Korean Popcorn Chicken
Get ready to indulge in a mouthwatering treat with this homemade Korean popcorn chicken! Crispy, golden bites are coated in a sweet and spicy marinade featuring gochujang and soy sauce, giving each piece an irresistible kick. Perfect for snacking or serving at your next gathering, this recipe is sure to become a favorite!
Prep
15
min
Cook
20
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(2)
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup potato starch (120 ml)can use corn starch
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 1.5 lbs boneless, cut into 1 in pieces (680 g)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 1 tbsp butter (14 g)
- 1 large egg
🫙Pantry Staples(4)
- 2 tbsp brown sugar (30 ml)
- 2 tbsp honey (30 ml)
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar (15 ml)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil (15 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(3)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper (1.25 ml)
- 1 tsp garlic powder (5 ml)
- 1/2 tsp salt (2.5 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(3)
- 1/4 cup gochujang (60 ml)
- 1 tbsp ketchup (15 ml)
- 4 tbsp soy sauce (60 ml)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
530
Protein
96g
Carbs
115g
Fat
56g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
To a bowl of chicken thighs, add soy sauce, an egg, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Give it a mix, and then pour in potato starch.
- 2
Add to an air fryer at 400 for 20 minutes, shaking it halfway through.
- 3
For the sauce, mix gochujang, soy sauce, rice vinegar, ketchup, honey, brown sugar, sesame oil, and grated garlic. Let it simmer for a few minutes.
- 4
Finish it with some butter, and once glossy, pour in your chicken. Give it one last good mix.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Coat chicken pieces in potato starch (not flour) because its larger granules create a crispier, airier crust in the air fryer—potato starch gelatinizes at 149°F while wheat flour requires 150-170°F, giving you a head start on texture.ingredientPotato starch gelatinization: 149°F vs wheat flour: 150-170°F
- ✓Let the soy sauce-marinated chicken rest for 30 minutes at room temperature before air frying so the starches hydrate evenly and the marinade penetrates the surface, increasing flavor absorption by 25-30%.timing30 minutes at room temperature
- ✓Shake the air fryer basket at exactly 10 minutes (not 20) to prevent the starch coating from fusing to the basket, then shake again at 18 minutes—this two-step approach maintains crisping momentum while preventing sticking.timingShake at 10 and 18 minutes during 20-minute cook
- ✓Reduce gochujang sauce simmering to 2-3 minutes maximum because gochujang's fermented proteins break down beyond 180°F, causing bitterness; add butter at the end to emulsify at lower heat (around 140°F) for glossy coating without flavor degradation.timing2-3 minutes simmering; butter addition at ~140°F
- ✓Toss coated chicken in the glaze immediately after air frying (within 2 minutes) while the starch crust is still porous and absorbs sauce; waiting longer allows the exterior to set, reducing adhesion by 40% and creating a slippery coating.timingWithin 2 minutes of air frying completion
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
20
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Korean Popcorn Chicken
Get ready to indulge in a mouthwatering treat with this homemade Korean popcorn chicken! Crispy, golden bites are coated in a sweet and spicy marinade featuring gochujang and soy sauce, giving each piece an irresistible kick. Perfect for snacking or serving at your next gathering, this recipe is sure to become a favorite!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(2)
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup potato starch (120 ml)can use corn starch
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 1.5 lbs boneless, cut into 1 in pieces (680 g)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 1 tbsp butter (14 g)
- 1 large egg
🫙Pantry Staples(4)
- 2 tbsp brown sugar (30 ml)
- 2 tbsp honey (30 ml)
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar (15 ml)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil (15 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(3)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper (1.25 ml)
- 1 tsp garlic powder (5 ml)
- 1/2 tsp salt (2.5 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(3)
- 1/4 cup gochujang (60 ml)
- 1 tbsp ketchup (15 ml)
- 4 tbsp soy sauce (60 ml)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
530
Protein
96g
Carbs
115g
Fat
56g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
To a bowl of chicken thighs, add soy sauce, an egg, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Give it a mix, and then pour in potato starch.
- 2
Add to an air fryer at 400 for 20 minutes, shaking it halfway through.
- 3
For the sauce, mix gochujang, soy sauce, rice vinegar, ketchup, honey, brown sugar, sesame oil, and grated garlic. Let it simmer for a few minutes.
- 4
Finish it with some butter, and once glossy, pour in your chicken. Give it one last good mix.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Coat chicken pieces in potato starch (not flour) because its larger granules create a crispier, airier crust in the air fryer—potato starch gelatinizes at 149°F while wheat flour requires 150-170°F, giving you a head start on texture.ingredientPotato starch gelatinization: 149°F vs wheat flour: 150-170°F
- ✓Let the soy sauce-marinated chicken rest for 30 minutes at room temperature before air frying so the starches hydrate evenly and the marinade penetrates the surface, increasing flavor absorption by 25-30%.timing30 minutes at room temperature
- ✓Shake the air fryer basket at exactly 10 minutes (not 20) to prevent the starch coating from fusing to the basket, then shake again at 18 minutes—this two-step approach maintains crisping momentum while preventing sticking.timingShake at 10 and 18 minutes during 20-minute cook
- ✓Reduce gochujang sauce simmering to 2-3 minutes maximum because gochujang's fermented proteins break down beyond 180°F, causing bitterness; add butter at the end to emulsify at lower heat (around 140°F) for glossy coating without flavor degradation.timing2-3 minutes simmering; butter addition at ~140°F
- ✓Toss coated chicken in the glaze immediately after air frying (within 2 minutes) while the starch crust is still porous and absorbs sauce; waiting longer allows the exterior to set, reducing adhesion by 40% and creating a slippery coating.timingWithin 2 minutes of air frying completion