Easy Air Fryer Gochujang Chicken Wings

Preparation time: 30-40 minutes | Serves: 2 people

If you can’t resist sticky, smoky chicken wings - you’ve come to the right place. This quick and easy air fryer chicken wing recipe requires minimal prep and just a few ingredients, coming together in just about 30 minutes. My hot tip for this recipe is to leave the chicken skin on. Since it’s made in the air fryer (I use a Sunbeam one you can find here), the skin gets golden and crispy while the insides stay juicy, giving you that coveted texture without deep frying.

What is Gochujang?
I’ve used Gochujang in this recipe, a spicy-sweet, fermented chilli paste from Korea. This umami-rich paste combines Korean chilli flakes (Gochugaru), fermented sweet rice and soybeans for a complex taste profile that's both spicy and slightly sweet. This recipe combines Gochujang with soy sauce, sesame oil, honey and garlic for a flavour bomb of a marinade that caramelises beautifully. Here’s another hot tip - if you love spicy stuff, you can double the quantity and drizzle the sauce over the chicken, or mix it with mayo for a dipping sauce.

Find more tips and tricks in my recipe notes below.

Ingredients

• 10-12 chicken wings (skin on)

• 2 tsps. sesame oil

• 2 tbsps. Gochujang paste

• 2 tbsps. soy sauce

• 2 tbsps. honey

• 2-3 cloves garlic, grated

• Spring onion greens, sliced

• Toasted sesame seeds, to garnish

Method

1. Wash the chicken wings and pat them dry.

2. Mix the sesame oil, Gochujang, soy sauce, honey and garlic in a bowl - add a splash of water if its too thick.

3. Divide the sauce in half. Use one portion to marinate the chicken. and reserve the remainder for brushing.

4. Lightly spray/ brush the base of an air fryer oil and arrange the wings in a single layer (you might have to cook the wings in 2 batches).

5. Air fry for 10 mins at 160ºC and flip the pieces.

6. Brush the wings with the reserved sauce and increase temperature to 180°C. Cook for an additional 5-7 minutes until the skin is crispy and the chicken is cooked through.

7. Serve hot, sprinkled with spring onion greens and toasted sesame seeds.

RECIPE NOTES

Swaps, Serves & Storage

1. Do I have to use skin on chicken wings?
   In my opinion, the chicken skin is the best part of this recipe! However if you don’t like it or it’s unavailable to you, you can ditch the skin and follow the above steps, just give the chicken a few more minutes at the higher temperature to turn golden brown.

2. What can I use instead of Gochujang?
   You can use chilli garlic sauce instead of Gochujang, but reduce the soy sauce as chilli sauce is thinner than Gochujang paste. You can also order it online here.

3. Can I make this recipe in the oven?
   For baked chicken wings, preheat the oven to 180ºC and lay the wings in an even layer on a baking sheet. Cook for 20 mins, then brush with the marinade and grill for an additional 10 minutes.

4. What do I serve these wings with?
   Serve these air fryer Gochujang chicken wings with sticky rice and kimchi for a proper meal, or enjoy with an ice cold beer as a snack.

5. How long can I store these wings?
   Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 160°C for 3-4 minutes for best texture.