Satisfy your cravings and make these easy Korean Fried Chicken Air Fryer! Enjoy crispy perfection without the mess of deep frying. I can't believe how good this Korean fried chicken was made in the air fryer. This airfryer Korean Fried Chicken is almost genius!
Enjoy Korean Fried Chicken air fryer any time of day! It's versatile for lunch, dinner, or a tasty snack. The Korean air fried chicken is crispy, spicy, and a little sweet. It pairs perfectly with sides like rice, salad, or pickled veggies for a satisfying meal. This is perfect for game day, holidays, any get-togethers.
This airfryer Korean Fried Chicken dish was inspired by other recipes on this site like Honey Garlic Chicken Tenders, Asian Sticky Wings, and Honey Garlic Chicken Wings.
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Ingredients for airfryer Korean Fried Chicken
- Chicken tenders
- Corn flakes
- Garlic powder
- Paprika
- Eggs
- Salt
- Pepper
Korean Style Sauce
- Avocado oil
- Garlic
- Green onion
- Gochujang
- Honey
- Ketchup
- Mirin
- Sesame oil
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Korean Fried Chicken Air Fryer
Prep the chicken tenders.
Air fry
Make the sauce.
Toss the cooked chicken tenders in the sauce.
Prepare the Chicken Tenders:
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
- In a shallow dish, crush the cornflakes to create a coating for the chicken tenders. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Mix.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs. Add some salt and pepper.
- Dip each chicken tender into the egg mixture, ensuring it is fully coated.
- Roll the coated chicken tender in the crushed cornflakes, pressing gently to adhere the flakes to the chicken.
Air Fry the Chicken Tenders:
- Place the coated chicken tenders in the bottom of the air fryer basket in a single layer, leaving space between each.
- Spray with cooking oil - I like to use this avocado oil spray.
- Cook in the preheated air fryer for about 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through.
Prepare the Korean Style Sauce:
- While the chicken is cooking, make the Korean-style sauce.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, add avocado oil.
- Add minced garlic and chopped green onion, sautéing until fragrant.
- Stir in gochujang, honey, ketchup, sesame oil, and mirin. Allow the mixture to simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens slightly.
Coat the Chicken Tenders:
- Once the chicken tenders are cooked, transfer them to the pan.
- Gently toss the chicken tenders in the sauce until they are well coated.
What to Serve with Korean Fried Chicken
Serve the airfryer Korean Fried Chicken hot, garnished with chopped green onions or sesame seeds if desired and lemon juice to balance the taste.
Here are some other ideas:
- Beer and Soju
- Kimchi
- Sesame Cucumber Salad
- Rice
Substitutions
- Chicken Tenders: Instead of chicken tenders, you can use tofu strips, boneless chicken thighs, chicken breasts, korean chicken wings (Korean fried chicken wings), chicken drumsticks, fish fillets, or even cauliflower florets for a vegetarian or alternative protein option.
- Corn Flakes: Substitute corn flakes with panko breadcrumbs, crushed crackers, or crushed pretzels for an alternative crunchy coating.
- Garlic Powder:If you don't have garlic powder, use minced fresh garlic, soy garlic, or garlic salt. Adjust the quantity to your taste.
- Paprika: Replace paprika with smoked paprika, chili powder, or cayenne pepper for a different flavor profile.
- Eggs: For an egg substitute, use buttermilk, yogurt, or a mixture of water and flour. This helps the coating adhere to the protein.
- Salt: Use alternative seasonings like soy sauce, tamari, or seasoned salt to add flavor.
- Pepper: If you don't have pepper, try using crushed red pepper flakes, black pepper, ground cayenne pepper, or your preferred hot and dipping sauce for a bit of heat.
Korean Style Sauce
- Avocado Oil: Substitute avocado oil with olive hot oil, vegetable oil, or grapeseed oil.
- Garlic: If you don't have fresh garlic, you can use garlic powder or minced garlic from a jar as a substitute.
- Green Onion: Replace green onions with chives, red onions, or regular onions for a milder flavor.
- Gochujang: If gochujang is unavailable, you can mix red pepper flakes, gochujang paste, korean chili paste, soy sauce, and a touch of sugar to create a substitute. Sriracha can also be an alternative, though it has a different flavor profile.
- Honey: Substitute honey with maple syrup, agave nectar, or brown rice syrup for sweetness.
- Ketchup: Replace ketchup with tomato sauce, tomato paste, or a combination of both. Adjust sweetness and acidity as needed.
- Mirin: For mirin, use a combination of rice vinegar and sugar or brown sugar. Alternatively, you can use a dry white wine or sweet sherry.
- Sesame Oil: Substitute sesame oil with toasted sesame oil, vegetable oil, or peanut oil. Keep in mind that toasted sesame oil has a more intense flavor.
Equipment
- Air Fryer
- Mixing bowls
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Skillet
How to Store and Reheat
To store and reheat airfryer Korean Air Fryer Fried Chicken:
Storage:
- Allow the Air Fryer Korean Fried Chicken to cool to room temperature.
- Place the leftovers in an airtight container or wrap them tightly with plastic wrap.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
Reheating:
- Air Fryer Method:
- Preheat your air fryer to around 375°F (190°C).
- Arrange the leftover Korean Fried Chicken in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- Reheat for about 3-5 minutes, or until crispy and heated through.
- Oven Method:
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Place the leftovers on a baking sheet in a single layer.
- Heat for 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through, flipping halfway for even heating.
Remember, the key is to reheat the Korean Fried Chicken Sauce and Korean Fried Chicken until it's hot and crispy. Cooking time may vary based on the size of the chicken pieces and your specific air fryer or oven, so keep an eye on them to prevent overcooking.
Top tips
- Preheat for Crispiness:
Ensure your air fryer is properly preheated before cooking Korean Fried Chicken. This step helps achieve that perfect crispy texture.
- Spray with oil:
To get the golden brown color and crispiness, spray the chicken tenders with oil. Also, do not overcrowd the chicken in the air fryer.
- Serve immediately:
Serve the Korean Fried Chicken Air Fryer immediately to avoid the chicken tenders from being soggy.
FAQs
Korean fried chicken stays super crispy because it's fried twice. First, it's cooked at a low temperature to get the insides just right, and then it's fried again at a higher temperature for that extra crunch.
Korean fried chicken is famous for its insanely crispy skin, thanks to the double-frying trick. Plus, it gets its unique flavor from awesome sauces like sweet and spicy gochujang or garlic soy.
Korean fried chicken is extra crispy because it's double-fried, making the skin thinner and crunchier than the usual fried chicken. It also rocks special sauces like gochujang, giving it a sweet and spicy twist you won't find in the classic versions.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Korean Fried Chicken Air Fryer:
Korean Fried Chicken Air Fryer
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 chicken tenders
Ingredients
8 pieces chicken tenders
1 cup of crushed corn flakes
1 tablespoon of garlic powder
1 teaspoon of paprika
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of pepper
Korean Style Sauce
1 tablespoon avocado oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 stalks of green onion (whies and greens separated=
2 tablespoon of gochujang
3 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoon ketchup
2 tablespoon mirin
1 tablespoon sesame oil
Toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
Prepare the Chicken Tenders:
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
- In a shallow dish, crush the cornflakes to create a coating for the chicken tenders. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Mix.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs. Add some salt and pepper.
- Dip each chicken tender into the egg mixture, ensuring it is fully coated.
- Roll the coated chicken tender in the crushed cornflakes, pressing gently to adhere the flakes to the chicken.
Air Fry the Chicken Tenders:
- Place the coated chicken tenders in the bottom of the air fryer basket in a single layer, leaving space between each.
- Spray with cooking oil - I like to use this avocado oil spray.
- Cook in the preheated air fryer for about 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through.
Prepare the Korean Style Sauce:
- While the chicken is cooking, make the Korean-style sauce.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, add avocado oil.
- Add minced garlic and chopped green onion, sautéing until fragrant.
- Stir in gochujang, honey, ketchup, sesame oil, and mirin. Allow the mixture to simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Add toasted sesame seeds.
Coat the Chicken Tenders:
- Once the chicken tenders are cooked, transfer them to the pan.
- Gently toss the chicken tenders in the sauce until they are well coated.
Serve:
- Serve the Korean Fried Chicken hot, garnished with chopped green onions or sesame seeds if desired.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: mains
- Method: air fryer
- Cuisine: asian
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Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Ava
Yours looks so good😭
An
Really one of my fave, just came back for a review hehe
Sarah
Tried it, My parents thought it's fast food because its so good haha
Carmen Spillette
Thats amazing to hear!
Jeff W
For anyone curious I calculated 1 Tender to be about 165 calories with the sauce
Karla Welsh
I am making this in the weekend and wondered if I can just buy the pre done chicken tenders and cook those and add them to the sauce?
Carmen Spillette
That is quite smart. Try it and let me know. I dont see why it wouldnt work.
Kai Lui
This recipe goes crazy 🤪. Korean Fried Chicken is one of my favorites and this is on point!!!
Kelly Park
The flavor and crunch out of this world!! Was soooo easy to make and even my Korean Grandmother approved lol. Thanks Carmen 😍
Ashley Kai
OMG I'm in love with this recipe. Take out no long needed, this is the absolute best!!!!
Veronica Thomas
🥰🥰😍😍😍
Hermann F
This is the best Korean fried chicken!!! Love the crunch of the corn flakes and healthy in the air fryer. LOVE THIS!!