Bbq Korean Chicken Grill Stovetop Or Oven

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Korean BBQ Chicken – Savory Sweet Heat

Korean Chicken is characterized by the perfect blend of spicy and savory with a hint of sweetness. It’s one of my favorite flavor profiles due to the gochujang (Korean chili sauce) which delivers bold, complex flavors in just one ingredient. That means this Korean Chicken recipe is super easy to make with less ingredients but boasts huge aromatic flavors that deliver a truly addictive result.

Why you will love this BBQ Chicken (Korean recipe)

Easy: marinate and cook! Simple ingredients: grab some gochujang at your grocery store and now you have ALL the ingredients to make this Korean Chicken recipe any time. FLAVOR! you will be blow away at this flavor bomb. Versatile: you can cook this Korean chicken recipe on the stove, grill, or oven AND customize the heat. JUICY and so TENDER: the marinade tenderizes the chicken leaving it incredibly moist and flavorful. Freezer friendly: you can freeze the chicken in the marinade for an easy defrost and cook dinner or freeze it after cooking for an easy thaw and reheat dinner.

Korean Chicken Recipe ingredients

Most of the ingredients for this Korean chicken recipe are pantry staples, except perhaps gochujang BUT it can be easily found at your grocery store (more on that later). You will need:

WHAT IS GOCHUJANG?

Let’s talk a little more about Gochujang because it is the quintessential ingredient in this Korean Chicken recipe. It adds a ton of flavor to the chicken and balances the sweet notes of the brown sugar and rice wine. Gochujang is a Korean red chili paste and my FAVORITE chili paste. It is primarily made from red chilies, glutinous rice and soy beans. What sets this chili paste apart is that it is not just spicy, but boasts more of a complex, savory, spicy, sweet heat – kind of like a spicy Asian BBQ sauce. The sweetness comes from the starch of cooked glutinous rice which imparts its distinctly wonderful flavor.

WHERE CAN I BUY GOCHUJANG?

In addition to this Korean Spicy Chicken recipe, I also use gochujang in my Korean Tacos, Korean Meatballs, Korean Spicy Noodles, Korean Beef Bulgogi and Korean Beef Bowls, so you will have plenty of scrumptious opportunities to use it up!

What cut of chicken is best for BBQ Korean Chicken?

I know many of you are going to ask if you can use chicken breasts for this Korean Chicken recipe instead of chicken thighs– and the answer is yes! I chose chicken thighs because they are more commonly used in authentic Korean Chicken, are inherently juicier and reheat better but chicken breasts will still work If you choose to use chicken breasts then take care to pound them to an even thickness before marinating. If your chicken breasts are extra-large, slice them through the equator to create fillets. You don’t want large chicken breasts because the honey in the marinade will cause the surface of the chicken to burn before it is cooked through, especially on the grill or stove.

How to make Korean Chicken

This Korean Spicy Chicken is extremely simple make – pound the chicken, marinate the chicken, cook the chicken! Here’s how:

How to make sticky BBQ Korean Chicken

I don’t usually thicken the reserved sauce after cooking and use it more as a thin glaze or dip. If you want sticky Korean chicken, however, simply whisk in 1 teaspoon cornstarch and ¼ cup water and simmer into a sticky glaze.

3 ways to cook Gochujang Chicken

HOW TO COOK KOREAN CHICKEN ON THE GRILL

The method of cooking is entirely up to you! To impart that smoky Korean BBQ Chicken flavor, however, go for the grill. Just keep in mind that due to the honey in the marinade, the Korean Chicken can char quickly, so make sure you grease the grill extremely well and only use thinly pounded pieces of chicken so they can cook through before the outside of the chicken burns.

Generously grease and preheat the grill to medium heat, 375-450°F. Grill chicken, covered for 5-7 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through and an internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

HOW TO COOK KOREAN CHICKEN IN THE OVEN

I love the oven method for cooking Korean Chicken because it means you can pop it in the oven and completely forget about it while you prep veggies, etc. The oven method also means we get to enjoy Korean Chicken year-round!

Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Add chicken to baking sheet so they aren’t touching. Bake at 375 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until an internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

HOW TO COOK KOREAN CHICKEN ON THE STOVE

Upon first glance, the skillet method looks like the fastest way to cook Korean Chicken BUT your chicken will likely not fit in one skillet without overcrowding so you’ll need to work in batches or use two skillets.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Remove chicken from marinade and let excess marinade drip off. Add chicken and cook, undisturbed for 3-4 minutes, or until nicely browned on one side. Turn chicken over, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Cook approximately 3-5 more minutes (depending on thickness of chicken), or until chicken is cooked through.

Korean Chicken Recipe tips

This Korean Chicken recipe is SO easy, so here’s just a reminder of my most important tips and tricks:

Pound chicken to an even thickness for the most tender and evenly cooked chicken. If you don’t have a meat mallet, you can use the side of a can. I place my chicken in the ziploc bag I’m going to marinate it in for convenience. Let the chicken marinate to drink up the strong aromatic flavors for at least 4 hours. Use chicken thighs for the juiciest chicken. DON’T substitute the gochujang for any other chili paste. Let chicken sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before cooking. Use little or no sauce for less spicy chicken and more sauce for spicier chicken. Always use a meat thermometer so you don’t undercook, OR overcook the chicken. Let chicken rest 5 minutes before slicing so it has time to reabsorb the juices that have pushed towards the outside of the chicken. If you cut into it immediately after cooking, valuable, moisture-giving juices will run out.

What to serve with Korean BBQ Chicken

My favorite sides to serve with Spicy Korean Chicken are steamed rice and stir-fried veggies. The chicken is so flavorful, that both the rice and vegetables offer a neutral, textural counterpart. Here are some more delicious options to serve with your easy Korean Chicken recipe:

Rice: White rice, brown rice, quinoa, cauliflower rice, broccoli rice or Pineapple Rice. Stir Fry Veggies. You can stir fry any veggies your heart desires from broccoli, to bell peppers, to mushrooms, to carrots, etc. or you can serve with roasted veggies such as Roasted Broccoli, Roasted Broccolini, Roasted Cauliflower, Roasted Carrots, Sautéed Brussels Sprouts, or Roasted Squash. Shortcut Veggies. You can purchase pre-chopped veggies perfect for stir fries or use a frozen stir-fry blend or steam-in-the-bag microwavable frozen veggies. Salad. You can serve Korean Chicken with Crunchy Asian Salad, Chinese Salad, Asian Pineapple Salad or add the chicken directly to the salad to make a chicken salad. Soups: Miso Soup, Thai Noodle Soup, Curried Butternut Squash Soup, Thai Soup Fruit: Pineapple, Grilled Pineapple, Summer Fruit Salad, Perfect Fruit Salad, Creamy Grape Salad, Appetizers. For an Asian feast, Korean BBQ Chicken is delicious with Wontons, Asian Salad, Potstickers, Wonton Soup and Chinese Chicken Egg Rolls.

How to store Gochujang Chicken

To store: Store Gochujang Chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

CAN I FREEZE KOREAN BBQ CHICKEN?

Yes! You can freeze either the marinating Korean Chicken or the cooked chicken. To freeze chicken in marinade: Add the chicken to the marinade in a freezer safe bag, squeeze out excess air and freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to use, the chicken will marinate as you thaw the chicken in the refrigerator; cook immediately so it doesn’t marinate for too long and become mushy. To freeze leftover chicken: Let the cooked chicken cool completely then transfer it to an airtight container or plastic freezer bag and squeeze out any excess air. If you want access to individual pieces of chicken, wrap each chicken breast in plastic wrap before adding to the freezer bag. Freeze for 2 to 3 months.

HOW TO REHEAT KOREAN CHICKEN

From frozen: thaw Korean Spicy Chicken in the refrigerator overnight. You can also defrost in the microwave but take care to defrost slowly so your chicken doesn’t become rubbery. From fridge: you can warm chicken in a skillet on the stove top or in the microwave at 30 second intervals. Take care not to overcook or it will become dry. You can also reheat in the oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit or just until warmed through.

Can I prepare Korean Chicken ahead of time?

This Korean Spicy Chicken is just as delicious the next day, especially if you use chicken thighs. You may store cooked chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days. Use leftover Korean BBQ Chicken warmed up with some sauce or serve it cold on a salad, sandwich, wraps etc.