Air Fryer Sweet and Spicy Gochujang Chicken Wings | Korean "Fried" Chicken Wings

These sweet and spicy gochujang chicken wings really hit the spot when I’m craving Korean fried chicken (KFC) and don't want to fuss with a pot of hot oil on the stovetop. The air fryer does an excellent job of making crispy wings pretty darn close to what you'd get at a KFC joint. The chicken is super crispy because of the corn starch and baking powder. The sauce is a sticky confection spiced with garlic, ginger, and hot chilies in a base of butter, gochujang, and honey. By the way, you’ll want to make extra sauce to put on everything for the rest of the week! NOTES: • Spice Level: It’s up to you how spicy you want the sauce. Gochujang comes in different heat levels so you can choose mild or spicy and you can also choose how much fresh chilies you want to use or leave them out completely. Remember that the sweet ingredients will help temper some of the heat so you could try just one chili and work up from there in future batches. I used Thai chilies in the video, but anything you like will work. • Fresh vs. Ground Ginger: I use fresh ginger in the sauce because it works well during the shallow frying with the garlic and chilies. Ground ginger is best in the flour coating for two reasons: 1) it mixes better with the other dry ingredients, and 2) fresh ginger will scorch/burn under the direct dry heat of the air fryer. • How Many Wings: I’m using a 6qt basket-style air fryer which I’ve cooked up to 2 lbs. of wings at a time in a single layer. The wings shrink as they cook so it will seem tight when you first fit them in, but then you’ll start gaining space as they cook. In the video, I had 1½ lbs. in the package which yielded 14 wing pieces. • Cooking Times: Please adjust according to your air fryer model. I just purchased an oven-style with 2 racks and I notice that it does take longer and I have to rotate the racks during each flip to get even cooking. More to come on that in the future. #airfryerchickenwings #koreanfriedchicken #chickenwings #instant #chicken ‪@InstantPotOfficial‬ #gochujang #koreanfood **This video and description contain affiliate links. If you click on a product link, I will receive a small commission. This helps support the channel and allows me to make more videos. Thank you for the support!** Instant Vortex Plus 6-in-1 Air Fryer, 6 Quart, 6 One-Touch Programs, Air Fry, Roast, Broil, Bake, Reheat, and Dehydrate: https://amzn.to/30pZ4dt Today’s Ingredients: SAUCE: Make ahead on stovetop or while wings are in the air fryer 3 TB butter 3 large garlic cloves, finely minced 1 inch fresh ginger, finely minced (little more than 1 TB) 3 Thai chilies, thinly sliced (optional: use more, less or none as you like) ¼ cup gochujang (Korean red pepper paste, your choice mild or spicy) 2 TB ketchup 1 TB rice vinegar 1 TB soy sauce 2 TB brown sugar ¼ cup honey 1. Heat a small pan/skillet on medium heat on the stovetop. Add the butter and let it melt. 2. Add garlic, ginger, and chilies and stir. Cook for 1-2 minutes until very fragrant, but make sure not to scorch the garlic. Stir often. 3. Add gochujang, ketchup, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Stir/whisk continuously until the sauce comes together and is smooth and slightly bubbling. Turn the heat down if needed to avoid splattering. 4. Add brown sugar and honey and stir/whisk until fully dissolved and the sauce is smooth. 5. Taste and adjust if you want to add more sweetness, spicy heat, or soy sauce. 6. Set aside to cool in the pan or pour into a heat-safe jar and store in the fridge until ready to use. WINGS: ¼ cup all-purpose flour ¼ cup corn starch ¾ tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt ½ tsp black pepper ½ tsp garlic powder ½ tsp ground ginger 1½ – 2 lbs thawed chicken wing drumettes and/or flats, patted dry oil or non-stick spray (using GFS butter-flavored in the video) 1. In a zip-top bag, add all ingredients except chicken. Zip the bag and shake well to thoroughly mix everything together. 2. Add the chicken wings to the bag, zip it up, and toss well to thoroughly coat each wing. 3. Spray the air fryer with oil or non-stick spray and place the wings in a single layer into the air fryer. Cook for 20 minutes at 375°, flipping once at the halfway point and again after the 20 minutes is done. During each flip, use oil or non-stick spray to spray any white patches. 4. Now increase the temperature to 400° and cook for another 6 minutes, flipping again at the halfway point. This step creates extra crispiness on the skin. 5. Move the wings to a wire rack and allow to rest before saucing. 6. In a large bowl, add ½–¾ cup sweet and spicy gochujang sauce (store-bought or following instructions above for homemade) and wings. Toss until coated with sauce. Garnish with chopped scallions and toasted sesame seeds and ENJOY! [Optional: You can serve warmed sauce on the side if you don’t want to coat the wings.]