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By Root 675 0

sweet-spicy chicken has long been a favorite in Korean homes and restaurants. Nineteen years ago in Gumi, South Korea, a restaurant owner named Kwon Won Kang added his own savory garlic-soy dressing to double-fried wings and drumsticks, and the specialty known as yangnyeom dak (Korean fried chicken) took off as a fast-food phenomenon. Today, the business Kwon founded, called Kyochon, has more than 1,000 outlets worldwide, and Korean fried chicken has a global following. The restaurant’s popularity is no surprise. Its wings and drumsticks are unfailingly juicy inside, crunchy outside, and glazed with one of two delicious sauces: hot-sweet or garlic–soy. A totally addictive food, it’s lighter, less salty, and less greasy than American-style fried chicken. The key is in the precision frying. When an order comes in, a cook takes a batch of unseasoned wings and drumsticks—pared from small, fresh chickens and chilled overnight to decrease their moisture before frying—and dunks them in a thin batter of wheat flour, water, and cornstarch. Then he gives the wings and drumsticks a 9-minute sizzle in a deep-fryer containing 350°F canola oil, which cooks the meat and forms a light crust. Next, he tosses the chicken in a wire strainer to shake off loose bits of fried batter before plunging it into a second fryer, which contains oil left over from the previous day; the darker oil gives the skin a deeper flavor and hue. Three minutes later, the chicken emerges with a delicate texture and crackly crust that is ready to be sauced.

—Cathy Danh

Northern Fried Chicken

The fried chicken at Blue Ribbon (pictured), a restaurant in New York City, has a thick, crunchy crust made with matzo meal; the chefs there serve it with honey for dipping, collard greens quick-sautéed in brown butter, and mashed potatoes with gravy.

Canola oil, for frying

½ tsp. hot paprika

1/8 tsp. each cayenne pepper, dried basil, dried parsley, garlic powder, and onion powder

4 egg whites, beaten

½ cup flour

½ cup matzo meal

¼ tsp. baking powder

1 3-lb. chicken, cut into 8 pieces Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Honey, for dipping (optional)

Serves 4

1. Pour oil into a 5-qt. Dutch oven to a depth of 2 inches. Heat over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 375°F.

2. Combine paprika, cayenne, basil, parsley, and garlic and onion powders in a bowl; set aside. Put egg whites into a bowl. Combine flour, matzo, and baking powder in another bowl.

3. Working with one piece at a time, dip chicken in egg whites and press into matzo mixture to coat. Shake off excess; transfer chicken to a rack set inside a baking sheet. Working in 2 batches, fry chicken until crispy and cooked through, 10–12 minutes. Transfer chicken to paper towels and season with salt, pepper, and the reserved paprika mixture. Serve with honey, if you like.

Roasted Herbed Chicken and Vegetables

The first step to making this traditional Sunday supper is to infuse melted butter with herbes de Provence, a mix of lavender, thyme, tarragon, sage, marjoram, and savory. After frequent basting with that herb butter during roasting, the chicken turns golden brown and intensely fragrant.

4 tbsp. unsalted butter

1½ tbsp. dried herbes de Provence

1 tbsp. honey

2 cups white wine

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tbsp. fennel seeds

12 cloves garlic, unpeeled (8 whole, 4 crushed)

3 medium turnips, cut into 2-inch pieces

1 small butternut squash (about 1½ lbs.), peeled, seeded, and cut into thick half-moons Kosher salt and coarsely ground pepper, to taste

1 4-lb. chicken

1 lemon

1 bunch thyme

1 large yellow onion, cut into thick wedges

¾ lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

¾ lb. cremini mushrooms, left whole

12 large sage leaves

Serves 4

1. Heat the oven to 375°F. Melt the butter and herbes de Provence in a pot over medium heat. Remove from heat; whisk in honey. Cover; let herb butter steep for 20 minutes. In a bowl, combine wine, half the oil, fennel, whole garlic, turnips, squash, and salt and pepper; set turnip mixture aside.

2. Season chicken