Korean fried chicken is famous for its glassy, shattering crust and sticky-spicy glaze. The air fryer gets you there without a vat of oil — the trick is a cornflour coating and a quick re-crisp after glazing. Here's how.
Key takeaways
Q: How do you make Korean fried chicken in an air fryer?
A: Coat chicken in cornflour, air fry at 200°C (400°F) for about 20 minutes, toss in gochujang glaze, then crisp 2–3 minutes more.
Q: What makes it so crispy?
A: A cornflour coating and that final re-crisp after glazing.
The double-crisp method
Coat the chicken in cornflour (with a little baking powder) for that glassy crust, and air fry until deeply golden. Toss in a glaze of gochujang, soy, honey and garlic, then return it to the air fryer for a couple of minutes so the glaze sets sticky rather than wet. That second crisp is the secret.
The recipe
Air Fryer Korean Fried Chicken
Ingredients
- 800g chicken wings or thighs
- 4 tbsp cornflour, 1 tsp baking powder
- Gochujang, soy, honey, garlic
- Sesame, spring onion
Method
- Coat in cornflour and baking powder.
- Air fry at 200°C for about 20 minutes.
- Toss in the gochujang glaze.
- Crisp 2–3 minutes; top with sesame.
Tips
- Cornflour + baking powder for a glassy crust.
- Glaze, then re-crisp so it's sticky not wet.
- Adjust the gochujang to your heat level.
Frequently asked questions
How do you make Korean fried chicken in an air fryer?
Coat chicken in cornflour and baking powder, air fry at 200°C for about 20 minutes, toss in a gochujang glaze, then crisp for 2–3 minutes more so the glaze sets sticky.
What makes Korean fried chicken so crispy?
A cornflour-based coating gives the glassy crust, and re-crisping after glazing keeps it crunchy rather than letting the sauce soften it.
What is gochujang?
A Korean fermented chilli paste — sweet, savoury and spicy — that forms the base of the classic glaze with soy, honey and garlic.