What To Serve With Korean Fried Chicken: 20 BEST Sides!

Got a new culinary adventure on the horizon, but need some help with ideas for what to serve with Korean fried chicken?

You’re in the right place, and you’re about to discover the tastiest, most irresistible side dishes to complement your main course. 

Korean fried chicken is rich, flavoursome, and complex.

It’s smoky sweet, slightly spicy taste will keep you coming back for more, so if you’ve never tried this dish before, be prepared to have a new go-to on your weekly meal plan! 

Whether you’re looking for something that’s authentically Korean to serve as an accompaniment, or you’re just looking for the tastiest side dishes that you can have on the table super fast, we’ve got you covered. 

Just need the quick answer? 

No worries! 

Some of the best side dishes for Korean fried chicken include Korean fried rice, spicy cucumber salad, noodle stir fry, egg roll omelette, spicy stir-fried rice cakes, crispy seaweed kale, kimchi pancakes, tempura courgettes, tofu muchim, and bao buns. 

Keep reading for more ideas for what to serve with Korean fried chicken, including simple and authentic recipes… 

1. Spicy cucumber salad 

The richness of Korean fried chicken works so well with a spicy, fresh, and vibrant salad side dish. 

This is why I recommend trying spicy cucumber salad.

Soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, chilli, and a little sugar come together to create a dish that’s cool yet fiery, and looks beautiful when placed in a serving bowl at the table. 

2. Korean fried rice 

Korean fried rice is a great option for what to serve with Korean fried chicken if you like things a little spicy!

It’s packed with bacon, snow peas, and ginger, and you’re likely to find it way more exciting and interesting than a bowl of plain, steamed rice. 

The all-important secret ingredient here is gochujang, which is a spicy fermented red chilli based condiment that you’ll often find in Korean cuisine.

These days, it’s fairly readily available, and you’re likely to find it in many major supermarkets in the international foods aisle. 

(Love K-cuisine? You’ll also enjoy what to serve with Korean corn dogs!) 

3. Japchae (noodle stir fry) 

Japchae is a traditional glass noodle stir fry, and it’s particularly popular to prepare for Korean celebrations.

Of course though, it works just as well for everyday dining! 

It translates as mixed vegetables, and is best when it achieves a balance of a sweet and savoury flavour, and a bouncy noodle texture (not too mushy is of utmost importance here). 

It’s a fitting choice for what to serve with Korean fried chicken as it brings a variety of different textures to the table, whilst also ensuring that you’ve got a decent serving of vitamin and minerals in your veggies. 

4. Gamja jorim (braised potatoes) 

Gamja jorim is a delicious side dish for Korean fried chicken that requires just a handful of ingredients, and around half an hour to cook and prepare. 

Though a basic version of this recipe will include just potatoes, you can add a variety of additional vegetables for extra crunch.

I like to add some chopped peppers, spring onions, garlic, and mushrooms. 

Remember that a recipe is there to guide you, but you can come across some unique dishes that will prove to be family favourites for years to come when you give yourself to experiment and go off piste now and again. 

5. Egg roll omelette 

An egg roll omelette is a popular side dish in Korean cuisine, and you can tailor the fillings to suit your own individual tastes. 

You might want to add meat, mushrooms, seafood, and cheese, for example. 

I like to keep things simple by making an egg roll omelette with a spinach filling. It’s quick and easy, and it’s also wonderfully nutritious. 

6. Korean cream cheese garlic bread 

If you’re a keen lover of Korean street food, you’re very likely to have come across Korean cream cheese garlic bread whilst on your culinary travels. 

The exterior is crisp and crunchy, whilst the middle is soft, chewy, slightly sweet, and deliciously garlicky, just as you’d expect! 

7. Pickled radishes

Pickled radish is a top choice for what to serve with Korean fried rice, and it’s a combination that you’ll often find in restaurants. 

These spicy quick pickled radishes can be prepped in advance and kept in the fridge, and they’re so eye-catching! 

Just trim and finely slice your radishes, and toss in a bowl with red wine vinegar and a good pinch of caster sugar. 

Leave to marinate for 10 to 15 minutes, and you’re good to go. 

You’ll have plenty of leftovers, and you can use these with tacos, burgers, salads, sandwiches, and much more. 

8. Seasoned spinach

Wilted spinach is quick to prepare, and so full of goodness.

It’s also a fantastic choice for what to serve with Korean fried chicken! 

I like to add garlic to this dish.

Just slice and fry until golden, then add the spinach until wilted, making sure that you mix together your two ingredients well. 

9. Spicy stir-fried rice cakes 

Stir fried rice cakes are Asian comfort food at its very best! 

They’re soft and chewy, and are wonderful at soaking up the flavours of any sauce that they’re served in. 

Do remember that for best results, you should soak the rice cakes overnight to ensure they’re dehydrated. 

You can find them in almost all Asian supermarkets, so you don’t have to worry about making your own from scratch. 

10. Crispy seaweed kale 

Crispy seaweed is one of my favourite side dishes when making Asian food, and those light, crispy mouthfuls and the sweet meets salty taste is something that’s always worth writing home about. 

I love substituting seaweed for more readily available kale in this crispy kale recipe.  

11. Spicy stir fried squid

Do you love seafood? 

If so, a squid based side dish for Korean fried chicken is likely to be right up your street. 

If you’re a little apprehensive about preparing squid, you needn’t be.

You can pick up ready prepared, cleaned squid from reputable fishmongers and some larger supermarkets. 

Try this spicy stir fried squid recipe.

It’s easy enough for even inexperienced home chefs, and the result is seriously impressive! 

12. Kimchi pancakes

Kimchi pancakes are a Korean side dish staple, and a brilliant way to use up any leftover kimchi that might be lurking at the back of your fridge. 

You can also make them a couple of days in advance and store in the fridge before cooking, making them a good choice if you’re having friends over and you want to make sure that you’ve dome as much preparation as possible before the meal itself. 

(By the way, if you love Korean food, be sure to also take a look at what to serve with bulgogi). 

13. Steamed aubergine

Aubergines are a great source of dietary fibre, as well as a range of essential vitamins and minerals. 

Though there are many more complex recipes you can try when it comes to what to serve with Korean fried chicken, I sometimes like to keep things super simple by serving a portion of steamed aubergine. 

An interesting fact… Aubergine and eggplant are exactly the same vegetable.

Aubergine is a word of French origin and tends to be how Europeans refer to it, whilst eggplant is used by Americans. 

14. Tempura courgettes

Imagine crispy chips of courgette, encased in a deliciously light batter.

That’s exactly what you get when you make tempura courgette, and it makes a good side dish for Korean main courses when you want to add veggies, but you don’t want to compromise on satisfaction. 

Of course, if you like, you can add a bigger variety of vegetables.

It’s a great way to use up any that might be about to be past their best. 

15. Tofu muchim

Tofu isn’t just for vegetarians!

It’s actually a deliciously tasty choice for what to serve with Korean fried chicken, and there are so many different ways to make it into something special. 

My favourite at the moment is tofu muchim.

This is tofu braised in a simple soy-based sauce that’s easy to prepare and a real taste sensation. 

If you enjoy savoury umami flavours, you need to try this next time you’re making Asian food! 

16. Bao buns

Korean fried chicken is an absolutely delicious filling for bao buns, and it’s a meal that can be a quick street food treat, or something more special that’s worthy of a place at a Korean banquet. 

Be sure to add some extra garnishes, such as chopped carrot, spring onion, cashew nuts, and herbs. 

Eager to explore similar meals further? Be sure to check out my guide for what to serve with bao buns. 

17. Korean shiitake mushrooms

A simple but hugely popular Korean side dish is shiitake mushrooms stir fried in sesame oil with garlic.

In Korea, this dish is called ‘beosut bokkeum‘ which literally means ‘stir fried’. 

It’s ready in less than 10 minutes and only requires 5 ingredients, but it brings a lot to the party in terms of both taste and texture. 

18. Bibimbap 

Bibimbap is probably one of the most famous Korean dishes that you’ll come across, and it’s a rice bowl that’s considered to be a main meal in its own right. 

It typically consists of warm white rice seasoned with namul and gochujang, and topped with veggies and sliced meats. 

You can, of course, use Korean fried chicken as a topping for a really satisfying and balanced meal. 

For the ultimate bibimbap, make sure you add a runny fried egg and a sprinkling of sesame seeds! 

19. Gimbap

Gimbap are Korean seaweed rice rolls, with fillings such as bulgogi beef, cheese, kimchi, ham, and eggs. 

They’re very similar to Japanese sushi, though the name ‘sushi’ refers to the vinegared rice that’s used, whilst gimbap are usually seasoned with sesame oil instead. 

Try this gimbap recipe, which is wonderfully authentic and also easy to follow. 

It’s a fabulous option to serve with Korean fried chicken when you want to offer various different tastes of the cuisine, and invite everyone to dig in and help themselves. 

20. Sweet and spicy Korean potsticker salad

Potstickers are such a fun side dish, and you can upgrade them by adding them to a delicious sweet and spicy salad! 

This option is a real crowdpleaser, and it’s perfect for a potluck style meal with lots of different options to dig into. 

Some final thoughts on what to serve with Korean fried chicken

From stir fried rice cakes to traditional fried rice, there are so many different choices that can bring something extra to this popular Korean main course. 

Get a little experimental if you’re in the mood, but remember that ultimately, cooking should be a fun, pleasurable experience.

You don’t have to create a full banquet, even if you have guests for the evening, and there’s often beauty to be found in keeping things simple. 

Whatever side dishes and accompaniments you choose, I hope you thoroughly enjoy them! 

If you’d like to save this post for another day, just pin the image below to Pinterest.