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Air Fryer Korean Sticky Chicken Fingers

Air Fryer Korean Fried Chicken Tenders

5 from 1 vote
Author: Laurie Fleming
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 27 minutes
Servings: 8 Servings

Description

These Air Fryer Korean Fried Chicken Tenders are crispy, juicy, and packed with bold, sweet-spicy flavor. Quick to make and perfect for dipping, they’re an easy crowd-pleaser for weeknight dinners or snack time.

Ingredients 

Chicken:

  • 1 pound Chicken Tenderloins
  • 1 cup Buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour 
  • 1/4 cup Corn Starch 
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Sauce:

  • 1/2 cup Gochujang Sauce (or Paste)
  • 1 tablespoon Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1/3 cup  Soy Sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Sesame Seeds
  • 1 tablespoon Dried Chives
  • 1/4 cup Rice Vinegar
  • 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Sesame Oil

Instructions

  • Place chicken tenderloins in an airtight container and add buttermilk. Close and let them soak in the fridge for at least 6 hours but overnight if possible.
  • When you’re ready to cook the chicken, get your breading station set up.  In a large bowl, add flour, cornstarch, egg, and water. Stir well. This is your wet batter. Set aside. In a separate medium bowl,  add panko crumbs and red pepper flakes—Preheat air fryer to 395 degrees F, air fryer setting.
  • Coat each piece of chicken in the wet batter. Allow any extra to drip off into the wet batter bowl before transferring the chicken to the bowl of Panko crumbs. Coat each piece completely in Panko.
  • After you’ve coated the chicken, place it in the air fryer basket. Leave a little space in between each piece of chicken, so they aren’t touching. Don’t stack them either. Once your basket is full, place it in the air fryer and cook for 6 minutes. Very carefully flip the chicken and continue to cook for an additional 4-6 minutes. 
  • Cook until the chicken is a nice golden brown on the outside and completely white on the inside. An internal thermometer should read 165 degrees F when inserted into the middle of the chicken. Remove chicken and set aside. Repeat until you’ve finished cooking all of the chicken.
  • In a bowl, combine gochujang sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, brown sugar, sesame seeds, chives, and red pepper flakes. Stir well. 
  • Pour sauce over the chicken, making sure to coat each piece evenly completely.  Garnish with a bit of sesame seed and/or cilantro. Serve as is, overtop rice, or with a nice salad.
  • Plate, serve, and enjoy!

Equipment

  • Air Fryer
  • Cooking Spray
  • Parchment Paper, optional

Notes

These are definitely spicy! If you need to tone them down at all, you can serve them with a nice cool and crisp salad or even omit the red pepper flakes in the breading/sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 241kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 17gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 63mgSodium: 727mgPotassium: 402mgFiber: 1gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 485IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 82mgIron: 2mg