Cut the chicken thighs into 1-inch pieces and place in a large bowl. In a separate small bowl, combine the garlic powder, paprika, flour, corn starch, salt, and black pepper. Toss the chicken pieces with this seasoning mixture until evenly coated—this dry coating will help create that signature crispy exterior when air-fried. While the chicken seasons, slice the cucumber thinly (a mandoline works great here) and set aside.

Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. While it heats, place half of the seasoned chicken in the air fryer basket in a single layer—don't overcrowd, as this ensures crispiness. Cook for 17 minutes, shaking the basket and flipping pieces halfway through for even browning. Once the first batch goes in, start cooking your rice according to package directions; this timing allows everything to finish around the same time. When the first batch is golden and cooked through, transfer to a bowl and immediately cook the remaining chicken using the same method.

While the chicken cooks, combine the sliced cucumber with tamari, rice vinegar, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, and garlic salt in a bowl. Mix well and set aside at room temperature—the cucumber will soften slightly and absorb the flavors as it sits. I like to let this pickle for at least 10 minutes while everything else finishes cooking; it adds a bright, tangy contrast to the rich, savory chicken and sauce.

While the second batch of chicken finishes cooking, combine tamari, water, honey, gochujang, brown sugar, and freshly grated ginger in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk until the gochujang dissolves and the mixture comes to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly and deepens in color. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon—this is when you know it's reached the right consistency.

Once all the chicken from Step 2 is cooked and the sauce from Step 4 has thickened, add the cooked chicken pieces to the sauce pan. Fold and stir gently until every piece is evenly coated with the glossy, caramelized gochujang sauce. I find that gently folding rather than aggressively stirring helps keep the chicken pieces intact and prevents them from breaking apart.

Divide the cooked rice from Step 2 among serving bowls, creating a base for each bowl. Top each portion of rice with a generous serving of the sauce-coated chicken from Step 5, spooning any extra sauce over the rice. Add a handful of the pickled cucumber mixture from Step 3 to each bowl, then garnish with toasted sesame seeds for a nutty finish and visual appeal.