Korean Fried Chicken

By Lucy Parissi

5 from 4 votes

, Updated Apr 22, 2025

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Korean fried chicken – crispy fried chicken in a sweet-yet-spicy chili sauce. Make this incredibly addictive chicken in your Air Fryer and prepare to be hooked!

How about a batch of Air Fryer Cookies for dessert?

A bowl of Korean Fried Chicken wings glazed to perfection, topped with chopped green onions and sesame seeds, sits beside a small wooden cup of dark dipping sauce on a textured grey surface.

KFC or chikin in Korea includes a variety of fried chicken dishes, including the unseasoned huraideu chicken and spicy Korean fried chicken (Yangnyeom = seasoned chicken). This super crispy fried chicken coated in a spicy-sweet sauce is incredibly addicting – one bite and you will be hooked!

The one reason I avoided making Korean Fried Chicken at home for so long is the frying part… Luckily I managed to make incredibly tasty Korean-style chicken in my air fryer and now we have it at least once a week!

Golden brown, crispy Korean Fried Chicken wings are arranged in a single layer inside a black air fryer basket. The wings appear well-cooked with a crunchy coating.

You will not believe how crispy yet tender air fried chicken is – and how EASY! No oil, no double frying, no mess and no fuss. Add the incredible spicy-sweet sauce and you definitely will be licking your fingers and asking for more!

Table of Contents

Ingredients for Korean Fried Chicken

You will need a large air fryer for this recipe – I swear by my Cosori Air Fryer! Alternatively you can fry the chicken in oil following the instructions in this recipe for Chicken Karaage.

  • The chicken – I used skinless and boneless chicken thighs cut into small pieces. You can use chicken wings or even whole drumsticks if you like (however cooking time might need adjusting). Chicken wings are especially yummy when cooked in an air fryer!
  • Chicken marinade – soy sauce, honey, rice wine, minced garlic and ginger. If you can’t find rice wine you can use Sake, dry vermouth or sherry. 
  • Crispy coating – unlike American fried chicken which is dredged in buttermilk and flour, Korean Fried chicken has a thin and super crispy coating. I used potato starch, cornstarch, baking powder and a little flour for my crust which worked amazingly well. If you can’t find potato starch you can substitute with extra cornstarch.
Ingredients for korean fried chicken
  • For the sauce – the secret ingredient in Korean Fried Chicken sauce is Gochujang paste which has a unique spicy-yet-sweet flavor. You can find gochujang in supermarkets or on Amazon and it can be used in many recipes (try my Korean Ribs). The sauce also contains ketchup, soy sauce, honey, brown sugar and a little garlic.
ingredients for korean fried chicken sauce

How to make Korean Fried Chicken

Full measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page. Please take a look at the steps and video before attempting this recipe!

  1. Trim the chicken thighs of any fat and slice into small pieces (I cut mine into quarters). Put the chicken in a bowl, add all the marinade ingredients and stir to combine. Marinate for half an hour (or up to an hour in the fridge). 
chicken thighs marinating in a bowl
  1. Combine all the ingredients for the crispy coating in a shallow bowl. Toss each piece of chicken in the coating to lightly cover. Set aside on a platter, spaced apart, until all the chicken is prepped.
tossing chicken pieces in crispy coating before frying
  1. Meanwhile preheat the Air Fryer to 400°F (200°C) for five minutes. Mist the basket with an oil spray or brush lightly with oil. Liberally spray / brush the chicken pieces with oil as well. 
brushing breaded chicken pieces with oil
  1. Place in the Air Fryer, slightly spaced out, and cook for 12 minutes, flipping the chicken over halfway through. You will need to cook the chicken in batches so that it can crisp up.
chicken pieces in an air fryer
  1. Put all the ingredients for the sauce in a saucepan and stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves and the sauce becomes sticky.
Tossing Korean Fried Chicken in sauce
  1. Pour the sauce over the chicken pieces or use tongs to coat them in the sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds and thinly sliced green onions and serve with extra dipping sauce on the side. 
Close-up of Korean Fried Chicken topped with sliced green onions, and black sesame and white sesame seeds. The chicken is coated in a glossy, red sauce and generously garnished for extra flavor.

Recipe Tips, Notes & Variations

  • Why should I add baking powder to fried chicken? Baking powder helps to create super crispy skin, especially in an air fryer! Baking soda should be avoided however as it adds a metallic taste.
  • Is Korean Fried Chicken spicy? The sauce has a wonderfully sweet, smoky taste with a hint of spice. Adding more gochujang paste will create a spicier sauce. You can serve the sauce in a bowl on the side to dip the fried chicken in if preferred.
  • The sauce can be made in advance and kept in the fridge for a few days.
  • Reheat any leftovers in the air fryer for 12 minutes at 350°C (180°C) or until the chicken is heated through. The coating will be slightly less crispy but still delicious!
  • Check the chicken is cooked through by testing with an instant read thermometer – the SAFE internal cooking temperature for chicken is 165°F / 75°C /165.
  • Want some serving suggestions? Serve as an appetizer with ice-cold beer, or as a main over rice or with Asian slaw. You might like it as a burger or slider in a brioche bun, or in a bao bun with Japanese mayo!
A hand reaches for a piece of saucy Korean Fried chicken wings on a green and gray ceramic plate, garnished with chopped green onions, with a small bowl of sauce and black sesame seeds nearby.

HAVE YOU MADE MY KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN RECIPE? Please leave a rating, post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #supergoldenbakes and make my day!

A bowl of Korean Fried Chicken wings glazed to perfection, topped with chopped green onions and sesame seeds, sits beside a small wooden cup of dark dipping sauce on a textured grey surface.
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5 from 4 votes

Korean Fried Chicken

By Lucy Parissi | Supergolden Bakes
Korean fried chicken – crispy fried chicken in a sweet-yet-spicy chili sauce. Make this incredibly addictive chicken in your Air Fryer and prepare to be hooked!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Marinating: 30 minutes
Total Time: 57 minutes
Servings: 4
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Video

Equipment

Ingredients

Chicken Marinade

  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp rice wine
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 garlic cloves , minced
  • 2 tsp minced ginger
  • 8 skinless chicken thighs , quartered

Crispy Coating

  • 4 tbsp potato starch (sub with cornstarch)
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch (cornflour)
  • 2 tbsp flour (all purpose / plain)
  • 1 tbsp baking powder

For the air fryer

  • Oil spray or sesame oil to brush on chicken

KFC SAUCE

  • 3 tbsp ketchup
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste), more if you like it spicy!
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp garlic powder

To serve

  • toasted sesame seeds
  • Green onions

Instructions 

  • Combine the marinade ingredients in a small bowl.
    2 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp rice wine, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 garlic cloves, 2 tsp minced ginger
  • Trim the chicken thighs of any fat and slice into small pieces (I cut mine into quarters). Put the chicken in a bowl, add all the marinade ingredients and stir to combine. Marinate for half an hour (or up to an hour in the fridge).
    8 skinless chicken thighs
  • Combine all the ingredients for the crispy coating in a shallow bowl. Toss each piece of chicken in the coating to lightly cover. Set aside on a platter, spaced apart, until all the chicken is prepped.
    4 tbsp potato starch, 3 tbsp cornstarch, 2 tbsp flour, 1 tbsp baking powder
  • Meanwhile preheat the Air Fryer to 400°F (200°C) for five minutes. Mist the basket with an oil spray or brush lightly with oil. Mist / brush the chicken pieces with oil as well.
    Oil spray or sesame oil to brush on chicken
  • Place in the Air Fryer, slightly spaced out, and cook for 12 minutes, flipping the chicken over halfway through. You will need to cook the chicken in batches so that it can crisp up.
  • Put all the ingredients for the sauce in a saucepan and stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves and the sauce becomes sticky.
    3 tbsp ketchup, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp gochujang, 2 tbsp honey, 3 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp garlic powder
  • Pour the sauce over the chicken pieces or use tongs to coat them in the sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds and thinly sliced green onions and serve with extra dipping sauce on the side.
    toasted sesame seeds, Green onions

Notes

  • You will need a large air fryer for this recipe – I swear by my Cosori Air Fryer! Alternatively you can fry the chicken in oil following the instructions in this recipe for Chicken Karaage.
  • The chicken – I used skinless and boneless chicken thighs cut into small pieces. You can use chicken wings or even whole drumsticks if you like (however cooking time might need adjusting). Chicken wings are especially yummy when cooked in an air fryer!
  • Chicken marinade – soy sauce, honey, rice wine, minced garlic and ginger. If you can’t find rice wine you can use Sake, dry vermouth or sherry. 
  • Crispy coating – unlike American fried chicken which is dredged in buttermilk and flour, Korean Fried chicken has a thin and super crispy coating. I used potato starch, cornstarch, baking powder and a little flour for my crust which worked amazingly well. If you can’t find potato starch you can substitute with extra cornstarch.

Nutrition

Calories: 447kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 215mg | Sodium: 1320mg | Potassium: 1072mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 128IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 168mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.

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