Korea · 2,5 h · Meat · Main course · For confident cooks
Gochujang Chicken
Original name: Gochujang Dak Gui · In German: Scharfes Gochujang-Hähnchen · In English: Korean Spicy Gochujang Chicken
For 4 servings · US units
Sweet-hot marinated chicken with caramelized, charred edges
Gochujang, the Korean fermented chili paste, brings the heat and a deep, gently sweet backbone to this chicken — stirred together with garlic, ginger and sesame oil, it turns into a marinade that caramelizes beautifully as the meat cooks. It's classic Korean BBQ over the grill, but the oven or a skillet will get you there just as happily. Serve it with rice, spring onion and sesame, and it works as well on an ordinary Wednesday as it does at a summer cookout.
Ingredients
- 2 lbchickenboneless thighs, breast or drumsticks; score or pound thick parts
- 5 tbspKorean fermented chili paste, base of the marinadeKorean chili paste made from glutinous rice, fermented soybeans, chili powder and salt, thick, hot, salty and faintly sweet.Substitute: There is no real substitute, because the fermented depth and the sticky sweetness together carry the dish. As a stopgap, light miso paste stirred with Korean chili powder or other mild chili flakes and a little honey or sugar roughly matches the salt, heat and sweetness, but tastes flatter and less rounded. Chili sauces such as sriracha are too thin and too sour and change the dish noticeably.Read more
- 2 tbspSoy saucefor the marinade
- 2 tbspor rice wine / cooking sakeA sweet Japanese rice wine for cooking that gives sauces and marinades a mild sweetness and a light gloss.Substitute: Sake or dry white wine with a little sugar, about one teaspoon per tablespoon, comes close, but tastes less rounded and gives less gloss.Read more
- 2 tbspSugarwhite or brown, for sweetness and caramelization
- 4 clovesGarlicminced
- 1 tbspGingerfreshly grated or minced
- 1 tbsptoasted, for the marinadeDark oil pressed from toasted sesame seeds, with a strong, nutty, roasted aroma; usually added at the end in small amounts as a seasoning.Substitute: There is no real substitute, as no other oil carries the roasted aroma; at a pinch, a neutral oil with freshly pan-toasted, crushed sesame seeds helps, though the flavour stays clearly weaker.Read more
- 2 tspKorean chili flakes, for extra heatKorean chili flakes made from sun-dried red chilies, ground coarse or fine. Bright red, fruity, mild to medium hot and slightly smoky.Substitute: The closest match is Aleppo pepper (pul biber) from a Turkish grocery, which is similarly fruity and mild but oilier, often salted and slightly tangier. In a pinch, mix sweet paprika with a little cayenne; this roughly matches colour and heat but not the fruitiness or texture. Ordinary crushed red pepper flakes are too hot to use in the usual quantities.Read more
- Black pepperground, into the marinade
- 2Spring onionchopped, for garnish
- 1 tbspSesame seedstoasted, for garnish
- 1Onionthickly sliced, cooked alongside (optional)
- 1 tbspvegetable oilfor greasing grill, tray or pan
Method
- Prep the chickenPrep the chicken: score or pound the thicker parts so everything cooks evenly, and slash drumsticks a few times to about halfway through the meat.
- Mix the marinadeStir the gochujang, soy sauce, mirin, sugar, minced garlic, ginger, sesame oil, gochugaru and black pepper together until smooth. If you'd like to glaze later on, set a portion of the marinade aside now.
- Marinate the chickenRub the marinade over the chicken on all sides, cover, and chill for at least 30 minutes — several hours or overnight is better.
- Preheat and greaseHeat up the grill, oven or pan, and grease the grate or tray well with neutral oil, or line it with baking paper.
- Cook the chickenCook the chicken in a single layer, turning as it goes, and add the thickly sliced onion alongside if you like. In the oven that's about 18 minutes at 430 °F, or 25–30 minutes at 345 °F; in a pan, covered, over medium heat.
- Char under the broilerFinish under the broiler for a short blast until the edges are browned and lightly charred — stay right there, the marinade catches quickly.
- Check, garnish and serveCheck that the chicken is cooked through. Scatter with sliced spring onion and toasted sesame seeds and serve with rice.
Tips and variations
Brush the reserved marinade on a few times during cooking for a thicker, glossier crust. Onion powder and a splash of lemon-lime soda are both good additions to the marinade. Beyond grill and oven, a pressure cooker or air fryer works too, and on the grill you can cook slices of sweet potato and Korean rice cakes alongside. Serve with rice and peppery leaves like ssukgat (crown daisy) or kkaetnip (perilla), plus a little cilantro if you like.
Allergens
Contains: Cereals containing gluten, Sesame, Soybeans
These notes follow from this recipe's ingredient list. Ready-made products and brands may contain further allergens — please check the packaging yourself.
Something not right?
This recipe was put together from independent sources and checked before publishing. Even so, a mistake can slip through — an amount that does not add up, a step that does not work as written. If you spot something, write to us: we will look into it and put it right.
