This sweet and spicy bulgogi chicken is soooo tender and juicy. Korean flavors of gochujang, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame make this recipe absolutely delicious. And I love that it bakes in just 15 minutes, making it a perfect weeknight meal!
I'll just come out and say it - my Grandma makes the best bulgogi. Her bulgogi beef is incredibly thin and tender. I used to eat it like candy, because it was so sweet and tasty! But bulgogi is not just beef - it can be made with any type of meat.
Bulgogi translates to "fire meat" which is a fitting name, since it's usually cooked on a grill or barbecue over a fire. However, I prefer cooking my bulgogi chicken in the oven, so it's more hands-off. To still get that crispy, charred flavor that's quintessential to Korean BBQ, I turn my oven to broil for the last few minutes.
Spicy bulgogi chicken (also called Dak-bulgogi in Korean) is a sweeter version of Korean BBQ chicken, thanks to gochujang, which has a subtly sweet flavor. And my smashing the chicken breasts thinner, they cook evenly and quickly. I mean, who doesn't love getting dinner on the table in just 15 minutes?!
Ingredients
- Boneless, skinless chicken breast - you can also use chicken thighs; be sure to know how long chicken can stay out.
- Gochujang - this Korean chili paste packs a powerful punch of spice
- Soy sauce
- Brown sugar - I recommend using light brown sugar, for sweetness and a light caramelized flavor
- Sesame oil - a little oil helps the chicken retain moisture as it bakes
- Rice vinegar
- Garlic cloves
- Black pepper
- Sesame seeds - provides a little crunch and a mildly sweet, nutty flavor
- Green onion - use both the both the white and the light green parts of sliced green onions
How to Make Korean Chicken Bulgogi
First, place the chicken breasts in between two large pieces of plastic cling wrap. Pound the chicken with a meat hammer or something heavy (I usually use the bottom of a heavy jar) until the chicken is about a half-inch thick.
before
after
Next, whisk all the chicken bulgogi marinade ingredients together in a bowl.
Then add the chicken to the marinade and stir it as needed to ensure the chicken is fully coated. Cover the bowl with plastic cling wrap and allow it to marinate at room temperature for 1 hour, or in the fridge for 2 to 12 hours.
Once you're ready to cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 400°F. Spread out the chicken in an even layer on an aluminum-foil lined baking sheet.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Turn the oven to broil on high for the last 2 minutes, until the chicken is a little charred.
Finally, cover the chicken loosely with aluminum foil and allow it to rest for 10 minutes at room temperature.
Slice the bulgogi chicken and serve it with rice, noodles, or roasted vegetables. I love garnishing it with thinly sliced perilla leaves, toasted sesame seeds, or sliced green onions.
How to Bake Juicy, Tender Chicken
- Keep the chicken unsliced while you bake it. This keeps it juicy. If you cut the chicken into pieces then bake it, it could end up with a tougher texture.
- Allow the chicken to rest under a tent of aluminum foil for 10 minutes after it comes out of the oven. This allows all the juices that are on the surface of the chicken to seep back in, keeping it moist.
- Keep a close eye on the chicken. Since it's so thin, it can cook quickly and if it's overcooked, it tends to become dry.
- Try not to get too much of the marinade on the baking sheet. It can burn in the oven and become a little smoky.
Recipe Substitutions
- Spicy: For more spice, add red pepper flakes, sriracha, or extra gochujang.
- Pan Fried: You can pan fry the chicken on the stove instead of baking it. Cook the chicken in a large pan or skillet on medium heat for about 5 to 7 minutes on each side, until the internal temperature is 165°F. Watch it closely because the sauce can burn in the pan if the heat is too high.
What to Serve with Korean BBQ Chicken Bulgogi?
- White rice, brown rice, or cilantro lime rice
- Roasted root vegetables or broccoli
- Noodles like spicy peanut butter noodles or gochujang pasta
- Whole leaves of lettuce to serve the chicken on lettuce wraps
- Kimchi
- Corn tortillas to make Spicy Korean Chicken Tacos
Storing
Fridge: Spicy chicken bulgogi really tastes best when it's fresh. But you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheat: To reheat, microwave for 30 to 60 seconds, covered with a paper towel in case it pops while reheating. Note that sometimes the chicken can become dry when reheated in the microwave.
Or you can serve leftover chicken cold in a salad like chicken Caesar salad.
Spicy Bulgogi Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast or chicken thighs
Marinade
- 3 tablespoon gochujang
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoon minced)
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
- 3 tablespoon chopped green onion (both the white and the light green parts)
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts in between two large pieces of plastic cling wrap. Pound the chicken with a meat hammer or something heavy like the bottom of a jar until the chicken is about a half-inch thick.
- In a large bowl, whisk all the marinade ingredients together.
- Add the chicken and stir it in the marinade to ensure the chicken is fully coated. Cover the bowl with plastic cling wrap and allow it to marinate at room temperature for 1 hour, or in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to 12 hours. Alternatively, you can mix the marinade in a gallon-sized ziplock bag and marinate the chicken in the sealed bag.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spread out the chicken in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through & its internal temperature is 165°F. Optional: Turn the oven to broil on high for the last 2 minutes, until the chicken is a little charred.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven, and cover the chicken very loosely with aluminum foil. Allow it to rest for 10 minutes at room temperature, so the juices can return back into the chicken from the surface.
- Slice the chicken and serve with rice, noodles, or roasted vegetables. Garnish with thinly sliced perilla leaves, toasted sesame seeds, or chopped green onion.
Notes
- Keep the chicken breasts or thighs unsliced while you bake them. This keeps them juicy. If you cut the chicken into pieces then bake it, it could end up tougher.
- Allow the chicken to rest under a tent of aluminum foil for 10 minutes after it comes out of the oven. This allows all the juices that are on the surface of the chicken to seep back in, keeping it moist.
- You can make the marinade in the morning, leave the chicken to marinate in the fridge during the day, then bake it in the oven at night for a quick and easy weeknight meal.
- Try not to get too much of the marinade on the baking sheet. It can burn in the oven and become a little smoky.
- Keep a close eye on the chicken. Since it's so thin, it can cook quickly and if it's overcooked, it tends to become dry.
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