Toss the chicken in buttermilk, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

Then… leave it.

At least 30 minutes. A few hours if you’ve got time. Let the buttermilk do its thing — tender, juicy, that’s the goal.

Mix your flour and cornstarch in a bowl. Pull each piece from the buttermilk, let it drip a bit, then coat it well in the flour mix. Press that flour in. Don’t just tap. You’re building the armor.

Heat your oil to about 350°F (175°C).

Don’t crowd the pot — two pieces at a time, tops. First fry: about 6–7 minutes, until pale golden. Rest them a minute or two.

Then go again — 2–3 minutes. That’s the Korean double fry trick. It’s the secret. That’s how you get that wild crunch.

I usually stand there grinning like a fool, watching the second fry bubble away. Sounds weird, but it’s kinda satisfying.

While the chicken’s resting on your rack, throw all the sauce ingredients into a small pan. Medium heat. Stir, let it bubble for 2–3 minutes until it thickens a bit.

Smell that? That’s garlic, soy, and heat — like pure temptation in a saucepan.

You can either toss the chicken in it or spoon it on top later. Depends how messy you wanna get. (I’m a full-dunk kind of person.)

Mix your slaw real quick.

Toast your buns — just enough to get a bit of color.

Then layer: spicy mayo → saucy chicken → crunchy slaw → maybe a pickle.

Close it up.

Hold it for a second. Admire your work. You made that.