Gochujang Chicken Korean Style (Printable)

Tender chicken glazed in bold Korean chili sauce with honey, garlic, and ginger for a spicy-sweet flavor profile.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces

→ Marinade & Sauce

02 - 3 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
03 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
04 - 1 tbsp sesame oil
05 - 2 tbsp honey
06 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
09 - 1 tbsp brown sugar
10 - 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

→ Garnish

11 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
12 - 1 tbsp sesame seeds

# Directions:

01 - In a large bowl, combine gochujang, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, and black pepper. Mix well to create a smooth, homogeneous marinade.
02 - Add chicken pieces to the bowl, tossing thoroughly to coat evenly with the sauce. Cover and marinate for at least 15 minutes, or up to 2 hours in the refrigerator for deeper flavor penetration.
03 - Preheat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat until properly heated through.
04 - Add marinated chicken to the pan in a single layer, shaking off excess marinade. Cook for 5–7 minutes per side, turning occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and develops caramelized edges.
05 - Pour any remaining marinade into the pan, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 2–3 minutes until the sauce thickens and glazes the chicken evenly.
06 - Transfer glazed chicken to a serving plate. Sprinkle with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately with steamed rice or your choice of sides.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The marinade does double duty as a sticky glaze that caramelizes beautifully
  • It comes together in under 45 minutes but tastes like you spent all day on it
02 -
  • Do not crowd the pan or the chicken will steam instead of sear. Work in batches if necessary.
  • The sauce will bubble and spit as it thickens. Stand back a bit and keep a splash guard handy.
03 -
  • Room temperature chicken sears more evenly than cold straight from the fridge
  • Let the pan get properly hot before adding the first piece of chicken

Return