Air Fryer Korean Fried Chicken (Print Version)

Crispy chicken pieces tossed in a spicy-sweet gochujang glaze, air-fried for a lighter finish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
05 - 1 tablespoon rice wine (mirin or sake)
06 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
07 - 1 teaspoon ginger powder

→ Coating

08 - 1 cup potato starch or cornstarch
09 - 2 large eggs, beaten
10 - Cooking spray or neutral oil for air fryer basket

→ Gochujang Glaze

11 - 0.25 cup gochujang (Korean chili paste)
12 - 2 tablespoons honey
13 - 2 tablespoons brown sugar
14 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
15 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
16 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
17 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil

→ Garnish

18 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
19 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a large bowl, combine chicken pieces with salt, pepper, soy sauce, rice wine, garlic powder, and ginger powder. Mix well and marinate for 10-15 minutes.
02 - Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
03 - Dredge each chicken piece in potato starch, dip into beaten eggs, then dredge again in potato starch for enhanced crispiness.
04 - Lightly spray the air fryer basket with oil. Arrange chicken in a single layer without overcrowding, working in batches if necessary.
05 - Spray the tops of chicken pieces with oil. Air fry for 10 minutes, flip, then spray again and air fry for 8-10 minutes until golden and cooked through.
06 - In a small saucepan, combine gochujang, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, and sesame oil. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently until thickened, approximately 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat.
07 - Toss the hot chicken pieces in the gochujang glaze until thoroughly coated.
08 - Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes indulgent and restaurant-quality while using way less oil than deep-frying ever could.
  • The glaze comes together in the time it takes the chicken to cook, making weeknight dinners feel effortless.
02 -
  • Don't skip the marinating step—it feels like extra work, but those 10-15 minutes make the difference between good chicken and chicken that tastes like it was made with care.
  • If your glaze breaks or looks too thick after cooking, whisk in a tablespoon of water at a time until it reaches a pourable consistency; it'll thicken more as it cools.
03 -
  • Make the gochujang glaze up to a day ahead and reheat it gently before tossing with chicken—this actually deepens the flavors and takes pressure off your cooking timeline.
  • If you notice the coating looking pale rather than golden after the first side cooks, your air fryer might run cooler than others; bump the temperature up 10-15 degrees and you'll see the difference.
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