Description
Chicken Bulgogi is a flavorful Korean BBQ chicken dish made with tender boneless, skinless chicken thighs marinated in a spicy and sweet gochujang-based sauce. Broiled to perfection for a slightly charred and juicy finish, this dish is garnished with perilla leaves and toasted sesame seeds, making it a delicious and authentic Korean meal perfect to serve with rice.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Marinade
- 3 tbsp Korean chili paste (gochujang)
- 1 tbsp Korean chili flakes (gochugaru) (optional)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1-2 tbsp light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 1 tbsp Korean corn syrup (mulyeot)
- 1 tbsp sweet rice wine (mirim) (optional)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Garnish
- 5-6 perilla leaves (kkaennip), thinly sliced (optional)
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Tenderize the chicken: Place a piece of plastic wrap over the chicken thighs and pound them gently with a meat hammer to stretch and tenderize the meat. Set aside for the marinade.
- Prepare the marinade and coat chicken: In a large mixing bowl, combine gochujang, gochugaru (if using), soy sauce, light brown sugar, minced garlic, ginger paste, corn syrup, mirim (if using), sesame oil, and black pepper. Add the tenderized chicken thighs to the bowl and toss thoroughly to coat each piece evenly. Let the chicken rest at room temperature for 10 minutes to absorb the flavors.
- Preheat the broiler and prepare baking setup: Preheat your oven's broiler and position a shelf about 5-6 inches below the heat source. Grease a cooling rack lightly with cooking spray and place it on top of a large baking pan lined with foil to catch drippings.
- Broil the chicken: Arrange the marinated chicken thighs spaced out on the prepared rack without overlapping. Broil for 4-5 minutes until the surface just begins to char. Carefully flip each piece to the other side and broil for another 4-5 minutes, ensuring the chicken is cooked through without over-charring. Keep a close watch during broiling.
- Serve and garnish: Cut the cooked chicken thighs into bite-sized chunks and transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with thinly sliced perilla leaves and toasted sesame seeds. Serve the chicken hot with steamed rice for a complete meal.
Notes
- Optionally add Korean chili flakes (gochugaru) for extra heat.
- Mirin and corn syrup add sweetness and help with caramelization, but can be omitted if unavailable.
- Using a meat hammer tenderizes the chicken and helps it absorb the marinade better.
- Watch the chicken carefully while broiling to prevent burning because of the sugar content in the marinade.
- Perilla leaves provide a unique flavor but can be omitted or substituted with fresh basil or shiso leaves.
- Serve with steamed rice or lettuce wraps for an authentic Korean dining experience.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Korean