By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 28, 2023
The highlight of this Korean BBQ Chicken recipe is the flavor-packed sauce and marinade. Marinate chicken in a mix that includes gochujang, soy sauce, ginger, and more before throwing this spicy Korean chicken on the grill, then finishing with sesame seeds and green onions. It cooks quick, it’s easy to make, and it’s finger-lickin’ good!
What’s in BBQ Korean Chicken?
Succulent grilled chicken thighs are enveloped in a sweet, savory, and tangy Korean BBQ sauce that will leave your taste buds begging for more.
- Soy Sauce: Adds a savory and umami element to the sauce.
- Brown Sugar: Sweetens the sauce.
- Water: Helps the ingredients in the sauce to emulsify.
- Mirin : A type of sweetened rice wine (sake) that adds a distinctive sweetness.
- Sesame Oil: Adds nuttiness to the BBQ sauce.
- Rice Vinegar: Adds a bit of tanginess.
- Gochujang : Adds spice and a traditional chili pepper flavor.
- Ginger + Garlic: Add a spicy and earthy flavor.
- Black Pepper: Enhances the spice.
- Cornstarch: Thickens the sauce.
- Chicken: I prefer to use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks for this Korean BBQ chicken. These pieces are rich, fatty, and the perfect complement to the rich sauce.
- Green Onion: Adds a pop of color and freshness.
Pro Tip: The gochujang can be replaced with 1-3 tablespoons of chili-garlic sauce or Sriracha.
Variations on Korean BBQ Chicken
For a spicier sauce, increase the amount of chili-garlic or gochujang to your taste. Add some pineapple juice for a tropical twist, or some fresh juiced lemon for a tangier sauce.
For a smokier sauce, add some smoked paprika or liquid smoke. Or for a traditional touch of sweetness, blend or grate a ripe Korean or Asian pear, then add it to the sauce.
This marinade is made of soy sauce, brown sugar, mirin, sesame oil, rice vinegar, ginger, and garlic. A traditional fermented pepper paste called gochujang is used to add spice!
Korean BBQ chicken should be spicy. If you’re not a fan of spice, you can leave out the gochujang (or use less).
American BBQ sauce tends to be sweet, smoky, and tomato based. Korean BBQ sauce has a greater balance of flavors, and it’s red chili pepper based.
Korean BBQ is known for its balanced flavor and distinctive, luscious sauce. Give it a try–I guarantee you’ll love it!
Absolutely! Simply place the chicken in a baking dish and cook in a 375°F oven for 20 minutes. Flip and cook for another 15 minutes or until cooked through.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover Korean BBQ chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet in a 400°F oven for about 15 minutes.
How to Freeze
Freeze KBBQ chicken in an airtight container or Ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this spicy BBQ Korean chicken with white rice , stir-fried vegetables , and an Asian cucumber salad . Throw some veggies on the grill to go with it, or add grilled pineapple for a citrus-y balance.
More BBQ Chicken Recipes We Love
- BBQ Grilled Chicken
- Baked BBQ Chicken
- Korean Hot Wings
- Crockpot BBQ Chicken
Ingredients1x2x3x
For the Sauce
- ▢ 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
For the Chicken
- ▢ 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks
- ▢ 1 green onion thinly sliced
- ▢ Sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, water, mirin, sesame oil, rice vinegar, gochujang, ginger, garlic and pepper to a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer. 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, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- In a small bowl, stir the cornstarch and water together. 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- Remove the pot from the heat, add the cornstarch slurry and whisk to combine. Return the sauce to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.
- Place the chicken in a large bowl. Pour half the sauce over the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours. Reserve the remaining BBQ sauce for serving. 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- Heat your grill, or grill pan, to medium-high heat. Place the chicken on the grill, skin side down. Cook for 10 minutes or until the skin is crisp.
- Turn the chicken, lower the heat and continue to cook until the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove from the grill, garnish with green onions, sesame seeds, and serve with the remaining BBQ sauce. 1 green onion, Sesame seeds
Equipment
- Grill or Indoor Grill Pan
Becky’s Tips
- To bake this recipe, place the chicken in a baking dish and cook in a 375°F oven for 20 minutes. Flip and cook for another 15 minutes or until cooked through.
- Make sure the sauce cools completely before pouring over the chicken.
- The gochujang can be replaced with 1-3 tablespoons of chili-garlic sauce or sriracha.
- Properly cooked chicken should be 165°F internally.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Chicken Recipes We Love
- Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
- Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs
- Baked Fried Chicken
- Grilled Chicken Wings
- All Grilled Chicken Recipes
Korean BBQ Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- Grill or Indoor Grill Pan
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 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
For the Chicken
- 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks
- 1 green onion thinly sliced
- Sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, water, mirin, sesame oil, rice vinegar, gochujang, ginger, garlic and pepper to a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer. 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, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- In a small bowl, stir the cornstarch and water together. 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- Remove the pot from the heat, add the cornstarch slurry and whisk to combine. Return the sauce to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.
- Place the chicken in a large bowl. Pour half the sauce over the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours. Reserve the remaining BBQ sauce for serving. 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- Heat your grill, or grill pan, to medium-high heat. Place the chicken on the grill, skin side down. Cook for 10 minutes or until the skin is crisp.
- Turn the chicken, lower the heat and continue to cook until the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove from the grill, garnish with green onions, sesame seeds, and serve with the remaining BBQ sauce. 1 green onion, Sesame seeds
Notes
- To bake this recipe, place the chicken in a baking dish and cook in a 375°F oven for 20 minutes. Flip and cook for another 15 minutes or until cooked through.
- Make sure the sauce cools completely before pouring over the chicken.
- The gochujang can be replaced with 1-3 tablespoons of chili-garlic sauce or sriracha.
- Properly cooked chicken should be 165°F internally.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
