Korean BBQ Chicken Recipe
Make Korean BBQ Chicken Recipe tonight: sticky, lacquered chicken glazed with a sweet-spicy gochujang sauce.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup mirin
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons gochujang
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch (+ 2 tablespoons water)
- 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (and drumsticks)
- 1 green onion (thinly sliced)
- Sesame seeds (for garnish)
Instructions
Step 1: Simmer the sauce
Combine the low-sodium soy sauce, brown sugar, water, mirin, sesame oil, rice vinegar, gochujang, minced fresh ginger, minced garlic, and ground black pepper in a small saucepan and bring the mixture gently to a simmer. Stir occasionally as the brown sugar dissolves and the gochujang integrates, allowing the mixture to become a cohesive, glossy dark-brown base with a faint red hue. Keep the heat moderate so the aromatics bloom without reducing too quickly — you want a balanced, fragrant liquid that will become the backbone of the glaze.
Step 2: Mix the slurry
In a separate small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and water together until fully combined and smooth, a thin translucent slurry with no lumps. This little step ensures the sauce will thicken evenly and attain that clingy, glossy texture that will coat the chicken beautifully. Set the slurry nearby so it’s ready when the sauce reaches the right simmer point.
Step 3: Thicken and cool the sauce
Remove the pot from the heat, whisk the cornstarch slurry into the hot sauce until fully incorporated, then return briefly to a gentle simmer and cook for about 1–2 minutes until the sauce thickens noticeably and becomes sticky and glossy. Once thickened, remove from heat and set aside to cool completely — cooling concentrates the flavors and firms the glaze so it will cling to the chicken during marinating.
Step 4: Marinate the chicken
Place the bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks in a large bowl and pour half of the cooled BBQ sauce over them, tossing well so every piece gets an even, glossy coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours to let the sweet-savory-slightly-spicy glaze penetrate the skin and surface flesh; reserve the remaining sauce for serving. The chicken should look evenly lacquered, richly colored, and ready for the grill when you take it out of the fridge.
Step 5: Crisp the skin on the grill
Bring your grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Place the marinated pieces skin-side down and let them sit undisturbed so the skin crisps and caramelizes — this first sear develops deep mahogany color and satisfying textural contrast. Aim for a pronounced, blistered surface with darkened caramelized edges without burning the glaze.
Step 6: Finish cooking through
Flip each piece, lower the heat, and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through and juices run clear, with the interior juicy and the exterior sticky with a lacquered finish. The final texture should be a crisp, slightly charred skin giving way to tender, succulent meat beneath, with the glaze forming shiny pockets of concentrated flavor.
Step 7: Garnish and serve
Remove the chicken to a serving vessel, sprinkle thinly sliced green onion and toasted sesame seeds over the glossy pieces, and serve alongside the reserved BBQ sauce for extra saucing. Arrange the pieces so the charred edges and glossy glaze face the viewer — a warm, inviting plate that’s simultaneously crisp, sticky, and juicy.
Notes
- Marinate at least 2 hours for best flavor.
- Reserve extra sauce for serving and basting.
- Use a meat thermometer to check for 165 F internal temperature.
- Reheat gently in a 325 F oven to refresh skin.
- Freeze cooked pieces in a single layer before bagging for best results.