• 1 large English cucumber
• 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
• 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds (I hate seeds and skipped these)
• 2 cloves garlic finely minced
• 1 green onion (green top) chopped
• 1 teaspoon gochugaru (Korean pepper flakes) or crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon gochujang (Korean chili paste)

Crispy Chicken:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 large eggs
• 1-1/2 cups crushed, thin potato chips
• 4 (each thigh approx. 4-5 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
• 3 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili paste)
• 1 tablespoon ginger paste
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 cup water

To assemble:

• 4 tablespoons butter (for toasting buns)
• 4 buns (such as brioche) or ciabatte rolls – I used potato buns
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup cabbage kimchi

To start, make the pickles. Thinly slice the cucumber (a mandoline is great if you have one) and put in a medium bowl. Combine all the other pickle ingredients in a medium dish and stir together well, then stir into the cucumber slices. Cover, and put in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

To prepare the chicken, set up a dredging station. Set out plates/pie plates/bowls, with: 1) flour, garlic powder, and black pepper stirred together, 2) the two eggs, beaten, and bowl 3) the crushed chips.

Past the dish with chips, you’ll want the basket/pan for your air fryer, probably lined with parchment so you won’t have to clean it later. Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees. Dredge the chicken in the flour, then eggs, then chips, placing the coated chicken in the air fryer basket.

Cook in the air fryer for 15-18 minutes total, flipping in the middle. At the end check with a thermometer that the thickest piece of chicken  has reached 165 degrees.

While the chicken cooks, whisk together all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Pour into a large skillet and cook over medium high heat until slightly thickened, 5-8 minutes.

When the chicken is done, coat each piece well with the sauce.*

Melt a tablespoon of the butter in a skillet and toast an open bun, cut-side-down, until golden brown, adding more butter as needed to toast all four buns. Spread a bit of butter on the inside of each bun, then place a piece of chicken on the bottom bun, some pickles, and some kimchi. Put on the top piece of the bun and enjoy!

*I had more chicken than people, meaning leftovers. To avoid gross sogginess, I stored the cooked pieces, unsauced, and would then throw each one back in the air fryer for 5 minutes and douse in sauce when ready to eat.

Gochujang Chicken Sandwich

From Noble Pig.

Quick Cucumber Salad:

• 1 large English cucumber
• 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
• 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
• 2 cloves garlic finely minced
• 1 green onion (green top) chopped
• 1 teaspoon gochugaru (Korean pepper flakes) or crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon gochujang (Korean chili paste)

Crispy Chicken:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 large eggs
• 1-1/2 cups crushed, thin potato chips
• 4 (each thigh approx. 4-5 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
• 3 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili paste)
• 1 tablespoon ginger paste
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 cup water

To assemble:

• 4 tablespoons butter (for toasting buns)
• 4 buns (such as brioche) or ciabatte rolls
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup cabbage kimchi

To start, make the pickles. Thinly slice the cucumber (a mandoline is great if you have one) and put in a medium bowl. Combine all the other pickle ingredients in a medium dish and stir together well, then stir into the cucumber slices. Cover, and put in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

To prepare the chicken, set up a dredging station. Set out plates/pie plates/bowls, with: 1) flour, garlic powder, and black pepper stirred together, 2) the two eggs, beaten, and bowl 3) the crushed chips. Past the dish with chips, you’ll want the basket/pan for your air fryer, probably lined with parchment so you won’t have to clean it later. Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees. Dredge the chicken in the flour, then eggs, then chips, placing the coated chicken in the air fryer basket. Cook in the air fryer for 15-18 minutes total, flipping in the middle. At the end check with a thermometer that the thickest piece of chicken  has reached 165 degrees.

While the chicken cooks, whisk together all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Pour into a large skillet and cook over medium high heat until slightly thickened, 5-8 minutes. When the chicken is done, coat each piece well with the sauce.

Melt a tablespoon of the butter in a skillet and toast an open bun, cut-side-down, until golden brown, adding more butter as needed to toast all four buns. Spread a bit of butter on the inside of each bun, then place a piece of chicken on the bottom bun, some pickles, and some kimchi. Put on the top piece of the bun and enjoy!