These air fryer Korean wings have a crisp exterior and sweet-spicy glaze that tastes amazing! They are crispy on the outside, juicy inside, and coated in a sticky-sweet gochujang sauce that perfectly balances sweet, spicy, and savory.
The air fryer the best way to make chicken wings! You will love how the air fryer creates crispy skin without extra oil while the Korean-inspired glaze delivers layers of flavor. Gochujang brings the heat, honey brown sugar adds sweetness, and soy sauce delivers that deep umami flavor that keeps you coming back for more.
If you want to make Korean wings at home but can’t face the mess of deep frying, this method solves that problem. The air fryer’s circulating heat crisps the skin evenly, and the sticky glaze clings to the wings without making them soggy.
Gochujang strikes the perfect balance of heat and sweetness that’ll keep you coming back for more. And while this recipe does have quite a few ingredients, most are pantry staples and spices, so don’t let the long list intimidate you!
Let me show you how to make restaurant-quality Korean wings at home, including my tips for getting the crispiest skin possible. When you want something different from the standard Buffalo wings this recipe is the answer!
Looking for more easy air fryer appetizer recipes? Try cream cheese wontons, Buffalo fries, or air fryer pork belly bites.
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Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
- Chicken wings: I prefer to buy split wings to save time, but whole wings also work. Just separate them at the joint and remove the wing tip.
- Gochujang paste: This Korean red chili paste is the key ingredient. You’ll find it in the Asian section of most supermarkets.
- Baking powder
- Sesame oil
- Soy sauce
- Honey
- Brown sugar
- Rice vinegar
- Garlic
- Ginger root
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Ground ginger
How to Make Korean Wings
- Cut the wings apart into flats and drumettes if the wings aren’t already split.
- Pat those wings completely dry with paper towels. This is super important for getting that crispy exterior. Season them with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and ground ginger.
- Sprinkle the baking powder over the wings and toss until they’re evenly coated. I like to use a large bowl for this step so every wing gets covered.
- Arrange the wings in your air fryer basket in a single layer – don’t crowd them! Cook at 360 degrees F for 18 minutes. My air fryer will hold about 1 ½ pounds of wings, but if yours holds less, you will need to cook in batches.
- Flip those wings over with tongs and crank up the heat to 400 degrees F for another 6 minutes. This final blast of heat really crisps the skin.
- While the wings are cooking, combine all the sauce ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens up a bit. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon.
- Once your wings are done, toss them in the sauce until they’re well coated. I like to use a large bowl for this step, too, or just put them in the pan I used for the sauce. Sprinkle them with sesame seeds and green onions for that perfect finishing touch.
Serving Ideas
These air fryer Korean wings are absolutely delicious on their own. I love creating a complete spread that makes everyone feel like they’re at their favorite restaurant.
You can serve them as an appetizer or a main dish. For an appetizer, arrange them on a platter and serve them with cool, crisp vegetables like cucumber spears and carrot sticks. Add some cool, creamy ranch dressing for dipping.
As a main dish, I like to pair them with steamed white or brown rice to soak up that sweet and spicy sauce. I also add a side of quick pickled vegetables or a spicy cucumber salad.
If you are hosting a game-day feast, pair them with traditional favorites like buffalo wings, lemon pepper wings, and Thai sweet chili wings. Be sure to provide plenty of napkins for the delicious, messy wings!
How to Store
Place any leftover wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will stay fresh for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend freezing them because the sauce will get a weird texture.
The air fryer is your best bet for reheating these wings! Heat them at 350 degrees F for about 5 minutes until heated through. After reheating, add a quick sprinkle of sesame seeds and fresh green onions to make them look and taste fresh again.
Tips & Tricks
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- Pat those wings completely dry before seasoning – I mean really dry! Extra moisture is the enemy of crispiness.
- The baking powder is essential for crispy wings.
- Arrange wings in a single layer in your air fryer, even if it means you need to cook in batches. Keep the wings warm in a 200-degree F oven while making multiple batches.
- Measure your gochujang precisely. I learned that eyeballing it can make things way too spicy!
- Start with 1 tablespoon of gochujang paste for milder wings. For more heat, add an extra tablespoon.
- If you like your wings extra saucy, double the sauce recipe. You can always use leftover sauce for dipping or save it for your next batch!
Reader Questions
Gochujang paste is a fermented Korean red chili paste with a complex sweet-spicy-umami flavor. It can be found in Asian grocery stores or in the international aisle of most supermarkets.
With the amount of gochujang paste in this recipe, these wings are medium spicy, tending towards spicy. You can easily adjust the heat level by changing the amount of gochujang paste.
Yes, but thoroughly thaw them completely and pat them very dry before cooking. I’ve found that frozen wings that aren’t properly dried never get quite as crispy as fresh ones.
Absolutely! Bake them at 400°F for about 40 minutes, flipping halfway through. They won’t be as crispy as air-fried wings, but they’ll still be delicious!
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Air Fryer Korean Wings Recipe
Ingredients
For the Wings
- 1 ½ pounds chicken wings split
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ginger powder
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
For the Sauce
- 2 tablespoons gochujang paste Korean chili paste
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger minced
- 2 tablespoons water
For Garnish
- sesame seeds
- green onions chopped
Instructions
- Pat chicken wings dry and season with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and ginger powder.1 ½ pounds chicken wings, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon ginger powder
- Toss wings in baking powder, making sure they are evenly coated.2 tablespoons baking powder
- Put the wings in the basket of your air fryer, keeping them in a single layer.
- Air fry at 360 degrees F for 18 minutes. Then flip the wings over and air fry at 400 degrees F for another 6 minutes.
- While the wings cook, heat gochujang paste, soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and water in a saucepan over medium heat.2 tablespoons gochujang paste, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon garlic, 1 teaspoon ginger, 2 tablespoons water
- Stir and simmer for 2-3 minutes until thickened.
- Once the wings are cooked, toss crispy wings in the sauce until fully coated.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onions.sesame seeds, green onions
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
