Spicy Gochujang Chicken (Printable Version)

Juicy chicken thighs glazed in a spicy-sweet Korean gochujang sauce, caramelized to perfection.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.75 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces

→ Marinade & Sauce

02 - 3 tbsp gochujang (Korean red chili paste)
03 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
04 - 2 tbsp honey
05 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
06 - 1 tbsp sesame oil
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
09 - 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
10 - 1 spring onion, thinly sliced (for garnish)

→ Optional for Serving

11 - Cooked white rice or steamed vegetables

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large bowl, whisk together the gochujang, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, minced garlic, and grated ginger until smooth and well combined.
02 - Add the chicken pieces to the marinade, tossing thoroughly to coat evenly. Let rest for at least 10 minutes at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours for deeper flavor penetration.
03 - Place a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat and allow it to get hot before adding the chicken.
04 - Transfer the marinated chicken to the hot skillet and cook for 6 to 8 minutes per side, until the pieces are cooked through and develop a caramelized, lightly charred exterior.
05 - Remove the chicken from the heat, sprinkle generously with toasted sesame seeds and thinly sliced spring onion. Serve immediately alongside steamed white rice or vegetables.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The gochujang does all the heavy lifting, giving you deep, complex flavor with almost zero effort on your part.
  • It is one of those rare dishes that tastes like you spent hours when you really just threw things in a bowl and waited.
02 -
  • Do not crowd the pan or the chicken will steam instead of char, so cook in two batches if your skillet is on the smaller side.
  • Letting the chicken sit in the marinade for the full two hours transforms the flavor from good to genuinely memorable.
03 -
  • Pat the chicken dry with paper towels before adding it to the marinade so the sauce clings instead of sliding off.
  • Use tamari instead of regular soy sauce if you need this to be gluten free, and double check your gochujang label since some brands sneak wheat in.

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