Air Fryer Korean Fried Chicken will be your next obsession when you are craving something crispy and flavorful but don’t want all that excess oil. It delivers that signature crunch with a sticky, spicy-sweet glaze without feeling too greasy.
What is Korean Fried Chicken?
Korean Fried Chicken (or KFC, as some people like to call it!) is known for its extra crispy coating and irresistible sauce.
Unlike traditional fried chicken, Korean Fried Chicken uses a lighter, ultra-crispy batter and is often double-fried for maximum crunch. My method uses the air fryer so you get maximum crunch with minimal oil.
The sauce, typically made with gochujang (Korean red chili paste), balances sweet, spicy, and umami flavors, making each bite so addictive and delicious.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Crispy Without Deep Frying: Thanks to the air fryer, you get golden, crunchy chicken without the hassle (or mess) of deep frying.
- Bold Korean Flavors: The combination of gochujang, soy sauce, honey, and garlic creates a sticky, spicy-sweet sauce that coats each bite perfectly.
- Perfect for Any Occasion: Serve it as an appetizer, a main dish, or even for game day—this chicken is always a crowd-pleaser!
Equipment You’ll Need
Ingredients
For the Korean Fried Chicken
- Chicken Wings and Drumettes: The perfect cut for bite-sized, crispy fried chicken.
- All-Purpose Flour: Helps create a light and crispy coating when combined with cornstarch.
- Cornstarch: The secret to extra crispy chicken as this gives the coating a delicate crunch.
- Garlic Powder & Onion Powder
- Salt & Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
- Egg
- Avocado Oil Spray: A high-smoke-point oil that helps crisp up the chicken in the air fryer without excess grease.
For the Sauce
- Gochujang: This Korean chili paste is the backbone of the sauce, adding deep, spicy, and slightly sweet notes.
- Soy Sauce
- Honey & Brown Sugar
- Rice Vinegar
- Sesame Oil
- Garlic & Ginger: These aromatics bring warmth and depth to the sauce.
- Water: Helps thin the sauce for an even coating on the chicken.
Garnishes
- Sesame Seeds
- Green Onions
How to Make Air Fryer Korean Fried Chicken
Prep the Chicken
Pat the chicken wings dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture—this helps achieve a crispier coating.
In a large bowl, mix the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
Coat the Chicken
In a separate bowl, beat the egg. Dip each chicken piece into the egg, ensuring it’s fully coated. Then, dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, pressing lightly to create an even coating.
Air Fry the Chicken
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for a few minutes. Lightly spray the air fryer basket with avocado oil to prevent sticking.
Arrange the chicken in a single layer, making sure not to overcrowd the basket. Spray the chicken with avocado oil and brush lightly to ensure an even coating.
Air fry for 13-15 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the chicken is crispy and golden brown.
Make the Sauce for the Korean Fried Chicken
While the chicken cooks, prepare the sauce. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the gochujang, soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and water.
Stir and simmer for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly, then remove from heat.
Toss and Serve
Transfer the crispy chicken to a large bowl. Pour the sauce over the chicken and toss until evenly coated.
Arrange the coated chicken on a serving plate, then sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Storage
This chicken is best enjoyed fresh, but if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Reheat in the air fryer at 375°F for 3-4 minutes to maintain crispiness.
Tips for the Perfect Air Fryer Korean Fried Chicken
- Pat the chicken dry: Removing excess moisture BEFORE coating helps create a crispier texture.
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer: Cooking in batches ensures even airflow, which leads to crispier chicken.
- Brush on the oil evenly: Lightly brushing the avocado oil on the chicken ensures an even crisp without excess grease.
Related Recipes You'll Love
- Air Fryer Soy Rosemary Chicken Wings
- Lemongrass Chicken Wings
- Gochujang Chicken Thighs
- Air Fryer Soy Sauce Chicken
Air Fryer Korean Fried Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
Fried Chicken
- 1.5 pounds chicken wings and drumettes
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup corn starch
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 large egg beaten
- avocado oil spray
Gochujang Sauce
- 2.5 tablespoon gochujang
- 3 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1.5 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1.5 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- ¼ cup water
Garnishes
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoon green onions thinly sliced
Instructions
- Pat the chicken wings dry with a paper towel. In a large bowl, combine flour, corn starch, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.1.5 pounds chicken wings and drumettes, ½ cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup corn starch, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon salt, Freshly cracked black pepper
- Toss the chicken in the beaten egg, ensuring each piece is well-coated. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, pressing lightly to ensure an even coating.1 large egg
- Preheat the air fryer to 400F for a few mins. Lightly spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Arrange the chicken pieces in a single layer without overlapping (you may need to cook in batches). Spray the chicken with avocado oil then brush to ensure the oil evenly coats the entire chicken. Air fry for 13-15 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through.avocado oil spray
- While the chicken cooks, prepare the sauce. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine gochujang, soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and water. Stir and simmer for 2-3 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat.2.5 tablespoon gochujang, 3 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon honey, 1.5 tablespoon brown sugar, 1.5 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon grated ginger, ¼ cup water
- Transfer the cooked chicken to a large bowl. Pour the sauce over the chicken and toss to coat evenly.
- Arrange the chicken on a serving plate. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions. Serve immediately.1 tablespoon sesame seeds, 2 tablespoon green onions
Kathy Paulus says
My hubby doesn't like bones - how would you make nuggets instead - this recipe sounds so good!
Herman says
Thank you! You can switch to chicken tenders and follow similar ingredients. You may need to cut the tenders into pieces so they turn into nugget size!