Air Fryer Dakgangjeong with Rice Cakes

Dakgangjeong tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce in a bowl topped with sesame seeds and green onions.

Air Fryer Dakgangjeong with Rice Cakes

Dakgangjeong is Korean popcorn chicken, and this version air fries potato starch-coated chicken thigh bites alongside chewy cylinder rice cakes. Everything gets tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce of gochujang, ketchup, and honey.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Marinating time30

Total Time1

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: Korean

Keyword: air fryer dakgangjeong, dakgangjeong, korean popcorn chicken

Servings: servings

Ingredients

1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tbsp rice vinegar
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
6 oz Korean rice cakes cylinder shaped
¾ cup potato starch
Cooking spray
Sesame seeds and green onions for garnish

Sauce

4 tbsp ketchup
2 tbsp gochujang Korean chili paste
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp tamari sauce or soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp honey
2 tsp sesame oil
3 garlic cloves minced
½ inch grated ginger

Instructions

Combine chicken thigh pieces in a bowl with rice vinegar, salt, and pepper, and toss to coat. Let this marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour in the fridge.
1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, ½ tsp sea salt, ¼ tsp ground black pepper
While the chicken marinates, prepare the rice cakes. If your rice cake is stuck together or frozen, soak them in warm water for about 5 minutes so they separate. Drain and cut them in half so they are smaller.
6 oz Korean rice cakes
Once the chicken is done marinating, preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees. Add potato starch to the chicken, dredge until the meat is fully coated on all sides.
¾ cup potato starch
Spray the air fryer basket or tray evenly with cooking spray. Place the coated chicken and rice cakes in a single layer, then spray the top with cooking spray. Air fry for 10 minutes, then remove the rice cakes. Flip the chicken, spray with cooking oil, then air fry for 6-8 more minutes until crispy and crunchy. You can make the sauce while the chicken finishes cooking.
Cooking spray
To make the sauce, place all the ingredients in a small saucepan and stir together. Heat over medium heat then let the sauce simmer for 1-2 minutes while stirring until thickened.
4 tbsp ketchup, 2 tbsp gochujang, 2 tbsp water, 1 tbsp tamari sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp honey, 2 tsp sesame oil, 3 garlic cloves, ½ inch grated ginger
Remove from heat, and add in chicken and rice cakes to the sauce. Toss to coat. Serve immediately, garnished with sesame seeds and green onions.
Sesame seeds and green onions

Video

Notes

Chicken breasts work in place of thighs. Check them 6 minutes after the flip.
Rice cakes are optional. Look for cylinder-shaped rice cakes at an Asian market or online.
If your air fryer is small, cook in two batches. This adds about 16 to 18 minutes.
Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave, or crisp them back up in the air fryer for 5-6 minutes at 400°F.
To make it gluten-free, use tamari plus gluten-free rice cakes, gochujang, and oyster sauce. If you don't need it gluten-free, regular versions work the same.

Nutrition