Air Fryer Gochujang Chicken Thighs

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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!

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How to Make Air Fryer Gochujang Chicken Thighs

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.

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!

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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.