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Super addictive Air Fryer Korean Fried Chicken! Made with a thin and light breading that gets wonderfully crunchy and a sauce that is subtly sweet and deliciously spicy. You will love this 30-minute recipe.

an overhead shot of air fryer korean fried chicken wings in a white bowl topped with green onions and sesame seeds.
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What is Korean Fried Chicken?

Korean fried chicken is a popular dish of crispy fried chicken that originated in South Korea, and known for its distinctively crispy and flavorful coating. Traditionally, it is prepared by double frying in oil, which results in a crispier exterior while keeping the meat inside moist and tender. 

Called “Yangnyeom Chicken” in Korean, which translates to “seasoned chicken,” it’s typically enjoyed with a glass of beer. It’s common to cut up a whole chicken into smaller pieces to bread and deep fry, but I’m simplifying the dish by using just chicken wings.

It is often served with various sauces, including spicy gochujang, soy garlic, or sweet and tangy glazes, offering a range of flavors to suit different preferences.  It is usually double-fried before getting coated in the sauce for that crunchy texture, but it’s much easier and just as delicious in the air fryer!

What Makes This Recipe Great

I love that this dish has gotten very popular in recent years in the United States, and there are so many restaurants local to me that specialize in this yummy dish. It’s a delicious snack or meal, and it’s so easy (and healthier!) to make at home in the air fryer rather than frying in oil!

These Korean fried chicken wings are tossed in a sweet and spicy gochujang sauce and garnished with green onions and sesame seeds. It’s truly an addictive dish that everyone loves. 

One of the things that I love most about this chicken is the social aspect of the dish. It’s typically served communally at larger gatherings and brings a lively atmosphere of friends and family sharing and eating together. What could be better than that?!

More Asian dishes in the air fryer: Nurungji, Sesame Chicken, Korean Steak Bites, and General Tso’s Chicken.

Watch a Short Video of This Recipe

Ingredient Notes

recipe ingredients in small bowls and labeled.
  • chicken wings: I used skin-on chicken wings for this recipe. You can also follow the same instructions for boneless skinless chicken thighs, chicken drumsticks, chicken breasts, etc. Just be aware that the cooking time might vary. 
  • avocado oil: Or use your favorite cooking oil.
  • sea salt
  • ground black pepper
  • potato starch: Or cornstarch
  • cooking spray oil
  • sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds: For garnish

Korean Fried Chicken Sauce

  • Gochujang paste: Gochujang is Korean red pepper paste (gluten-free option here). You can find this in most Asian grocery stores and online. 
  • ketchup: Or you can sub with an equal amount of gochujang for a spicier flavor.
  • rice vinegar
  • honey
  • tamari sauce: Or soy sauce (or coconut aminos, for soy free)
  • brown sugar: Or coconut sugar
  • sesame oil
  • minced garlic cloves: If you don’t have fresh garlic, garlic powder will work in a pinch. 

How to Make Korean Fried Chicken

Rather than all the fuss of double frying in hot oil, I created an easy way to make this in the air fryer. If you don’t have one (get one!), you can also make this recipe in the oven. See expert tips for details! 

numbered step by step photos showing how to make this recipe.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F.
  2. Place the chicken wings in a large mixing bowl and coat with oil, salt, and pepper.
  3. Add potato starch and toss to coat evenly.
  4. Spray the air fryer basket or tray with cooking oil and add the chicken in a single layer. Then, spray the tops of the chicken with cooking oil, cook for 10 minutes, then flip. Spray the other side with cooking oil, then cook for another 10 minutes until golden brown. 
  5. While the chicken is cooking, stir all the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until it comes to a boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
  6. Toss the chicken in the spicy sauce to coat it all over. Serve warm, garnished with green onions and sesame seeds.
a closeup of chicken wings coated in a spicy sauce and topped with green onions and sesame seeds.

Expert Tips

  • The sticky sauce for this recipe is gochujang based, and it’s medium spicy, but feel free to add more gochujang to make it spicier.
  • If you are gluten-free, make sure you buy gluten-free gochujang. Most brands have wheat in them.
  • Be sure not to overcrowd the air fryer. Cook in batches if necessary. 
  • If you don’t have an air fryer, you can bake these in the oven at 425 degrees F for 50 minutes – flip them halfway through. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for best results. 

Serving Tips

  • To serve spicy Korean fried chicken, arrange the chicken on a platter, garnish with sesame seeds and green onions, and provide additional sauce for dipping.
  • Consider serving it alongside traditional Korean side dishes (banchan), and enjoy it while hot and crispy.

Storage Tips

  • Eat immediately for best results. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days, but they’ll lose their crunchiness. You can crisp back up in the air fryer at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.
a hand holding an air fryer korean fried chicken wing with a bite taken out.

Recipe FAQs

Why is Korean fried chicken so crispy?

​​The chicken is extra crispy due to coating the chicken in cornstarch or potato starch and double frying. However, I adjusted the recipe to get just as crispy in the air fryer instead! 

Why is Korean fried chicken different?

It’s different due to the method in which it’s cooked, the unique and flavorful sauce, and the social aspect it’s enjoyed with. It’s not just a dish, it’s an experience

More Air Fryer Recipes

Air Fryer Fried Pickles

Easy Air Fryer Chili Lime Tilapia

Extra Crispy Air Fryer Drumsticks

Easy Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes

Gluten-Free Air Fryer Chicken Tenders

If you make this recipe, please leave me a star rating and comment below! I love to hear your thoughts and feedback. Follow me on social media Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for even more delicious recipes!

a bowl of air fryer korean fried chicken wings.
5 from 2 votes
Servings: 4 servings

Air Fryer Korean Fried Chicken Recipe (Yangnyeom Chicken)

Super addictive Air Fryer Korean Fried Chicken! Made with a thin and light breading that gets wonderfully crunchy and a sauce that is subtly sweet and deliciously spicy! You will love this 30 minute recipe.
Prep: 8 minutes
Cook: 22 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
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Video

Ingredients 

  • 2 lb chicken wings
  • 1 tbsp avocado oil, or your favorite cooking oil
  • tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/3 cup potato starch, or corn starch
  • Cooking spray
  • Sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

For the Sauce

  • 2 tbsp gochujang, Korean red pepper paste (gluten free option here)
  • 2 tbsp ketchup, or you can sub with equal amount gochujang for a spicier flavor
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp tamari sauce, or soy sauce (or coconut aminos, for soy free)
  • 2 tsp brown sugar, or coconut sugar
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced

Instructions 

  • Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F.
  • Place the chicken wings in a large mixing bowl, and coat with oil, salt, and pepper.
  • Add potato starch and toss to coat evenly.
  • Spray the air fryer basket or tray with cooking oil and add the chicken in a single layer. Spray the tops of the chicken with cooking oil, cook for 10 minutes, then flip. Spray the other side with cooking oil, then cook for another 10 minutes.
  • While the chicken is cooking, stir in all ingredients for the sauce in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until it comes to a boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
  • Toss the chicken in the sauce to coat all over. Serve warm, garnishes with green onions and sesame seeds.

Notes

Expert Tips

  • The sticky sauce for this recipe is gochujang based, and it’s medium spicy, but feel free to add more gochujang to make it spicier.
  • If you are gluten-free, make sure you buy gluten-free gochujang. Most brands have wheat in them.
  • Be sure not to overcrowd the air fryer. Cook in batches if necessary. 
  • If you don’t have an air fryer, you can bake these in the oven at 425 degrees F for 50 minutes – flip them halfway through. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for best results. 

Serving Tips

  • To serve, arrange the chicken on a platter, garnish with sesame seeds and green onions, and provide additional sauce for dipping.
  • Consider serving it alongside traditional Korean side dishes (banchan), and enjoy it while hot and crispy.

Storage Tips

  • Eat immediately for best results. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days, but they’ll lose their crunchiness. You can crisp back up in the air fryer at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving – makes 4, Calories: 413kcal, Carbohydrates: 21g, Protein: 24g, Fat: 25g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 94mg, Sodium: 1223mg, Potassium: 380mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 197IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 33mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below or tag @whatgreatgrandmaate!

What Great Grandma Ate / Jean Choi is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Regarding other affiliate links and affiliate relationships: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. Thank you for your support and understanding.

Jean Choi

I’m a food lover and recipe developer living in Southern California. I love to share simple and approachable gluten-free recipes that are healthy but never sacrifice on flavor.

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7 Comments

  1. Gabby says:

    5 stars
    I made this last night for me and my husband! We used chicken breasts cut into small cubes instead of the wings since I don’t love bones in my meat lol. Just adjusted the air frying time by a few minutes. It came out perfectly! The sauce is to die for! Husband asked if this could be a part of our regular recipe rotation and of course I said yes! Looking forward to making it again and trying more of your recipes!

    1. Jean Choi says:

      Amazing! I love that it worked with chicken breasts. Thank you so much for leaving a review!

  2. Mary says:

    What if I wanted to make the soy garlic version??

    1. Jean Choi says:

      You can just cook it the same way, and toss at the end with whatever sauce you want to use!

  3. Karen says:

    Curious what air fryer you have? Can you please share the brand?

  4. Rene says:

    5 stars
    These wings were phenomenal! The heat was perfect and love the balance between the sweet and heat. Will be making these again for sure!