Wash and pat dry the chicken thighs well. Take them in a large mixing bowl.
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.**
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.
Make sure all the nooks and crannies of chicken thighs are fully coated with the vibrant red Gochujang marinade.
When you are happy with the marination, leave them at room temperature for 30 minutes allowing the meat to absorb all the flavors inside.
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.
Once your air fryer is preheated, place the chicken thighs inside the basket in a single layer keeping the skin side up.
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.
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!
Notes
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.
Recipe by Flavor Quotient at https://flavorquotient.com/2025/07/korean-gochujang-chicken-thighs/