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A bowl of golden crispy air-fried chicken thigh pieces served over fluffy white rice, accompanied by fresh shredded lettuce and thinly sliced red onions. The chicken is deeply caramelized, with a crunchy exterior and juicy center, making this a vibrant and satisfying rice bowl.
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Crispy Golden Chicken

This Crispy Golden Chicken is bold, crunchy, and ridiculously delicious. Skin-on chicken thighs are marinated in sesame oil, garlic, and gochujang, then air-fried to crispy perfection with a golden finish thanks to turmeric and paprika.
Watch me make Crispy Golden Chicken
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Total Time27 minutes
Course: Air Fryer Recipes, Lunch, Meal Prep
Cuisine: American, Asian, Fusion
Keyword: Air Fryer, Air Fryer Chicken, Air Fryer Chicken Recipe, Air Fryer Recipe, Asian Chicken Recipe, Chicken Recipe, Crispy Chicken, Crispy Gochujang Chicken, Crispy Golden Chicken, Easy Chicken Recipe, Golden Chicken Recipe, Paprika Chicken Thighs, Savory Asian Chicken, Turmeric Chicken Air Fryer
Servings: 2 servings

Equipment

Ingredients

Chicken & Marinade

  • 1 lb skin-on chicken thighs cut into 1-inch chunks, see note 1
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp white pepper
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp grated ginger
  • 1 tsp gochujang
  • ¼ tsp turmeric
  • ¼ tsp paprika
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • Cooking oil spray

Optional Garnishes

  • Green lettuce
  • Red onions sliced

Instructions

  • Cut your skin-on chicken thighs into one-inch chunks.
  • In a bowl, marinate the chicken with sesame oil, salt, white pepper, garlic, ginger, gochujang, turmeric, and paprika. Let sit for 15 minutes.
  • After marinating, toss your chicken with cornstarch and mix until evenly coated.
  • Spray your air fryer basket with oil, place the chicken in a single layer, and spray again with more oil.
  • Air fry at 375°F (190°C) for 12 minutes or until golden and crispy.
  • Serve your chicken over a bed of fresh rice.
  • Optionally top with green lettuce and sliced red onions

Notes

(1) I used skin-on chicken thighs to get that crispy exterior, but any cut works, such as chicken breast or skinless chicken thighs. Just keep in mind the exterior may not be as crispy.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 410kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 30g