One tray, sticky and spicy. Serve with rice and something cool alongside.
Gochujang chicken
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 200C. Mix the gochujang, soy, honey, vinegar, garlic and sesame oil into a marinade.
- Coat the chicken thighs in the marinade.
- Roast for 25 to 30 minutes until cooked through and sticky, basting once.
- Top with sesame seeds and spring onion. Serve with rice.
Notes
Why gochujang makes a better glaze than chilli sauce
Gochujang brings sweetness, heat and a deep savoury note that no plain chilli sauce matches. Roasting rather than pan-frying lets the glaze caramelise properly without burning it.
What is in gochujang chicken?
Gochujang chicken is chicken glazed in a sticky sauce built on gochujang, the fermented Korean chilli paste made from chilli, glutinous rice, fermented soy beans and salt. The paste is sweet, savoury and spicy at the same time, so it makes a glaze with very few extra ingredients.
Similar flavours appear in Korean dishes such as dakgalbi (spicy stir fried chicken) and the glaze on Korean fried chicken.
Gochujang brands and the right chicken cut
- Chicken: boneless thigh for a juicy result.
- Gochujang: sold in tubs in most UK supermarkets. Heat levels vary between brands.
- Honey or sugar: helps the glaze turn glossy and sticky.
- Garlic, ginger and soy: round out the sauce.
Scoring, basting and the rice vinegar trick
- Score the skin of the thighs so the marinade gets into the meat.
- Do not skip the rice vinegar. It lifts the glaze and stops it tasting flat.
- Baste once during cooking for an extra sticky finish.
- Rest the chicken for five minutes before serving so the juices settle.
Wings, salmon and a milder glaze
- Gochujang chicken wings: use the same marinade on wings and cook for 25 minutes.
- Gochujang salmon: brush the glaze over salmon fillets and bake for 12 minutes.
- Milder version: reduce the gochujang to one tablespoon and add a little extra honey.
Marinating overnight and reheating
Marinate the chicken up to 24 hours ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Cooked chicken keeps for three days in the fridge. Reheat in a hot oven or in a pan to keep the glaze sticky.
Rice and a cool cucumber pickle
Steamed rice with something cooling alongside, a quick cucumber pickle or sliced spring onion. A little sesame oil over the rice ties everything together.
Gochujang questions
What is gochujang?
A thick Korean chilli paste made from fermented soya beans, chilli powder and glutinous rice. It is sweet, savoury and spicy all at once. See our what is gochujang guide.
Where can I buy gochujang in the UK?
Most large Tesco and Waitrose branches stock it, or online. See our full where to buy gochujang guide.
Is gochujang chicken very spicy?
It has a warm heat rather than fierce spice. The honey and vinegar balance the chilli. Start with two tablespoons of gochujang and adjust to taste.
