Gluten Free Crispy Korean Fried Chicken Sandwich
Crispy, saucy, and loaded with bold Korean-inspired flavor, this sandwich delivers everything you want from a fried chicken experience — without a single gram of wheat in sight. The secret to that seriously crunchy crust is a double-dredge in rice flour and tapioca starch, which fries up shatteringly crisp and holds its texture even after being brushed with the sticky gochujang glaze. That glaze — built from gochujang, tamari, honey, sesame oil, fresh ginger, and garlic — is the kind of thing you'll want to put on everything, sweet and fiery and deeply savory all at once. Tangy quick-pickled cucumbers and a creamy mayo slaw cut right through the heat, so every bite is perfectly balanced. The whole build lands on a toasted gluten free bun that gets the same treatment as any great sandwich bread — just toasted until golden and ready to hold it all together. This recipe makes four sandwiches, so it's ideal for a weekend lunch that feels genuinely special without requiring a ton of fuss. If you've ever felt like the gluten-free version of something this indulgent would be a compromise, this one is here to prove you wrong.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 6 oz each)
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
For the dredge
- 1 cup rice flour
- ½ cup tapioca starch
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp kosher salt
For frying
- 4 cups neutral oil (such as canola or vegetable oil), for frying
For the glaze
- 3 tbsp gochujang
- 2 tbsp tamari
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 clove garlic, grated
For the quick pickles
- 1 english cucumber, thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- ½ tsp kosher salt
For the slaw
- 2 cups shredded green cabbage
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
For serving
- 4 gluten free hamburger buns, toasted
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tsp sesame seeds (optional)
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the buttermilk, 1 tsp kosher salt, and black pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken thighs, turn to coat, and let them soak at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- 2
While the chicken soaks, make the quick pickles: stir together the rice vinegar (3 tbsp), sugar (1 tbsp), and salt (1/2 tsp) in a small bowl until dissolved, then add the cucumber slices. Set aside at room temperature for at least 20 minutes, stirring once or twice.
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