Name: ## Korean Popcorn Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 5 cloves garlic, grated; 1/2 cup (120 ml) potato starch *(can substitute with cornstarch)*; 1.5 lbs (680 g) boneless chicken (thighs), cut into 1-inch pieces; 1 tbsp (14 g) butter; 1 large egg; 2 tbsp (30 ml) brown sugar; 2 tbsp (30 ml) honey; 1 tbsp (15 ml) rice vinegar; 1 tbsp (15 ml) sesame oil; 1/4 tsp (1.5 ml) black pepper; 1 tsp (5 ml) garlic powder; 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) salt; 1/4 cup (60 ml) gochujang; 1 tbsp (15 ml) ketchup; 4 tbsp (60 ml) soy sauce

📝 Ingredients

Serves 4

Servings:

🥬Fresh Produce(2)

5 cloves garlic, grated
1/2 cup (120 ml) potato starch *(can substitute with cornstarch)*

🥩Meat & Seafood(1)

1.5 lbs (680 g) boneless chicken (thighs), cut into 1-inch pieces

🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)

1 tbsp (14 g) butter
1 large egg

🫙Pantry Staples(4)

2 tbsp (30 ml) brown sugar
2 tbsp (30 ml) honey
1 tbsp (15 ml) rice vinegar
1 tbsp (15 ml) sesame oil

🧂Spices & Seasonings(3)

1/4 tsp (1.5 ml) black pepper
1 tsp (5 ml) garlic powder
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) salt

🍯Sauces & Condiments(3)

1/4 cup (60 ml) gochujang
1 tbsp (15 ml) ketchup
4 tbsp (60 ml) soy sauce

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories

638

Protein

35g

Carbs

47g

Fat

34g

Fiber 1g·Sugar 20g·Sodium 1633mg

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1
Marinate & Coat Chicken: To a bowl with the cut chicken thighs, add soy sauce, the egg, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Mix well, then pour in the potato starch and toss to coat.
2
Air Fry: Place the chicken in an air fryer preheated to 400°F (200°C) and cook for 20 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through.
3
Simmer Sauce: In a pan over medium heat, combine the gochujang, soy sauce, rice vinegar, ketchup, honey, brown sugar, sesame oil, and grated garlic. Let the mixture simmer for a few minutes.
4
Toss & Serve: Add the butter to the sauce. Once the butter melts and the sauce turns glossy, add the crispy air-fried chicken and mix thoroughly until every piece is coated.

💡 Pro Tips

✓
Use chicken thighs instead of breasts because their 15-20% fat content prevents drying during the 20-minute air fry cycle, while breasts would drop below 165°F internally before achieving exterior crispness.ingredient15-20% fat content
✓
Shake the basket at exactly the 10-minute mark (halfway through) rather than at 15 minutes because the potato starch crust sets between 8-12 minutes; agitating too late breaks the formed shell and prevents even browning.timing10-minute shake point
✓
Maintain sauce heat at 180-190°F (82-87°C) during the simmer phase—just below a rolling boil—because gochujang's fermented proteins denature above 195°F, causing bitter off-flavors and breaking the emulsion with the honey and butter.technique180-190°F (82-87°C)
✓
Add the chicken to the sauce within 2 minutes of removing from the air fryer while it still reads 160-165°F internally; residual heat ensures the starch coating absorbs sauce without becoming soggy, as cooled starch becomes impermeable after 3+ minutes.timing2-minute window, 160-165°F
✓
Use potato starch over cornstarch because its larger granule size (15-20 micrometers vs. 7-10 micrometers) gelatinizes at 149-158°F in the air fryer's dry heat, creating a crunchier, longer-lasting crust than cornstarch's finer, more delicate structure.ingredient15-20 micrometer granule size

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## Korean Popcorn Chicken