Gochujang Chicken

Crispy air fryer chicken thighs with a sweet-spicy gochujang glaze that caramelizes into something dangerously good.

Prep 5 min
Cook 20 min
Total 25 min
Servings 4
Method Air Fryer

Ingredients

1 tablespoon brown sugar (14 g)
1 tablespoon gochujang (18 g)
1 tablespoon olive oil (14 g)
- Avocado oil — 1:1 Higher smoke point; neutral flavor; similar calories
1 teaspoon baking powder (5 g)
1 teaspoon black pepper (2 g)
1 teaspoon sesame oil (5 g)
2 teaspoons garlic powder (6 g)
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, patted dry (1,040 g)
½ teaspoon salt (3 g)

Steps

Pat the chicken thighs very dry with paper towels on all sides. This is key for crispy skin.
In a small bowl, combine the gochujang, sesame oil, olive oil, brown sugar, baking powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix into a paste.
Rub the paste evenly over all sides of the chicken thighs.
Place the thighs skin-side down in the air fryer basket. Cook at 380°F for 10 minutes.
Flip the thighs skin-side up and air fry for another 6 to 10 minutes, until the skin is crispy and golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Rest for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.

Tips

The baking powder helps the skin crisp up in the air fryer. Don't skip it.
Don't overcrowd the basket. The thighs need space for airflow on all sides.
If you don't have an air fryer, roast at 425°F on a wire rack for 35 to 40 minutes, flipping halfway.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 290
Protein 22 g
Fat 19 g
Carbs 7 g

Nutrition estimated from ingredients · Per serving (based on 4 servings)

Weight Estimates

Uncooked ~1,107 g
Cooked ~780 g
Per Serving ~195 g

Conservative ~28% moisture loss for air-fried bone-in thighs. Bone weight (~30% of raw thigh) excluded from edible cooked estimate. 4 servings at ~195 g each.