Sweet and spicy, this crispy Korean Fried Chicken is actually made in an Air Fryer. A healthy and Paleo alternative made with coconut aminos, tapioca starch and stevia but still has all the authentic flavors!

Okay let me just preface this by saying I am now in love with Gochujang!

I’ve always been a fan of spicy foods, but I’d been holding off on all those Asian recipes on my list because they’re so heavy on the sodium (all the soy sauce and pastes and such).

But I recently got my hands on a low-sodium and soy-free alternative to soy sauce! Coconut Aminos – that are made from coconut sap – as well a version of the Korean hot chili paste (Gochujang) that’s made with the same concept.

So this just had to be the first recipe to knock off my list!

What is Gochugang, where to get it and do you need it?

Gochujang is a Korean hot chili paste, and most grocery stores should have it in the Asian food aisle.

Need it? Yes, you do! I guess you could substitute another spicy chili paste here, but the favor of gochujang on the fried chicken breast is just hard to beat.

Spicy, sweet, umami – so much going on there.

This paleo friendly korean fried chicken breast is coated with tapioca flour, cooked in the air fryer and tossed in a no soy spicy korean sauce made with coconut aminos and gochujang - a sweet and spicy appetizer that tastes like bbq wings!

Ingredients for the Paleo Breaded Chicken Breast with Tapioca Flour

Chicken breast – Makes this air fryer fried chicken even healthier
Tapioca Starch – You can use the regular corn starch, but tapioca flour makes breaded chicken breast paleo.
Almond flour – To replace the typical all-purpose flour in regular versions, and keeps this fried chicken recipe Gluten-free and Paleo!
Salt

Homemade Spicy Korean Chicken Sauce Ingredients

Gochujang
Coconut Aminos – A soy-free and low sodium soy sauce alternative, but a normal soy sauce would be just as good.
Rice Vinegar – Another Asian ingredient, but White Wine Vinegar should be fine.
Minced Garlic
Grated Ginger
Stevia Sweetener – You cold use coconut sugar or maple syrup to keep it healthy, but it won’t be sugar-free anymore.
Water – to thin it down

How to make Crispy Chicken with Tapioca Starch

This Air Fryer Korean Fried Chicken is super easy to make!

Mix the tapioca starch, almond flour and salt in a shallow bowl.
Take a piece of chicken at a time and dredge it in the paleo-friendly breading.
Shake off the extra coating and place the pieces them on a wire rack so any more excess falls off.
Place them in an air fryer basket and cook for about 10 minutes at 375°F.
You might need less or more time depending on the size of your chicken. Don’t cook it too much or the meat will dry out.

Tips for Crunchy Air fryer Korean Fried Chicken

Preheat the air fryer! This way the chicken pieces start cooking as soon as you put them in, just like baking in the oven.
Use bite-sized chicken pieces; Too big and they won’t be as crunchy in every bite.
Coat all sides of the chicken completely when dredging.
Don’t stack the chicken pieces or they won’t crisp up evenly. Line them in a single laer and work in batches if you need to.
Shake the air fryer basket or flip the breaded chicken bites over halfway so both sides get just as crispy.
Sauce before serving only. This way the chicken is still crispy when you eat it.

An easy appetizer recipe for gluten free and paleo fried chicken breast breaded with tapioca starch or flour and almond flour for a crunchy and crispy dish with no deep fryer! Just bake or air fry!

Can you Deep Fry or Bake the Fried Chicken?

Yes. Simply bake the chicken pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet for about 12 minutes at 425°F. You might want to spray a bit of cooking spray on first.

If you really want to deep fry it – they will be extra crunchy, but very fatty. Fry on a skillet in oil about 2” high heated to 350°F for a few minutes until browned on the outside. Test to make sure it’s no longer pink on the inside.

Can you store this Paleo Korean BBQ Chicken

This chicken has a crispy and crunchy coating when just cooked, so it’s best had fresh.

If you have extras, they’ll keep in the fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container. Make sure to keep the sauce separate, and only combine when serving.

For a freezer-friendly alternative, let each piece freeze individually on a baking sheet and then place them in a freezer-safe zipper bag.

With both options, reheat them in the air fryer or use an oven. You could microwave them, but they won’t be as crunchy.

Meal prep these freezer-friendly paleo korean fried chicken made without buttermilk, no breadcrumbs or flour, and freeze them with the breading or after they’re baked.

What about making it ahead of time and then baking or air frying?

To meal prep, first dredge and coat the chicken in the tapioca almond flour blend.

Then, like the cooked version, freeze each breaded chicken piece individually on a baking sheet and then transfer them to a freezer-safe zipper bag.

When it’s time to cook, just cook them in the air fryer them straight out of the freezer, but for about 12 minutes.

Why making popcorn Chicken at home is healthy

Tapioca flour/starch for crispy crunch, i.e. without breadcrumbs!
It’s without buttermilk unlike a lot of other recipes
No real flour, just almond flour, so is gluten free.
Baked in the oven, so not only is there no deep fryer needed, but this also makes them low fat hence lower in calories

Some ways to serve this spicy healthy appetizer

These Korean chicken nuggets – or even use wings if that’s what you’ve used – have so much flavor of their own, they don’t even need anything to go with!

I enjoyed them just with the sweet and spicy sauce coating, but simply steamed broccoli or rice are good options.

Or go for my favorite authentic: Pair it with a Bibimbap Bowl!

More Easy and Healthy Paleo Chicken Recipes: