The Unexpected Wartime Origins Of Korean Fried Chicken

Korean fried chicken has become a worldwide staple. With 1,800 stores operating in approximately 60 countries across the globe, what makes Korean fried chicken unique involves the marinade, frying technique, batter, and sauces. But how did fried chicken, a dish not native to Korea, end up being such a big part of the culture? Turns out it's a wartime story. Between 1950 and 1953, Black American soldiers sent to the Korean War took their favorite fried chicken recipes with them, helping to create the Korean fried chicken phenom we know and love today.

Some sources claim Thanksgiving was the reason homesick Black servicemen wanted to eat fried chicken (in place of turkey), while others point to food supplies being thin on the ground because of the war. Whatever the truth, hungry American soldiers duly seasoned and fried their meat, then shared it with their Korean counterparts. It's said that locals were bowled over by the result.

Before then, chicken in Korea was usually boiled, and although a fried chicken dish of sorts was popular in the 15th century, it was reserved for royalty or the rich because meat was scarce and therefore expensive. Korean soldiers in the early 1950s may have been amazed by American-style Southern fried chicken, but it wasn't until the 1970s that both the meat and cooking oil were cheap enough for ordinary folks to buy both, enabling the first KFC (that's Korean fried chicken; the Kentucky-centric chain arrived in South Korea in 1984) restaurants to open their doors.

Some Korean fried chicken outlets have made it on our list of the best fried chicken joints in every state, but this variety is no Southern-style copycat. Korean fried chicken is made from a hacked-up whole chicken, and while it's brined or marinated in a flavorful liquid just like its American cousin, there's barely a whiff of coating (usually made with flour and cornstarch ) applied before it is fried.

The chicken is then removed from the oil and given a good shake, knocking off those tasty, crusty bits. That step will no doubt horrify home cooks, who will insist it's a mistake to make with fried chicken, but this is a different foodie ball game. After being cooled for a couple of minutes, the Korean fried chicken goes back into the fryer a second time, giving the fine coating an incredible crunch that's capable of withstanding a drenching in a range of mouthwatering glazes or sauces. There are plenty of American foods the rest of the world doesn't get, but Korean fried chicken is a fantastic twist on one of our very best exports.