Air Fryer Korean Fried Chicken (Printable)

Crispy, juicy chicken air-fried and coated in a spicy-sweet gochujang glaze with savory seasonings.

# What You 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

# Directions:

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 - Set air fryer temperature to 400°F (200°C) and allow to preheat.
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, spray again, and air fry for an additional 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 the gochujang glaze until well coated.
08 - Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The double-dredge coating creates this snappy, shattering texture that makes you feel like you're eating something far more sinful than it actually is.
  • Your kitchen doesn't smell like a deep-fryer explosion for three days afterward, which your laundry will thank you for.
02 -
  • Don't skip the oil spray on top of the chicken pieces—that's the entire secret to air fryer crispiness, and I learned this the hard way by making batch one without it.
  • The glaze continues to thicken as it cools, so if it looks slightly loose when you pour it, that's actually perfect—it'll coat everything beautifully.
03 -
  • The potato starch gets expensive at regular grocery stores, but Asian markets sell it for half the price—stock up and keep it around for other crispy adventures.
  • If your chicken pieces are wildly different sizes, they'll cook unevenly, so take a minute to cut everything into roughly the same bite-sized shape.
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