Korean BBQ Chicken Bowls (Printable)

Grilled chicken thighs in Korean BBQ marinade over rice with crisp veggies and creamy spicy mayo.

# What You’ll Need:

→ For the Korean BBQ Chicken

01 - 1.1 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
02 - 3 tbsp soy sauce
03 - 1.5 tbsp brown sugar
04 - 1 tbsp sesame oil
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 2 tsp ginger, grated
07 - 1 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
08 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
09 - 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
10 - Black pepper, to taste

→ For the Bowls

11 - 2 cups cooked jasmine or short-grain rice
12 - 1 cup shredded carrots
13 - 1 cup cucumber, thinly sliced
14 - 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
15 - 1 avocado, sliced
16 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
17 - 1 tbsp sesame seeds, for garnish

→ Gochujang Mayo

18 - 3 tbsp mayonnaise
19 - 1 tbsp gochujang
20 - 1 tsp rice vinegar
21 - 1 tsp honey

# How To Make It:

01 - Whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, gochujang, rice vinegar, sesame seeds, and black pepper in a bowl until well combined.
02 - Add chicken thighs to the marinade, turning to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours for deeper flavor penetration.
03 - While chicken marinates, shred carrots, thinly slice cucumber and purple cabbage, slice avocado, and chop green onions. Cook rice if not already prepared.
04 - Combine mayonnaise, gochujang, rice vinegar, and honey in a small bowl. Mix until smooth and creamy. Set aside for serving.
05 - Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Grill marinated chicken thighs for 5-6 minutes per side until cooked through and nicely charred. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
06 - Divide cooked rice among four serving bowls. Arrange sliced BBQ chicken, carrots, cucumber, purple cabbage, and avocado on top of the rice.
07 - Drizzle bowls with gochujang mayo. Sprinkle with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately while warm.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The homemade gochujang mayo will make you want to put it on everything
  • Meal prep friendly and actually tastes better the next day
  • That perfect sweet, spicy, savory combo that hits every craving at once
02 -
  • Don't rush the marinade time, even 30 minutes makes a huge difference
  • Let the chicken rest before slicing or all those juices will escape onto your cutting board
  • The spicy mayo can be made ahead and keeps in the fridge for days
03 -
  • Use certified gluten-free soy sauce and gochujang to make this completely gluten-free
  • If your gochujang is too spicy, add more honey to the mayo for balance