Air Fryer Korean Fried Chicken
This crisp air-fryer version gives you shattering chicken bites coated in a sticky sweet-spicy Korean glaze, without needing a deep fryer. It’s the kind of weeknight dinner that tastes like takeout, but with a brighter, punchier sauce and a lighter finish.
- Prep 20 min
- Cook 20 min
- Total 40 min
- Serves 1
- Medium

- 💪 High protein
Ingredients
- Chicken Thigh (boneless), cut into bite-sized pieces450 g
- Soy Sauce3 tbsp
- Garlic, finely minced3 clove
- Gochujang2 tbsp
- Honey2 tbsp
- Rice Vinegar1 tbsp
- Sesame Oil (toasted)1 tbsp
- All-Purpose Flour3 tbsp
- Cornstarch3 tbsp
- Large Eggs, lightly beaten1
- Red Pepper Flakes1 tsp
- Scallions, thinly sliced2 stalk
- Sesame Seeds1 tbsp
- Cooking Oil, for misting or brushing1 tbsp
Contains Corn, Eggs, Garlic, Gluten, Onion, Sesame, Soy, Sulphites. AI-generated, checked against common allergens; always check labels.
Method
-
Cut the chicken
Trim the Chicken Thigh into bite-sized pieces on a chopping board, keeping the pieces fairly even so they crisp at the same pace in the air fryer. They should look like chunky, neat nuggets rather than ragged strips; if any piece is much larger, split it now so it does not stay pale in the centre.
5 min -
Mince the garlic
Peel and mince the Garlic Clove until it is very fine, using the flat of the knife to gather it back into a tight pile if it starts to scatter. You want tiny pieces that smell sharp and fragrant, not big chunks that burn or poke through the glaze; if the board gets sticky, wipe the blade and keep going slowly.
4 min -
Slice the scallions
Trim the roots from the Scallions and slice them thinly on a slight angle so they curl lightly and look crisp and fresh. Keep going until the pieces are bright, pale-green to dark-green, and feather-light; if the whites feel tough, slice them thinner so they soften instantly on the hot chicken.
3 min -
Mix the coating
Whisk the All-Purpose Flour, Cornstarch, and Red Pepper Flakes together in a mixing bowl so the spice is evenly speckled through the pale flour mixture. You are looking for a loose, dusty blend with no clumps or streaks; if the cornstarch has packed together, break it up with your fingers before whisking again.
2 min -
Beat the egg
Beat the Large Eggs in a second bowl until the white and yolk look fully combined and glossy, with no streaks of clear white left behind. The mixture should fall in a smooth ribbon from the fork or whisk; if it still looks patchy, keep stirring for a few more seconds so the coating grabs evenly.
1 min -
Dip each piece of Chicken Thigh into the beaten egg, let the excess drip away for a moment.
-
Roll it through the flour mixture until every surface looks lightly shaggy and dry. Work in batches so the bowl stays loose and the coating stays craggy; if the flour turns paste-like, sprinkle in a little more of the dry mix and keep tossing.
6 min -
Arrange the coated chicken in a single layer in a preheated air fryer basket.
-
Mist or brush the pieces lightly with the Cooking Oil so the surfaces can bronze instead of drying out. Air-fry at a high heat for about 12 minutes, turning the pieces halfway through, until the crust sounds crisp when tapped and the edges are deep gold rather than pale; if your basket is crowded, cook in batches so steam does not soften the coating.
12 min -
Simmer the glaze
Set a small saucepan over medium heat and stir together the Soy Sauce, Gochujang, Honey, Rice Vinegar, Sesame Oil, and minced Garlic Clove. Let it bubble gently for about 3 minutes, stirring often, until it turns glossy, smells sweet-heat sharp, and coats the back of a spoon; if it starts to sputter hard or thicken too fast, lower the heat so the sugar does not catch.
4 min -
Transfer the crisp chicken to a mixing bowl and pour the hot glaze over it.
-
Toss with a spoon until every piece is lacquered and shiny. Keep going for about 30 seconds until the coating looks even and sticky rather than wet; if the glaze pools at the bottom, keep folding from the edge of the bowl until it clings properly.
2 min -
Finish and serve
Pile the glazed chicken into a serving bowl and scatter over the Scallions and Sesame Seeds so the top stays bright, crunchy, and fresh against the sticky coating. Serve right away while the crust still has a slight crackle and the glaze is shiny; if it sits too long, the steam from the chicken will soften the edges, so bring it straight to the table once it is dressed.
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