• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Carmy - Easy Healthy-ish Recipes
  • Home
  • All Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • Airfryer
    • Breakfast
    • Freezer Friendly
    • Instant Pot
    • Main Dishes
    • Meal Prep
    • Meatless
    • Sides
    • Under 60 Minute Meals
  • Meal Prep
  • Instant Pot Recipes
  • How To Tutorials
    • Meal Prep
      • Meal Prep 101: Why You Should Meal Prep, How To Meal Prep, and Other Meal Prep Tips
      • Tips To Help You Meal Prep For the Week Successfully
      • Tips for Meal Prepping on a Budget + 28 Recipes
      • Whole Chicken Meal Prep (3 Freezer Friendly Meals)
    • Meal Prep: Learning the Basics E-Book
    • How To Tutorials
      • How To Cook a Whole Chicken in an Instant Pot
      • How To Cook Chicken Breasts Perfectly
      • How to Make the Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs
      • How to Press Tofu Without a Tofu Press
  • About Me
    • Collaborate With Me
    • Privacy Policy
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • All Recipes
  • Instant Pot
  • Meal Prep
  • Airfryer
  • How To Tutorials
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    You are here: Home / Recipes / Airfryer / Air Fryer Gochujang Chicken Thighs

    Air Fryer Gochujang Chicken Thighs

    Posted: Apr 18, 2022 Last Modified: Aug 10, 2022 by Carmy · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    Sweet, smoky, and spicy, these Air Fryer Gochujang Chicken Thighs are so easy to make and are perfect for any meal. They are super easy to make as all you have to do is marinate the chicken thighs then add them to the air fryer!

    Recently, I shared my grilled/stovetop gochujang chicken recipe and it was a hit! I had some questions about if it could be made in an air fryer and I’m happy to say, yes, you can! After a few test batches, I’ve nailed adapting my gochujang chicken thighs in the air fryer.

    Close up of a bowl of rice with two sliced air fryer gochujang chicken thighs.

    Why You’ll Love This Air Fryer Chicken Recipe

    • It’s easy to make. Simply mix together the sauce ingredients then coat the chicken. Let it marinate and air fry. Easy as pie.
    • It’s perfect as an easy meal. I usually whip up a batch and serve them over some jasmine rice and kimchi and call it a day.
    • It doesn’t require a ton of ingredients. Most of these ingredients are pantry staples and don’t require me to run out to the grocery store.

    Ingredients You’ll Need

    Ingredients needed to make air fryer gochujang chicken.
    • gochujang (고추장) — aka hot pepper paste. Can’t skip the gochujang for the gochujang sauce. Please do not substitute this ingredient. Keep in mind that gochujang come in different levels of spiciness. You can get the super spicy one or mild one depending on your preference.
    • gochugaru (고추가루) — aka Korean chili/hot pepper powder.
    • brown sugar — I use light brown sugar but you can use regular or dark brown sugar as well. H prefers this recipe on the sweeter side so if you do too, add more sugar.
    • soy sauce — use low sodium soy sauce when you can as there’s already salt added to the marinade.
    • sesame oil — I use pure sesame oil.
    • seasoning — I use garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
    • chicken thighs — I use boneless skinless thighs. Bone in, skin on chicken thighs will take longer to cook.
    My Recommendation
    This is the air fryer I use. I love how large this air fryer is! It can fit a whole chicken or 2 bags of frozen French fries!
    Get it Now!
    My Go-To Air fryer

    How to Make Air Fryer Gochujang Chicken Thighs

    Gochujang sauce mixed together.
    Chicken thighs coated in gochujang sauce.
    • In a bowl, combine all the ingredients but the chicken.
    • Add the gochujang sauce mariande to the chicken thighs and mix until well coated. Let marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.
    Gochujang chicken added to an air fryer.
    Four air fried gochujang chicken thighs in an air fryer basket.
    • Add a liner to the air fryer basket and add the chicken thighs to it in a single layer. Avoid overlapping them. A tiny bit is ok but you’ll have to shift them half way through as the chicken thighs will shrink as they cook.
    • Air fry at 400F for 10 minutes. Repeat with the rest of the chicken thighs.
    A plate of gochujang chicken.

    Recipe Tips and Notes

    • You will need to line the air fryer basket with parchment paper. I have some that are cut specifically for air fryers as they have holes in them for airflow. The sauce the chicken marinated in is thick and the clean-up won’t be worth it. The sugar in the sauce will burn and you’ll spend forever scrubbing!
    • These air fried korean chicken thighs are cooked for 10 minutes. Depending on your air fryer, I would check in on them around the 8-minute mark. The sugar in the marinade will burn if they overcook these. When put in for 12 minutes, I had more dark spots than I would have preferred.
    • The internal temperature of the chicken thighs should reach 165°F (74°C) once cooked. The thermometer linked below is the one used in the video. If you do not see a video, you may have an ad blocker on.
    • Let the chicken thighs rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing so the juices redistribute inside the chicken thighs.
    My Recommendation
    This is my go-to meat thermometer for making sure that the internal temperature of my meat is good to go. It’s also magnetic so I have it on my fridge door to save drawer space!
    Get it Now!
    The Meat Thermometer I Use!
    A bowl of rice with two sliced air fryer gochujang chicken thighs.

    Make Ahead Tips

    • Meal prep: once cooled, store the cooked gochujang chicken thighs in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.
    • Freezer: allow the chicken thighs to cool before transferring them into an airtight container and storing them in the freezer. They can last for up to 3 months.
    Do I have to flip the chicken?

    Nope, I don’t flip the chicken thighs as they air fry.

    How long can I marinate the chicken thighs for?

    You can marinate the chicken thighs for up to 8 to 10 hours in advance in the fridge.

    A bowl of rice with two sliced air fryer gochujang chicken thighs.

    Air Fryer Gochujang Chicken Thighs

    Sweet, smoky, and spicy, these Air Fryer Gochujang Chicken Thighs are so easy to make and are perfect for any meal. They are super easy to make as all you have to do is marinate the chicken thighs then add them to the air fryer!
    5 from 35 votes
    Print Rate
    Prep Time: 35 mins
    Cook Time: 10 mins
    Resting Time: 5 mins
    Total Time: 50 mins
    Servings: 4 servings

    Ingredients

    • 3 to 4 tbsp gochujang
    • 1 tsp gochugaru, Korean hot pepper powder
    • 3 tbsp brown sugar
    • 2 tbsp soy sauce, low sodium
    • 1 tbsp sesame oil
    • 1 tsp garlic powder
    • 1 tsp onion powder
    • 1 tsp paprika
    • ¼ tsp salt
    • ¼ tsp pepper
    • 8 to 10 chicken thighs, boneless skinless

    Equipment

    • air fryer
    • parchment paper

    Instructions

    • Combine the gochujang, gochugaru, brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and seasonings to a small bowl and mix to combine.
    • In a large bowl or Ziploc bag, add the chicken thighs and the marinade. Toss well to combine until all the thighs are coated. Set aside in the fridge to marinate for 30 minutes.
    • Add a liner to the air fryer basket and add the chicken thighs to it in a single layer. Avoid overlapping them. A tiny bit is ok but you’ll have to shift them half way through as the chicken thighs will shrink as they cook.
    • Air fry at 400F for 10 minutes. Repeat with the rest of the chicken thighs until all done.

    Notes

    • Adapted from my Gochujang Chicken Thighs (Grilled/Stovetop)
    Tried this recipe?Did you make this recipe? I’m always so happy to hear about it! I’d love to see how it turned out. Tag me at @CarmysHungry on Instagram so I can see it! If you enjoyed the recipe, I’d really appreciate a comment with a 5 star rating! ♥

    Nutrition Per Serving

    Calories: 358kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 215mg | Sodium: 649mg | Potassium: 675mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 473IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 2mg
    Author: Carmy
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Korean

    More Recipes To Try

    • Air Fryer Korean Fried Chicken (or my double fried Korean Fried Chicken)
    • Japchae
    • Korean Cheese Corn
    • Seasoned Spinach
    • Mayak Eggs
    • Silken Tofu Recipe
    • Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread
    • Bacon Kimchi Fried Rice
    • Korean Chicken Meal Prep

    Other places to connect with me
    @carmyshungry on Instagram
    Facebook
    Shop my Amazon faves
    Email: [email protected]

    Click here to sign up to stay up to date with new recipes sent straight to your inbox PLUS a free ebook with 10 easy chicken recipes!

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Carmy is a healthy-ish living blogger based in Ontario. Here, you can find healthy-ish meal prep recipes, Instant Pot recipes, and lightened up family favourites! Follow along as she shares what she learns along the way!

    More about me →


    Click here
    if you’d like to collaborate with Carmy

    Popular

    • Gochujang Chicken Thighs (Grilled or Stovetop)
    • Hibachi Chicken with Fried Rice
    • Garlic Herb Butter Roasted Chicken in a Dutch Oven
    • How To Make Instant Pot Poached Eggs

    Sign up to stay up to date with new recipes straight to your inbox PLUS a free ebook with 10 easy chicken recipes!

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Me
    • Privacy Policy
    • Work with Me

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates plus a downloadable shopping list and recipes for one week's meal prep (lunches and snacks).

    Recipes

    • All Recipes
    • Meal Preps Recipes
    • Instant Pot Recipes

    Copyright © 2021 Carmy — Easy Healthy-ish Recipes