Korean fried chicken's double-fry method at exactly 340°F then 375°F creates glass-thin crust that stays crispy for hours.
Crispy Chili Chicken (Korean Style)
Get ready to spice up your dinner with this mouthwatering Crispy Chili Chicken, inspired by the bold flavors of Korea! Coated in a crunchy, golden crust and tossed in zesty gochujang paste, this dish is not just a healthier alternative to your favorite takeout—it's a flavor-packed explosion that will have everyone coming back for seconds! Perfect for a quick weeknight meal, this recipe brings the heat and satisfaction without the hassle.
Prep
15
min
Cook
10
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
The Story
This Korean-American frankenstein was birthed in 1980s Los Angeles when Korean immigrants discovered American fried chicken joints and thought 'bloody hell, we can do this better'—they swapped bland Buffalo sauce for fiery gochujang, ditched the soggy batter for cornflour-baking powder wizardry, and created the crispy-sticky masterpiece that now has KFC executives weeping into their eleven herbs and spices.
Regional Twist
In Seoul's Gangnam district, they swap the brown sugar for Korean pear juice and double the gochujang, creating a sauce so aggressively spicy it makes grown men question their life choices.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 4 pieces chicken breast
- 1 tsp (5 ml) chili flakes
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) gochujang paste
- 1 tsp (5 ml) sesame seeds
- 3 pieces spring onion
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- baking powder (to taste)
- brown sugar (to taste)
- chicory root syrup or honey (to taste)
- cornstarch (to taste)
- garlic (to taste)
- garlic powder (to taste)
- ginger (to taste)
- onion powder (to taste)
- paprika (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
- sesame oil (to taste)
- 4 tbsp (59 ml) soy sauce
- white pepper (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Place the diced chicken in a bowl. Add the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, baking powder, and cornflour and mix together with your hands until well coated. Drizzle with sesame oil and give another quick mix.
- 2
Preheat your air fryer to 200°C (392°F). Add each piece of chicken without touching each other to help them get extra crispy. Cook for 10 minutes.
- 3
While the chicken is cooking, heat a wok and add sesame oil, gochujang paste, syrup, sugar, soy sauce, minced garlic, and ginger. Stir together until bubbling.
- 4
Pour in the crispy chicken and carefully mix into the sauce. Top with spring onions, chili flakes, and sesame seeds before serving on steamed rice.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Add the baking powder to your cornflour coating because it creates CO2 bubbles during cooking, increasing surface area by 30-40% for maximum crispiness.ingredient30-40% surface area increase
- ✓Preheat your air fryer to exactly 392°F (200°C) for 3-5 minutes before adding chicken because the immediate high heat shock creates steam that puffs the cornflour coating.timing392°F, 3-5 minutes preheat
- ✓Space chicken pieces at least 1/2 inch apart in the air fryer to allow proper air circulation—overlapping reduces crispiness by blocking the 200°F convection currents.technique1/2 inch spacing
- ✓Heat your gochujang sauce until it reaches a rolling bubble (around 212°F) before adding the chicken so the sugars caramelize and create proper glaze adhesion.timing212°F bubbling point
- ✓Toss the cooked chicken into the sauce within 30 seconds of removing from air fryer while internal temperature is still above 160°F—the residual heat helps the sauce penetrate the coating.timing30 seconds, 160°F
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
10
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Korean fried chicken's double-fry method at exactly 340°F then 375°F creates glass-thin crust that stays crispy for hours.
Crispy Chili Chicken (Korean Style)
Get ready to spice up your dinner with this mouthwatering Crispy Chili Chicken, inspired by the bold flavors of Korea! Coated in a crunchy, golden crust and tossed in zesty gochujang paste, this dish is not just a healthier alternative to your favorite takeout—it's a flavor-packed explosion that will have everyone coming back for seconds! Perfect for a quick weeknight meal, this recipe brings the heat and satisfaction without the hassle.
The Story
This Korean-American frankenstein was birthed in 1980s Los Angeles when Korean immigrants discovered American fried chicken joints and thought 'bloody hell, we can do this better'—they swapped bland Buffalo sauce for fiery gochujang, ditched the soggy batter for cornflour-baking powder wizardry, and created the crispy-sticky masterpiece that now has KFC executives weeping into their eleven herbs and spices.
Regional Twist
In Seoul's Gangnam district, they swap the brown sugar for Korean pear juice and double the gochujang, creating a sauce so aggressively spicy it makes grown men question their life choices.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 4 pieces chicken breast
- 1 tsp (5 ml) chili flakes
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) gochujang paste
- 1 tsp (5 ml) sesame seeds
- 3 pieces spring onion
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- baking powder (to taste)
- brown sugar (to taste)
- chicory root syrup or honey (to taste)
- cornstarch (to taste)
- garlic (to taste)
- garlic powder (to taste)
- ginger (to taste)
- onion powder (to taste)
- paprika (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
- sesame oil (to taste)
- 4 tbsp (59 ml) soy sauce
- white pepper (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Place the diced chicken in a bowl. Add the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, baking powder, and cornflour and mix together with your hands until well coated. Drizzle with sesame oil and give another quick mix.
- 2
Preheat your air fryer to 200°C (392°F). Add each piece of chicken without touching each other to help them get extra crispy. Cook for 10 minutes.
- 3
While the chicken is cooking, heat a wok and add sesame oil, gochujang paste, syrup, sugar, soy sauce, minced garlic, and ginger. Stir together until bubbling.
- 4
Pour in the crispy chicken and carefully mix into the sauce. Top with spring onions, chili flakes, and sesame seeds before serving on steamed rice.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Add the baking powder to your cornflour coating because it creates CO2 bubbles during cooking, increasing surface area by 30-40% for maximum crispiness.ingredient30-40% surface area increase
- ✓Preheat your air fryer to exactly 392°F (200°C) for 3-5 minutes before adding chicken because the immediate high heat shock creates steam that puffs the cornflour coating.timing392°F, 3-5 minutes preheat
- ✓Space chicken pieces at least 1/2 inch apart in the air fryer to allow proper air circulation—overlapping reduces crispiness by blocking the 200°F convection currents.technique1/2 inch spacing
- ✓Heat your gochujang sauce until it reaches a rolling bubble (around 212°F) before adding the chicken so the sugars caramelize and create proper glaze adhesion.timing212°F bubbling point
- ✓Toss the cooked chicken into the sauce within 30 seconds of removing from air fryer while internal temperature is still above 160°F—the residual heat helps the sauce penetrate the coating.timing30 seconds, 160°F