15 Minutes Gochujang Chicken
Sticky Korean Chicken made with Gochujang, soy sauce marinade is bold in flavor and one of go to recipes when we crave something Asian. Chicken thighs are coated in a sweet and spicy sauce and cooked until juicy in just 15 minutes.
These delicious Korean Chicken Thighs have an amazing sticky sauce and are so so juicy. With just a handful of ingredients, you can’t go wrong with this Korean Chicken recipe. The sauce is sweet and savory. The Korean Chili paste aka Gochujang gives that Umaminess to the sauce. Best thing is, this needs no marination.
Isn’t it nice to have quick and fuss-free recipes in your back pocket for those busy days? It is even better if you are bringing dinner to the table in less than 20 minutes. This Korean Chicken thigh recipe just fits all the bills. The caramelized sauce that coats the chicken is to die for.
Back to back two Korean Recipes guys. I am totally obsessed with the flavors and can’t help sharing all the new recipes I am trying. If you love Korean flavors ( or K-Drama fanatics and crave Korean food while watching) then I bet you are going to love this Kimchi Fried rice and Spicy Gochujang Noodles.
Ingredients You Need
- Chicken thighs– Boneless skinless chicken thighs give the perfect caramelized top without getting dry.
- Gochujang – Fermented Korean chili bean paste with an intense flavor.
- Gochugaru– Korean chili pepper powder. This is for an extra kick, however, if you can’t handle the heat then you can skip it or substitute with mild paprika.
- Soy sauce – Preferably low sodium soy sauce or use all-purpose.
- Rice Vinegar – Just to balance the sweet and spicy ingredients. I sometimes use ACV, which gives a fruity undertone.
- Brown Sugar – This helps balance the heat and caramelize.
- Ginger and garlic-
- Sesame Seeds – optional but love the crunch.
- Green Onion
Marinade for Gochujang Chicken Thighs
This marinade is really easy. Just throw in all the ingredients, mix well and add chicken thighs. Unlike other Chicken recipes, you don’t have to rest the marinated chicken.
Gochujang is an important ingredient in this marinade. Gochujang is fermented red chilli and bean paste. It is a staple in Korean cuisine. The flavor is really intense and a little goes a long way. It is easily available in the Asian section of the grocery store.
The pungent flavor of Gochujang is balanced by soy sauce, Brown Sugar, Garlic, and ginger. I have added paprika for a little extra spicy sauce but you can skip it if you prefer the sauce to be less spicy.
Prefer Watching How To Make Gochujang Chicken?
Making Gochujang chicken is a 2-steps process. You don’t even need any marination. The mix is thick and sticks to the chicken well. Just make sure you have pat-dried the chicken well.
To cook chicken on a skillet, heat it well. Add oil and place chicken skin side down. Cook on medium-high heat undisturbed for 4-5 minutes to get the perfect sear. Then flip and cook for another 4-5 minutes or until cooked through.
Can I use Chicken Breast?
Yes, You can and the outcome is equally good. Just make sure if the chicken breast is too thick, cut it into horizontal fillets. Pound any thick part with a meat mallet. Cook it 3-4 minutes each side on medium-high heat and let it rest before slicing.
Recipe Tips
- The best way to get juicy chicken is to use Chicken thigh. Chicken thigh remains juicy no matter how you cook it. As we are not marinating the chicken for too long, the chicken thigh is the best choice. You can certainly use Chicken breast instead. If using chicken thigh make sure you cook it for the right time to get juicy chicken.
- To get the right balance in the sauce, check the seasoning before adding it to the chicken. Add more soy or sugar to bring the balance.
- Substitute sugar with honey as an alternative.
- To get perfect caramelization, use a heavy-bottomed pan or a well-seasoned cast iron skillet.
What to Serve?
Our favorite way is to serve it over hot rice. Pair it with some stir-fried veggies like beans, broccoli or spinach. Get creative and serve it in a burger bun piled up with some coleslaw ( I did that once and oh boy! it was darn delicious).
Other Quick Chicken Recipes to try
Sticky Korean Chicken
Ingredients
- 500 gm Chicken thighs Boneless
- 1 Teaspoon Oil
- 1 Teaspoon Roasted Sesame Seeds
- 2 Scallion Green Part
For Marinating
- 2 Tablespoon Gochujang Paste
- 2 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
- 3 Tablespoon Light Brown Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Garlic Minced
- ½ Tablespoon Ginger grated
- 1 Teaspoon Rice Vinegar
- 1 Teaspoon Gochugaru/ Paprika
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients mentioned under Marination.
- Add chicken to the marinade and toss it well to coat chicken well with the marinade.
- Heat a heavy bottom cast Iron Skillet. Add oil.
- Shake off excess marinade and arrange Chicken in a single layer leaving space in between. Cook undisturbed for 4-5 minutes on medium-high heat.
- Flip chicken and cook the other side for another 3-4 minutes.
- Serve with rice. Sprinkle sesame seeds and green onion on top.
Video
Notes
- While adding chicken to the pan, don’t crowd the pan. Add chicken in two batches for crispy caramelized skin.
Can this be made in an air fryer?
yes. I make in air fryer as well and it comes out great.
Left out the rice vinegar because I had none and seared it on the stove before finishing it in the oven instead.
Absolutely lovely. Quick marinade which I left the chicken diced in overnight to season. I did cook the chicken in two batches to make sure it was cooked both sides as the recipe advised which was easy. I wrapped the first batch in foil to keep it hot whilst cooking the second batch.
I used chopped chillies instead of Gochujang Paste and red wine vinegar instead of Rice vinegar and everyone said how lovely it all tasted. We served white basmati rice with ours.
How long do you marinate the chicken?
15-20 minutes should be enough.
Serving with Red ce or noodles? Or something else thank you
White rice, jasmine rice or noodles is a good option. Or a crunchy salad to keep it a light meal.
fantastic!
I love Korean food and this looks yummy!
Delish and easy!
This looks amazing! Is there a substitute I could use for the rice vinegar? Maybe apple cidar vinegar?
Yes you use Apple cider or regular vinegar as well.
Excellent recipe, very easy to make and I’ve had great results each time. Made the recipe exactly as posted.