This Crispy Korean Air Fried Chicken Wings recipe is delicious, sweet, sticky, and a little bit spicy. The Air Fryer provides the perfect crunch to these wings without all the added fat from frying.
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Full Recipe Ingredients/Instructions are available in the
recipe card at the bottom of the post.
You can find important tips/tricks in the
blog post.
So here’s a fun fact about me...I am not the biggest fan of traditional fried chicken. Only a few close friends know this fact because I live in the South and in the South, everyone loves fried chicken. However, fried chicken should be doused in a delicious sauce after it’s fried to perfection. This must be why I love Korean fried chicken so much.
*Update: My thoughts changed on traditional fried chicken after I made it in the air fryer. Air Fryer Fried Chicken is the truth!
What is Korean Fried Chicken
Korean Fried Chicken is fried chicken that has a super crunchy exterior, yet juicy interior. Therefore, the chicken is usually double fried in oil and then covered in a delicious spicy, sweet and sour type sauce. Any part of the chicken can be used to make Korean Fried Chicken.
Korean fried chicken is popular for the spicy sauce that it is covered in. The main ingredient to this sauce is a spicy Korean paste known as gochujang. The good thing about this paste is there are different heat levels. I used the mild for this recipe so I could enjoy the flavors more but the paste can be extremely spicy if you are not careful.
Why make these chicken wings in an Air Fryer?
Most Korean fried chicken is double fried in oil. Part of me wanted to find a healthier alternative but another part of me didn't want to do all that work. Blame it on the baby, work, life...but if I can simplify a delicious recipe then that's what I'm going to do.
Coating these chicken wings in cornstarch and frying them for 30 minutes in the air fryer was easy, fast, and healthy.
How to Make Korean Air Fried Chicken Wings?
Creating Korean Air Fried Chicken Wings is easy. You don't even need to preheat the air fryer. Just set the temperature to 390 degrees, season the chicken wings, cover them in a corn starch, and cook in air fryer for 30-35 minutes.
Make sure when coating the chicken wings with cornstarch, that you shake off the cornstarch from each piece really well. You want the chicken wings to be completely covered but you don’t want too much excess corn starch. Pick up each chicken piece with a pair of tongs, tap it against the side of your bowl before placing it in the air fryer basket.
As with any air fryer recipe, make sure the bottom of your air fryer basket is properly seasoned with oil so your chicken does not stick.
Never use aresole can sprays in your air fryer. Invest in a good quality spray oil bottle. I use this brand.
As always, enjoy.
If you like this recipe, check out my general Air Fryer Chicken Wings from Fresh or Frozen post or my Honey Mustard Chicken Wings recipe.
Notes on Korean Air Fried Chicken Wings
- The sauce provided in this recipe is enough to lightly coat 2 lbs of chicken wings. If you desire more sauce, feel free to double the sauce ingredients.
- I’d suggest serving Korean Air Fried Chicken with a nice quick pickled carrot.
Korean Air Fried Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken wings
- ¾ cup corn starch
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Korean Air Fried Chicken Sauce
- 2 Tablespoon gochujang Korean chilli paste
- 3 Tablespoon honey
- 2 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon ginger minced
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Rinse and dry chicken wings with a paper towel. Place in a large bowl and season with garlic powder, onion powder, and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Cover chicken with corn starch and use kitchen tongs to stir, ensuring all chicken pieces are coated. Tap each piece of chicken on the side of the bowl (to remove excess starch) and place it in the air fryer basket.
- Close the basket and cook chicken wings at 390 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes, turning and rotating chicken about every 10 minutes.
- While the chicken is cooking, make the sauce.
Korean Air Fried Chicken Sauce
- Add the sauce ingredients into a small saucepan over medium heat and whisk until combined. Bring the sauce to a boil and reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Once chicken is done cooking, add sauce to the wings and toss to cover all wings. Enjoy 🙂
Notes
Suggested Tools for Korean Air Fried Chicken
Air Fryer
Kitchen Tongs
Large Bowl
Nutrition
Step by Step Photos of Korean Air Fried Chicken Wings
Pin Korean Air Fried Chicken Wings for Later
Looking for more Air Fryer recipes? Try my Perfect Air Fryer Steak or Healthier General Tso's Chicken in the Air Fryer.
Mike says
Awesome sauce...very tasty...however corn starch was not good. I used a tbsp of baking powder which works great in an air fryer...if i was using oil i would use cornstarch. Great taste too! Loved it and pinned it!
Karen says
The sauce was delicious and has already gone into my "pandemic recipe book." I'm divided about whether I like the cornstarch coating, but it does deliver on crunchiness. I note some of the photos show a dusting of sesame seed... I may try that.
Mia says
These wings were AMAZING. My bf and I cannot stop raving about them and he already asked when we will have them again. 11/10 stars!
flash gordon md says
so glad I found this site! Air fryer chicken wings are one of my staples. I appreciate your including the nutritional information, but don't see how much it's for - three wings, all 2 lbs or what?
thanks!
Tanya says
It's for each serving and the 2 lbs makes 4 servings. So the nutrition info is for 1/2 lb of wings.
Belinda says
Have made these twice, once with chicken wings and once with baby back ribs! Both were yummy but I think my family prefer your sauce on the ribs! Thank you! You have many great air fryer recipes! I’m learning and I am so grateful for your website! I did omit the salt in the 2nd batch I made.
Eva says
Our favorite chicken recipe after the many that we've tried. This is so crispy, so flavorful! It's saved us a lot of money as we used to fly to NYC to eat Korean Fried Chicken....not anymore! Thanks for the great recipe.
Tanya says
Thank you so much Eva 🙂
Pete says
I stumbled onto your site a few months ago and this is my first comment. I just want to say all your recipes are wonderful and I have sent this recipe to about 20 people because it is SO DAMN GOOD! I make these wings at least once a week. Your site is awesome and you have a real gift for developing great recipes and presenting things in such an easy-to-follow manner! Thank you!
Tanya says
Thank you so much Pete! I truly appreciate it 🙂
Sandra says
@Tanya, Hi Tanya, my name is Sandra, and I can’t wait to try your easy to follow Korean Chicken Wings. I have a new Air Fryer and I am excited to give it a try! Thank you for sharing your recipe ?
Kevin says
I just made this and it was exactly what I needed to satisfy my korean cravings during covid. Thanks!
Emily says
Are there any substitutes for gochujang that are not as spicy? I'm doubling the recipe here, I could double the rest of the sauce except for the gochujang?
Tanya says
Hi Emily, I use the mild gochujang so it doesn't come out too spicy. I think doubling the other ingredients may make it too sweet but it's worth a try.
Mike says
First, love your site name !!
Made these tonight, just the coating. Delicious. Crispy, crunchy, good flavor. Best air fryer wings I have made so far!! Even mom loved them!!
Then for dessert, I made you air fryer brownies. Easy to make, and delicious as well.
Thank you !!
Rose says
The sauce is very salty. I suggest adding water or some rice vinegar.
DelShonia says
Hi Tanya! LOVE your recipes. Question: do you think the cornstarch can be swapped out for baking powder to get the same crispy effect?
Tanya says
Hi, it should. I've done it this way in the oven and they became crispy.
Ron says
Can Thai curry paste be a substitute
Tanya says
The red paste? Sure, it may not be as spicy though.
Peter says
@Tanya,Hi, I am about to hit our local
(Oz) Aldi and being under lockdown prefer to stick to them at the moment.
I do have some Red Thai curry pasted leftover and could substitute it for the gochujang this time with maybe a touch of Fish sauce.
What are your thoughts? Or should I use some Garlic Chili sauce? Thanks for your inspirations and especially so using the Air Fryer.
Cheers
from Peter
Down Under in Oz
Tanya says
Hi Peter, I'd probably stick with the Garlic Chili sauce. The hint of spice from the gochujang is what makes these wings really stand out.
Kathi Schoenbauer says
Love your recipes, I have used alot of them, I wish you could make some that are lower on carbs. I do change some of the ingred. so they are lower in carbs, but the recipes are sooooo good. thanks a bunch.
Cristina Brondial says
Can you do this with frozen wings and not thaw them out?
Tanya says
Hi Christina, Not exactly. You would have to skip the cornstarch step and cook the wings naked from frozen and then add the sauce. They would still have the same great flavor, they just won't have that extra crunch.