Korean Gochujang Chicken Thighs in Air Fryer | Sticky Chicken Thighs in Gochujang Sauce

It’s been a while since I made a Korean recipe and when I saw that Gochujang chicken thighs are doing their viral rounds on the internet, I could not resist jumping on the bandwagon!

If you have tried & loved Korean recipes, then I am sure you are also a spice-lover just like us! Hence I can bet that you will also gush over these Korean Gochujang chicken thighs!

We love spicy food and as a natural instinct we are drawn towards Korean food (and also Thai) when we have to opt for one from Oriental cuisines.

Though I haven’t shared many Korean recipes in my blog yet, we both love them thanks to the flavor-packed dishes that Korean cuisine offers!

The strong aromas of Korean recipes may be a little overwhelming for a few of you, but the one I have come with today will fit into everyone’s palate!

Sticky Korean Gochujang chicken thighs! This is a keeper as it takes minimal prep time and produces maximum flavors!

What are Gochujang chicken thighs?

When you generously marinade a few skin-on & bone-in chicken thighs with a generous amount of Gochujang, the Korean chilli-bean paste, and air fry them until cooked, you get the most flavorful, juicy & tender Korean flavored chicken ever without the guilt of deep-fried food!

And that’s Gochujang chicken thighs for you!

If you are familiar with Korean recipes, you may already be aware that many Korean recipes involve double-frying, which enhances the crispiness of the food and retains the crunch longer.

Since I intentionally try to avoid deep-fried foods, most of the authentic Korean recipes are out of my league, unfortunately!

Then appeared these sticky Gochujang chicken thighs! Why did I love these? Because they are baked/air-fried and not deep fried! Absolute win-win!

Ingredients for Korean Gochujang chicken thighs

Chicken thighs: For me, using chicken thighs for this Gochujang chicken is non-negotiable; that too chicken thighs with skin on and bone in!

The deep flavors of the Gochujang penetrate the curves and layers of the chicken thighs beautifully making them taste incredibly addictive!

You may use chicken drumsticks but I can assure you it will not be as much fun as the Gochujang chicken thighs!

Gochujang: If you are a cooking enthusiast like me, then I am sure you are aware of this popular Korean chilli bean paste called Gochujang!

Gochujang, which is a cornerstone of Korean cuisine, is a fermented paste made from red pepper powder (gochugaru), soybeans, and glutinous rice [source: SOUS CHEF].

This pungent chilli paste is used in many Korean recipes; so naturally I wanted to try it in my own kitchen and hence these Gochujang chicken thighs materialized!

With the recent advent of many specialty stores like Urban Platter, sourcing such specialty items, which are not widely used in Indian kitchens, has become really easy in recent times.

I am sure you can get your hands on this very flavorful Gochujang; if not you can try checking on Amazon!

Oil: The Gochujang chicken marinade does not require a lot of oil as this Korean chilli paste already has oil added to it.

The thing is that this Gochujang paste is quite sticky & firm making it very hard to spread it over the chicken thighs evenly, especially when you have stored this paste in the refrigerator for months!

That’s exactly why I added a tablespoon of oil in the marinade to make it of spreadable consistency. Plus the oil also helps keep the chicken thighs tender & juicy under the high heat of the air fryer.

Garlic: Just because I am a garlic connoisseur, I added a tablespoon of grated garlic in my Gochujang chicken thighs but honestly this is optional!

Gochujang paste is a powerhouse of flavors in itself; so you can safely skip this aromatic and call it a day!

Seasoning: The only seasoning duo I used in my Gochujang chicken thighs is of course salt and a little dash of freshly crushed black pepper.

How to make Korean Gochujang chicken thighs?

Step 1: Wash and pat dry the chicken thighs well. Take them in a large mixing bowl.

Step 2: In another small mixing bowl, add the oil, grated garlic, Gochujang and salt to taste. Using a wire whisk mix them well to make a uniform paste.

Pro tip: Gochujang is a very sticky paste; so it would take time to mix it with oil and seasoning evenly. Mix it with patience until you get a homogeneous mixture; otherwise your chicken thighs will not get marinated evenly.

Step 3: Once the Gochujang marinade is ready, add it to the chicken thighs. Now using your hands preferably, start massaging the marinade into each chicken thigh.

Step 4: Make sure all the nooks and crannies of chicken thighs are fully coated with the vibrant red Gochujang marinade.

Step 5: When you are happy with the marination, leave them at room temperature for 30 minutes allowing the meat to absorb all the flavors inside.

Step 6: Start preheating your air fryer at 190 C / 375 F and spray the bottom of the air fryer basket with oil to avoid any sticking. Set the timer for 25 minutes.

Step 7: Once your air fryer is preheated, place the chicken thighs inside the basket in a single layer keeping the skin side up.

Step 8: Air fry the Gochujang chicken thighs for 25 minutes, flipping them over halfway through, until the meat is tender with no traces of pink when poked with the edge of a knife.

Step 9: Take the sticky Gochujang chicken thighs out of your air fryer and serve with rice with a side of fresh salad and your favorite sauce! Enjoy!

Pro tip: You may find that the skin of the chicken thighs have got charred heavily; that’s because Gochujang paste contains sugar which burns under high heat. You may discard the charred bits of skin before savoring your juicy Gochujang chicken thighs!

More delicious chicken thighs recipe from Flavor Quotient

• Tandoori Chicken Thighs in Air Fryer
• Grilled Chicken Thighs with Chilli Garlic Sauce
• Best Ever Oven Fried Chicken Thighs