Gochujang Chicken Spicy Korean (Printable)

Tender chicken pieces glazed in spicy-sweet gochujang sauce with garlic, ginger, and honey for a vibrant Korean-inspired meal.

# 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 - Combine gochujang, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, and black pepper in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly until well incorporated.
02 - Add chicken pieces to the bowl and toss to coat evenly. Cover and let marinate for at least 15 minutes, or up to 2 hours for deeper flavor penetration.
03 - Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat until properly heated.
04 - Shake excess marinade from chicken pieces and arrange in a single layer in the hot pan. Cook for 5–7 minutes per side, turning occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and develops caramelized edges.
05 - Pour remaining marinade into the pan, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 2–3 minutes until sauce reduces and thickens, coating the chicken pieces.
06 - Transfer chicken to a serving platter. Sprinkle with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately with steamed rice or desired sides.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce hits every note at once sweet, spicy, savory, and deeply umami rich in a way that makes you want to lick the plate
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes but tastes like something that simmered all day
  • The marinade does double duty as a glaze, creating those gorgeous caramelized edges that make restaurant quality food so irresistible
02 -
  • Do not skip the step of shaking off excess marinade before searing, or the chicken will steam instead of develop those beautiful caramelized edges
  • The sauce will continue to thicken off the heat, so pull it a minute before you think it is done to avoid ending up with candy coating
  • Gochujang brands vary wildly in heat level, so taste your marinade before adding the chicken and adjust accordingly
03 -
  • Cut your chicken into uniformly sized pieces so everything cooks at the same rate, nothing worse than some pieces dry while others are underdone
  • Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan for 2 minutes before garnishing, the aroma alone is worth the extra step

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