Spicy Chicken Bulgogi Recipe

Wooden chopsticks lifting chicken bulgogi from a white bowl or rice.

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Spicy Chicken Bulgogi Recipe

Bored of bland chicken breasts? This Spicy Chicken Bulgogi recipe is made to impress that special someone - yes, that includes you! Self-care in the form of perfectly marinated chicken that does all the hard work?? Yes plz!

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Marinating Time (Inactive):1

Total Time20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian, Korean

Servings: servings

Calories: 421kcal

Author: Mikha S.

Ingredients

6 tablespoons soy sauce*
¼ cup dark brown sugar packed
¼ cup mirin
3-4 tablespoons gochujang optional if you like spicy
5 garlic cloves peeled
½ ripe kiwi* skin removed
½ small onion peeled
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/4 black pepper
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thigh

Instructions

In a blender, toss together the soy sauce, brown sugar, mirin, garlic, kiwi, onion, sesame oil, gochuang, & pepper. Transfer to a Ziplock bag or airtight container then set aside.
On a cutting board, lay out the chicken thighs & cover with plastic wrap. Use a meat tenderizer or back of the knife to tenderize the meat & flatten so they’re an even thickness.
Transfer chicken to the marinade & massage the marinade into the chicken. Place in the fridge & marinate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
Set oven to broil or 500 degrees F.
On a foil-lined baking sheet with a wire rack, add chicken thighs flat side down. Bake 5-6 inches from the top broiler (that’s the second from the top rack slot in my oven) for 5 minutes. Flip chicken then cook for another 5 minutes or until charred & cooked through with an internal temperature of 165 F. Keep an eye on the chicken so it doesn’t burn since ovens vary so cooking times may vary too.
Remove chicken from oven, allow to rest for at 5-10 minutes before cutting it to keep it juicy. Serve it with rice and/or veggies & enjoy!

Video

Notes

Soy Sauce: Regular soy sauce (not light/low-sodium) is needed for the saltiness of the marinade.
Mirin: This is a Korean cooking wine that helps amplify the flavors in the marinade - highly recommend making the effort to get it! It's in any local Asian or Korean grocery store, as well as online.
Gochujang: This is a Korean chili paste that's sweet & comes in various spice levels. Choose whichever fits your tastebuds!
Kiwi: Instead of Asian pear, golden or green kiwis are a convenient alternative to help tenderize the meat. It's very acidic though so 1/2 kiwi is good enough for up to 3 pounds!
Sesame Oil: A little goes a long way for the signature nuttiness in the marinade.

Nutrition