients and massage them in.
2. Combine all the mustard sauce ingredients and mix them together.
Adjust the amount of sugar or vinegar to suit your taste.
3. Shred the green onions and soak them in water to remove the pungent sharpness.
For how to shred green onions, see here ⇒ http://blog.naver.com/ppunwife/140122028680
4. Drain in a strainer to remove excess water.
5. Combine the potato starch and egg to make the batter.
6. Mix 2 tbsp frying mix with 1 tbsp potato starch, coat the chicken evenly,
and then toss the chicken in the batter.
Rather than dipping the chicken directly into the batter, coating it first in a 2:1 mixture of frying mix and potato starch gives you twice the crispiness.
7. Fry at 180°C for about 10 minutes, remove to a strainer, and after about 3 minutes, fry again for 10 minutes.
Frying twice like this evaporates more moisture, making it extra crispy.
8. Place on paper towels to drain excess oil.
If you want to enjoy it as regular fried chicken, eat it as is.
Judging oil temperature with batter:
1. Drop batter into the oil; if it sinks to the bottom and barely rises... below 150°C.
2. If it sinks to the bottom and then slowly rises... 150–160°C.
3. If it sinks halfway and rises right away... 170–180°C.
4. If it scatters across the surface of the oil... above 180°C.
10
9. Add all the seasoned sauce ingredients, bring to a gentle boil, and simmer briefly...
10. Add half of the fried chicken and toss evenly in the sauce.
Tossing in minced peanuts at the very end makes it even nuttier and more delicious.
Ppunwife's tips
- Chicken takes a long time to cook through to the center, so making one or two slashes with a knife is helpful.
- Rather than dipping the chicken directly into the batter, coating it first in a 2:1 mixture of frying mix and potato starch gives you twice the crispiness.
- Fry at 180°C for about 10 minutes, remove to a strainer, and after about 3 minutes, fry again for 10 minutes. Frying twice like this evaporates more moisture, making it extra crispy.
- Judging oil temperature with batter: if batter sinks to the bottom and barely rises, it is below 150°C; if it sinks to the bottom and slowly rises, 150–160°C; if it sinks halfway and rises right away, 170–180°C; if it scatters across the surface of the oil, above 180°C.
- You can serve the shredded green onions and mustard sauce on the side to drizzle over when eating, or toss the shredded green onions directly with the mustard sauce and arrange them on the plate.
FAQ
Is there a way to make the chicken crunchier?
Coating the chicken first in a 2:1 mix of frying mix and potato starch before dipping it in batter, then frying it twice at 180°C, releases trapped moisture and makes it much crispier.
How can I reduce the gamey smell of chicken?
Soaking the chicken in milk for about 30 minutes before marinating, or adding a little curry powder to the marinade, helps remove gamey odors and enhances flavor.
What can I substitute if I don't have hot sauce for the seasoned sauce?
If you don't have hot sauce on hand, you can finish the sauce using 1/2 tbsp of gochujang instead.
How do you remove the sharp, biting taste from shredded green onions?
Soak the finely shredded green onions in cold water briefly to leach out the pungent bite, then drain them in a strainer for a clean, refreshing garnish.
