Gochujang Dill Pickle Chicken
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Crispy chicken is always a win. But this Gochujang Dill Pickle Chicken takes things up a notch with layers of flavour and texture. It’s sweet, tangy, spicy and crunchy all at once. With a fiery pickle salad on the side and that genius crumb-coating trick, this is the kind of quick dinner that feels like a cheat meal… in the best way.
What is Gochujang Dill Pickle Chicken?
This is no average schnitzel. Juicy chicken thighs are marinated in pickle juice, crumbed with corn flakes and dill, and fried to golden perfection. Paired with a creamy-spicy gochujang pickle salad and finished with a shower of parmesan, it’s crunchy, punchy and totally addictive.
What’s the deal with spraying your crumbed chicken with water?
It might sound odd, but this simple step can make all the difference between burnt crumbs and beautifully golden crust. Before frying, lightly misting your corn flake-coated chicken with water and letting it rest helps prevent scorching and promotes even crispiness. The extra moisture ensures the crumbs toast, not burn, especially when using natural sugars from pickle juice in the marinade. It’s a small trick with big payoff.
Special Ingredient Notes
Gochujang:
This Korean chilli paste brings mellow heat and umami. Not super spicy—just enough warmth to wake things up.
Sweet Pickle Juice:
The tangy backbone of the marinade. It tenderises the meat and gives it a subtle sweet-sour twist.
Corn Flakes:
Crushed flakes bring extra crunch without heavy batter. Ideal for fast, shallow frying.
What You Need
chicken thigh fillets
ginger
garlic clove
curry powder
jar of sweet pickles
salad leaves
parmesan cheese
vegetable oil
corn flakes
plain flour
eggs
dill
gochujang
mayonnaise
honey
Steps
Place the chicken thighs in a medium mixing bowl. Add the grated ginger, garlic, curry powder, sea salt and sweet pickle juice. Toss well to coat, then cover and set aside to marinate for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, to make the dill pickle salad, place the diced sweet pickle in a small bowl. Add the gochujang, mayonnaise, pickle juice, honey and chopped dill. Mix to combine, then refrigerate until ready to serve.
For the crumb coating process, place the plain flour in a shallow dish. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs together with the chopped dill until well combined. Place the corn flakes in a third shallow dish and use your hands to crush them slightly.
Working one piece at a time, coat the marinated chicken in the flour, shaking off any excess. Dip it into the dill egg mixture, then press into the crushed corn flakes to evenly coat all sides. Arrange the crumbed chicken on a tray lined with baking paper. Lightly spray both sides with water using a spray bottle. Let the coated chicken rest for 10 minutes—this step helps the crumb stick and prevents it from burning during frying.
Heat enough vegetable oil in
a large frying pan
over medium heat to shallow fry. Once the oil reaches 160°C (or a wooden spoon creates lots of bubbles when dipped into the oil), carefully add the chicken and fry for about 5 minutes, turning once, or until golden brown and cooked through. Drain the chicken on paper towel and serve immediately topped with the chilled pickle salad, salad leaves and a generous grating of parmesan cheese over the top.
Gochujang Dill Pickle Chicken
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PREP TIME
25 minutes
COOK TIME
10 minutes
SERVES
2
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Ingredients
2 chicken thigh fillets
2 tsp finely grated ginger
1 small garlic clove, finely grated
¼ tsp curry powder
½ tsp sea salt
2 tbsp sweet pickle juice
mixed salad leaves, to serve
parmesan cheese, to serve
vegetable oil, for frying
For the crumb:
1 cup corn flakes
¼ cup plain flour
2 eggs, whisked
1 tbsp finely chopped dill
For the dill pickle salad:
½ cup diced sweet pickles
1 tbsp gochujang
1 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp pickle juice
½ tbsp honey
2 tbsp finely chopped dill
Instructions
1
Marinate the Chicken
Place the chicken thighs in a medium mixing bowl. Add the grated ginger, garlic, curry powder, sea salt and sweet pickle juice. Toss well to coat, then cover and set aside to marinate for 20 minutes.
2
Make the Dill Pickle Salad
Meanwhile, to make the dill pickle salad, place the diced sweet pickle in a small bowl. Add the gochujang, mayonnaise, pickle juice, honey and chopped dill. Mix to combine, then refrigerate until ready to serve.
3
Prepare the Crumb Coating
For the crumb coating process, place the plain flour in a shallow dish. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs together with the chopped dill until well combined. Place the corn flakes in a third shallow dish and use your hands to crush them slightly.
4
Coat the Chicken
Working one piece at a time, coat the marinated chicken in the flour, shaking off any excess. Dip it into the dill egg mixture, then press into the crushed corn flakes to evenly coat all sides.
5
Rest the Coated Chicken
Arrange the crumbed chicken on a tray lined with baking paper. Lightly spray both sides with water using a spray bottle. Let the coated chicken rest for 10 minutes—this step helps the crumb stick and prevents it from burning during frying.
6
Fry the Chicken
Heat enough vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium heat to shallow fry. Once the oil reaches 160°C (or a wooden spoon creates lots of bubbles when dipped into the oil), carefully add the chicken and fry for about 5 minutes, turning once, or until golden brown and cooked through.
7
Serve
Drain the chicken on paper towel and serve immediately topped with the chilled pickle salad, salad leaves and a generous grating of parmesan cheese over the top.
