Spicy Gochujang Chicken (Printable)

Sweet and spicy Korean-style chicken with gochujang glaze, ready in 40 minutes.

# Ingredient List:

→ Chicken

01 - 1 1/2 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
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
08 - 1 tbsp sesame oil
09 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Garnishes

10 - 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
11 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced

# Directions:

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. Allow to marinate 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 nicely caramelized on the exterior.
04 - Remove the pan from heat and transfer the chicken to a serving plate. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions. Serve immediately with steamed rice or crisp lettuce wraps.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The marinade doubles as a glaze, so every piece of chicken gets coated in a sticky, caramelized layer of flavor that is genuinely addictive.
  • It comes together in about forty minutes start to finish, which means you can pull this off on a random Tuesday without thinking twice.
02 -
  • Do not skip scraping every bit of marinade from the bowl into the pan, because that leftover paste is what creates the caramelized glaze that makes this dish special.
  • If your pan starts to look dry before the chicken finishes cooking, drop the heat slightly rather than adding oil, since the marinade sugars can scorch over prolonged high heat.
03 -
  • Pat the chicken pieces dry with a paper towel before adding them to the marinade so the glaze adheres properly instead of sliding off.
  • Use a cast iron or heavy bottomed skillet if you have one, because the even heat distribution gives you a more consistent caramelization across all the pieces.

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