Sweet and Spicy Chili Sauce For Korean Fried Chicken Recipe

Korean fried chicken gets its kick from fiery gochujang.

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
J. Kenji López-Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
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Updated February 20, 2025

Note: Gochujang is a mildly spicy and sweet Korean chili paste that can be found in most Asian markets.

20200513-korean-fried-chicken-sweet-spicy-chili-sauce-reshoot-vicky-wasik-1-7
Vicky Wasik

Related Recipes:

This sauce is intended to go with this recipe for Korean Fried Chicken »

Recipe Details

Sweet and Spicy Chili Sauce For Korean Fried Chicken Recipe

Prep 5 mins
Active 10 mins
Total 5 mins
Serves 4 servings
Makes 1/2 cup
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup gochujang (see notes)

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

  • 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar

  • 3 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)

  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

Directions

  1. Combine gochujang, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Gochujang can be inconsistent in its thickness. Add up to 2 tablespoons water until sauce is just barely thin enough to drop off a spoon with inverted. Serve with Korean Fried Chicken.

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
127Calories
4gFat
23gCarbs
1gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories127
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4g5%
Saturated Fat 1g3%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 1335mg58%
Total Carbohydrate 23g8%
Dietary Fiber 0g1%
Total Sugars 18g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 4mg18%
Calcium 18mg1%
Iron 0mg2%
Potassium 73mg2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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