Article featured image
Nice, flavorful beer-marinated deep-fried chicken bites are a mighty fine pairing for a nice flavorful beer.

Say what you will about Southern fried chicken — tonight we’re heading east for some of the best crispy bird on the planet. Whether you’re craving some KFC (Korean fried chicken, that is), Japanese boneless bites or the golden-hued turmeric chicken sold all over Malaysia, we’ve got an Asian fried chicken recipe here for you. Watch out for that General Tso’s, though — it’s a firecracker.

Recipe: Japanese Beer Fried Chicken

Joon Ou, the executive chef at Japan’s Baird Brewing, notes that this Japanese fried chicken dish is Chinese-influenced, although the use of lager does make it a little unusual.

Turmeric Fried Chicken
This Malaysian turmeric fried chicken is a crunchy, golden-yellow treat to be savored.

Recipe: Golden Turmeric Fried Chicken

Authentic Malaysian ayam goreng, or fried chicken, eaten at least once a week at our home, is typically made with a simple combination of turmeric, ground chilies, salt, and pepper. The turmeric also enhances that appealing golden-brown color you want in perfect fried chicken. I usually start with a whole chicken and cut it into 12 pieces, since small pieces are more flavorful than large because they get coated with more spice.

thai fried chicken recipe
Crispy and spicy chicken

Recipe: Harold Dieterle’s Thai-Style Fried Chicken

What’s the only thing better than a cookbook by an awesome chef? A notebook by an awesome chef like Harold Dieterle. The Top Chef season 1 winner and chef-owner of popular NYC restaurants Kin Shop, the Marrow and Perilla just launched Harold Dieterle’s Kitchen Notebook, a collection of recipes influenced by Italian, Thai and German cuisine, and we’ve never been more excited to see all three cultures in one delicious place. Fried chicken is a universally loved food, so get universal about it and learn to fry it Thai-style.

general tso fried chicken
Two of your favorite iterations of chicken in one

Recipe: General Tso Fried Chicken

“The inspiration ​for the dish​ is pretty much at the center of most things we do: It’s the American/Chinese crossover which lends itself to so many things that just taste so damn good,” says chef Andres Valbuena. “I’m glad to say that the chicken ​is very, very popular. Our number-one entrée by far.”

korean fried chicken
Your first bite into this succulent version of a twice-fried bird will change your concept of breadless chicken forever. (Photo: Quentin Bacon.)

Recipe: Korean Fried Chicken

Traditionally referred to as tong dak, the recipe typically calls for a whole chicken, and you are served half a fried chicken along with pancakes, pickled daikon, and various dipping sauces. When developing this recipe for my food truck, I wanted to make it a little easier to consume on the streets, so I stuck to chicken drumsticks, which are more in line with the American concept of fried chicken.