Spicy Gochujang Chicken (Printable)
Juicy chicken thighs glazed with spicy-sweet gochujang, soy, and honey. Ready in 40 minutes for a satisfying Korean dinner.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
→ Marinade
02 - 3 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
03 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
04 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
05 - 2 tbsp honey (or brown sugar)
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
08 - 1 tbsp sesame oil
09 - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
→ Garnishes
10 - 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
11 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
# How To Make It:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the gochujang, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, minced garlic, grated ginger, sesame oil, and black pepper until smooth and well combined.
02 - Add the chicken pieces to the marinade and toss to coat evenly. Let rest for at least 20 minutes at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours for deeper flavor penetration.
03 - Heat a large skillet or non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken along with any excess marinade and cook for 6 to 8 minutes per side, until the chicken is fully cooked through and lightly caramelized on the edges.
04 - Remove from heat and transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions. Serve hot alongside steamed rice or in lettuce wraps.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sauce practically builds itself with pantry staples you probably already have on hand.
- It delivers that restaurant quality caramelized glaze without any frying or deep cooking knowledge.
02 -
- Do not skip the marinating time because the chicken needs those 20 minutes to absorb the sauce and develop real flavor.
- Resist the urge to crank the heat too high or the sugars in the honey and gochujang will burn before the chicken cooks through.
03 -
- If you have time to marinate the chicken for two hours in the refrigerator, the flavor deepens dramatically and becomes something truly special.
- Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan for one minute before sprinkling them on because the aroma doubles when they are freshly warmed.