Air Fryer Korean Fried Chicken (Printable)

Juicy chicken pieces air-fried and coated in a spicy-sweet gochujang glaze for vibrant Korean flavors.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
05 - 1 tablespoon rice wine
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 - 1/4 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

# Method:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Crispy outside, juicy inside: The double-dredge in potato starch creates that shatteringly crisp coating without deep frying.
  • That gochujang glaze is addictive: It's spicy-sweet-savory all at once, and you'll find yourself licking your fingers between bites.
  • Lighter than traditional versions: The air fryer uses barely any oil but delivers restaurant-quality results.
  • Ready in under an hour: From prep to plating, this is faster than takeout and tastes better.
02 -
  • Don't skip the double dredge: It's the difference between crispy and just crunchy; the starch needs two layers to hold up in the air fryer's heat.
  • The glaze thickens as it cools: Make it slightly looser than you think it should be, because it'll set up once tossed with the chicken.
  • Oil spray matters more than you'd think: It's what creates that golden exterior, so don't be shy with it on both sides of the chicken.
03 -
  • Buy potato starch specifically, not potato flour: They're different products and only the starch gives you that shatteringly crisp coating.
  • Don't open the air fryer door during cooking: Every time you peek, you're letting heat escape and adding time to the cooking process.
  • Make the glaze ahead of time: You can prepare it earlier in the day and just reheat it gently right before tossing the chicken.
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