Korean Garlic Honey Fried Chicken
Crispy air-fried chicken drumsticks coated in a sticky, sweet garlic honey and soy glaze, garnished with fresh thyme and sesame.
Korean garlic honey fried chicken combines a shatteringly crisp double-coated exterior with a deeply savory, aromatic glaze. Using an air fryer offers a lighter alternative to traditional deep-frying without sacrificing the signature crunch.
Ingredients
- 6–8 chicken drumsticks
- 200 ml milk
- 2 heads garlic
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- to taste fresh thyme
- to taste sesame seeds
Instructions
- 1Season and marinate the chicken
Place the chicken drumsticks into a metal container and season them with black pepper, salt, and milk. Marinate for two hours, or let them soak overnight for an even better infusion of flavor.
Tip: Soaking chicken in milk helps tenderize the meat while removing any gamey odors. - 2Finely chop the garlic
Take two whole heads of garlic, peel all the cloves, and chop them finely on a wooden cutting board using a knife or bench scraper.
Tip: Chop the garlic as uniformly as possible so it distributes evenly through the sauce later. - 3Prepare the sauce mixture
Transfer the finely chopped garlic into a metal container, pour in the soy sauce and honey, and stir everything well together to set aside.
Tip: Mix the honey thoroughly with the soy sauce so it doesnt clump at the bottom of the container. - 4Coat the chicken in flour
Take the marinated chicken pieces out of their marinade and thoroughly coat them in a tray of dry flour.
Tip: Press the flour firmly onto the chicken pieces to ensure an even coating that adheres well. - 5Double coat and prep for baking
Dip the flour-coated chicken pieces back into the milk, then thoroughly dredge them in the dry flour a second time. Arrange the double-coated pieces evenly in the air fryer basket or baking tray.
Tip: A double coating creates a much crispier outer crust during the baking or frying process. - 6Start making the sauce
Heat a pan on the stove and generously add butter, or cooking oil if preferred, then add the prepared garlic, soy sauce, and honey mixture to bring it to a simmer.
Tip: Melt the butter over medium heat to prevent it from burning before you add the sauce ingredients.
