My Korean sticky chicken recipe is bold! I made a peppery honey and gochugaru glaze that perfectly balances the sweet with the heat. And I use an easy, foolproof technique for infusing a ton of flavor to the chicken in a short time. No marinating required! Ready in 20 minutes from start to finish.
I’ve always loved the combination of sweet and spicy. In fact it’s one of my favorite things about Korean food. That particular love is why I created this Korean chicken recipe.
But I use honey instead of sugar for this one. With honey, you get an understated and rich sweetness without going overboard into cloying territory. The floral element also makes the dish more complex in flavor. Then factor in smoky Korean chili flakes, a splash of umami from the soy sauce, and a tangy tablespoon of rice vinegar, and we’ve got a sauce that’s both sweet and savory, a little pungent and tart – with just the right amount of tongue tingling chili.
Table of Contents
Why I Love This
- Easy and quick to make – but tastes complex. I loaded this Korean sticky chicken with layers of savory and sweet spiciness with a small handful of ingredients. So easy, I can decompress and watch TV while cooking dinner.
- Versatile. Serve over rice, quinoa or with a side salad. Goes well surrounded by various Korean banchan. Sometimes I go rogue and make spicy chicken and waffles!
- No marinating required. I didn’t want to wait around for a marinade to infuse bold flavors. So I came up with a simple (and fun) method to infuse a TON of flavor into the meat, whether you use chicken breast or boneless thighs.
- Leftovers are magical. This Korean chicken is as delicious cold out of the fridge in the middle of the night as it was fresh out of the pan the day before.
Ingredients
- Chicken: Skinless, boneless chicken breasts or chicken thighs are best for this recipe. Since there is pounding involved (I’ll explain!), you want to make sure that the cut you pick doesn’t have any bones, unless you don’t mind removing them yourself.
- Gochugaru: Korean chili pepper flakes are smoky and have just enough heat to warm the palate. The spice level is comparable to poblano peppers and jalapeños. Think of the consistency as a cross between a chili powder and chili flakes.
- Oil: Any neutral oil works here. I’m partial to grapeseed oil.
- Soy sauce: When it comes to soy sauce, I use Japanese shoyu. Japanese soy sauce is full of umami and fairly complex in flavor. My go to brand is Yamasa.
- Rice vinegar: Plain rice vinegar has a refreshing fruity taste similar to apple cider vinegar. Make sure it says plain on the bottle and not “original” or “seasoned” – as these types tend to be sweet.
- Honey: Use a honey you like to eat out of the jar since there is plenty of honey flavor in this dish. (Just like when a recipe calls for wine, I always pick one that I actually enjoy drinking on its own.)
- Green onion: For garnish for a bright and sharp crunch.
Pro Tip
Gochugaru is not interchangeable with dried red pepper flakes or Western chili powder.
So be sure to use gochugaru. This coarsely ground sun-dried chili pepper powder is one of those integral ingredients that forms much of the architecture of how Korean food tastes. Without it, many Korean recipes wouldn’t get that trademark smoky, spicy flavor profile they are so well known for.
You can easily find gochugaru online – or sold in Korean supermarkets.
How To Make Korean Sticky Chicken
Instead of spending hours marinating your chicken to achieve deep flavor, spice it – then give it a bash with a meat tenderizer or rolling pin.
- Bash the chicken. Lay your boneless chicken pieces on a piece of parchment paper atop a solid surface like a kitchen island or butcher’s block. Sprinkle gochugaru (red chili flakes) on top of the chicken and place another piece of parchment paper on top. Then pound the chicken a few times with a rolling pin or meat tenderizer. This locks the spices into your chicken.
- Pan fry the chicken. In a skillet over medium to medium-high heat, add the oil and coat the entire cooking surface. Cook the chicken on each side for a few minutes until it’s fully cooked and beginning to brown. Transfer the chicken pieces to a plate.
- Make the sauce. Mix the soy sauce, rice vinegar and honey together and add to the empty skillet. Stir until the sauce starts to bubble – about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Sauce the chicken. Return the chicken to the hot skillet and quickly toss with the sauce until all the pieces are coated evenly. Turn the heat off.
- Garnish and serve. Add the sesame seeds. Toss the chicken and transfer the dish to a serving plate. Serve immediately with chopped green onions.
*This method does not tenderize chicken, it just gives it flavor.
Tips and Variations
- Boost the flavor. Drizzle a little toasted sesame oil on the chicken pieces before serving to add a nutty depth of flavor. A little sesame oil goes a long way.
- Spice it up. Mix 1 teaspoon gochujang with 2 tablespoons water and add it to the sauce to make your Korean chicken even more fiery. You can even make your own gochujang at home. Another option would be to add sriracha sauce (which is spicy, garlicky and sweet).
- Make Korean inspired BBQ sauce. Add a squirt of ketchup and a dash of worcestershire sauce to your sauce mixture to impart a more bbq-like taste.
- Thicken the sauce. To make the sauce gooey and thick, mix 1/2 teaspoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water. If you choose this option, add the cornstarch slurry slowly, stirring the sauce the entire time so it incorporates evenly.
- Try a different protein. Shrimp or extra firm tofu are obvious contenders.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! But not without a few ingredient changes. Use extra firm tofu instead of the chicken. And use maple syrup instead of the honey. Or try this pan fried tofu with gochujang sauce recipe instead.
No. Korean fried chicken is deep fried and has a texture that is much more crunchy. However, this sticky chicken recipe was born out of my love for KFC – and my crippling fear of cooking with a huge vat of boiling oil. The sauce in this recipe captures the spicy/sweet flavor essence of Korean fried chicken, but is simply pan fried. That said, this sticky chicken sauce would make a great wing sauce!
The only spicy element in this recipe is from gochugaru. Now, while there are exceptions, most Korean chili pepper flakes err on the side of smoky heat rather than volcanic, melt-your-face fire. This makes it great for people who may be sensitive to spice, but still love Korean flavors.
What to Serve With Korean Sticky Chicken
Make it a meal with a few banchan.
- Korean Spicy Daikon Radish Salad (무생채)
- Bean Sprout Salad (Sookju Namul)
- Korean Cucumber Salad
- Scallion Pancakes (Pajeon – 파전 )
- The Best Vegan Kimchi – 김치
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight food storage container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Microwave leftovers in a container with a vented lid – at 50% intensity – until hot. Reheating on medium will make the chicken less likely to dry out. Top with freshly chopped green onions and a few sesame seeds for that fresh out of the pan experience.
- However, this is one of those rare leftovers that tastes great cold. If you love leftover chicken, ‘fresh’ from the fridge, then you know what to do.
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Did you try my Korean chicken recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!
Korean Sticky Chicken
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 3 servings 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Pan fried
- Cuisine: Korean
Description
Hot, sweet and savory, my Korean sticky chicken is perfect with a steamy bowl of white rice, and only takes 20 minutes to make from start to finish.
Ingredients
- 1 pound skinless and boneless chicken breasts or thighs, sliced into large chunks
- 2 tablespoons gochugaru (Korean red chili flakes)
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil, vegetable oil, or other neutral oil
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 2 stalks scallions, chopped
Instructions
- Spice the chicken. Put the chicken pieces on a sheet of parchment paper and sprinkle Korean red pepper flakes on top. Cover with another piece of parchment paper and pound the chicken with a meat mallet, until each piece is well coated.
- Pan fry the chicken. In a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat, add the oil and swirl it around to coat the bottom surface of the skillet. When the oil is hot, add the chicken. Cook on each side for 2 to 3 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Heat the sauce. In the same pan over medium heat, add the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and honey, and let the sauce bubble for 1 minute, until it thickens a little.
- Sauce the chicken. Return the chicken to the pan and cook for about 1 minute, until the chicken is coated evenly. Turn the heat off.
- Garnish and serve. Sprinkle the sesame seeds on top. Toss the chicken on last time and transfer it to a serving plate. Top with chopped scallions a serve immediately.
Notes
This Korean sticky chicken recipe will keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 304
- Sugar: 12.7g
- Sodium: 360.5mg
- Fat: 10.7g
- Saturated Fat: 1.6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4.8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 16.2g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Protein: 35.9g
- Cholesterol: 110.3mg
Questions and Reviews
Ever since I have tried this recipe, I have made this chicken at least once a week! For the past two potlucks, this was my dish! I have never been able to make Asian dishes very well, but this dish gives me hope! So yummy and easy. Love it to bits! I even tried it with different soy sauces and even added sesame oil (pretty yummy too!). Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe!
That’s wonderful Tiffany! This recipe is really versatile so I’m glad you are trying your own twist! You should try the sauce with tofu, it’s really yummy too! 🙂
Easy, delicious and genius technique by pounding rather than marinating. Made pretty much as written but can think of a few easy tweaks I might try in the future. This is a keeper!
Fast, healthy and delicious. Did I say fast. In our weeknight lineup.
Going to make this for New year’s
Just made this, had to sub Japanese togarashi, but what a great recipe! I We love it. Can’t wait to try some more of your recipes (and maybe have a 2nd helping of Korean Sticky chicken)!
So is the (gochugaru) a combination of cayenne and paprika?
any reason this wouldn’t work with Pork?
Thanks,
Hi Dave, you can use pork for this recipe, it should taste just as good. Gochugaru is a Korean spice that’s a blend of red pepper flakes. It’s very smoky and has a distinct flavor that’s hard to match. Here are some substitutes you can use if you cannot find it, aleppo peppers being the closest: http://chewtheworld.com/gochugaru-substitute/
Hi, great recipe. Can I use mild chilli powder or paprika instead of red pepper?
Hi Anoop! you could try with chili powder but I’m not sure about paprika as it may be too sweet 🙂
I just made this and sadly, it wasnt sticky! Compared to a restaurant quality sticky chicken, it failed and I’m so so sad! The sauce did thicken p and I’m wondering why it changed… any recommendations?
Hi Catharine, this recipe isn’t the breaded sticky chicken recipe you get from the restaurant. One easy way to make it more ‘sticky’ is to dust your chicken in cornstarch before adding it to the sauce. This will automatically thicken the sauce and make it stickier. You will probably need to double up on the sauce though since cornstarch suck up any liquid and makes it glutinous. I hope this helps!
I had to cook mine down longer and it worked well. My chicken was slightly dry due to extra cook time but still turned out good.
The only suggestion would be doubling the sauce. fantastic recipe
So glad I found this recipe. We just had a baby and I need fast and easy meals that don’t compromise on flavor. I confess I messed with spices a little. I did 1/2 tsp of garlic, 1 T crushed red pepper, 1/2T cayenne pepper, and 1/2 T paprika.
I also added 1 tsp of fresh minced garlic to the sauce.
We loved it!!!
This was so good!!! I didn’t change a thing. My husband said it’s one of the best things I’ve ever cooked. Thank you!
That’s great Megan, thank you!
Does the chicken need to be pounded. I see a picture with a hammer but it didn’t mention this step in the instructions
Hi Leah, you can either rub or pound the chili flakes on the chicken. I took out the pounding because it made too much of a mess in my kitchen – the chili flakes went flying everywhere so I recommend rubbing them in instead 🙂
This has become a staple recipe in my family, tons of flavor, thank you SO much for sharing!
You’re welcome Tara, I’m so happy you love it!
Easy to make and great tasting too. Thanks for sharing this recipe. Its AWESOME !!!
You’re welcome Analisa! 🙂
My daughter is vegetarian. Our local Asian store sells fried tofu that is frozen in a bag for like 1.89!!! I used that instead and it was fabulous. I will make the chicken version some day for myself, but easy to make vegetarian for those who like.
Hi Brenda,
What a great idea to use fried tofu instead of meat. We eat a loss less meat these days so I will try your suggestion, thanks!
Any way I can substitute the gochugaru for crushed red pepper if I grind it?
Hi Kim! I think that could work since gochugaru is basically spicy peppers. Or you could mix a little paprika with cayenne pepper, that might work too 🙂 Keep me posted!
I did cayenne pepper and spicy paprika. Was amazing
I made this tonight, It had great flavor but my chicken never achieved a glaze on it? Has anyone dealt with this?
Hi Rick, it could be the temperature at which the sauce is cooking – I have gas burners as well which conduct more heat and faster, what about yours? Did you try cooking it for longer than 2 minutes? It’s also possible that the honey could have been thinner than usual. If this happens again, you can try adding a little more honey and see if this helps.
Omg mine didn’t turn into a glaze either.
My boyfriend said it was like bland chicken covered in sauce! I’m soo upset..
Hi Robyn, I’m so sorry to hear the directions didn’t work for your recipe. Can you tell me if the sauce was bubbling when you added the chicken and how long it was left cooking in the sauce for? I’d love to help, this way I could try it at home and see what the problem could be for others since we never have that issue. I’m wondering if it could be the heat level on the burner that’s causing since we all have different ones. Thank you Robyn!
My not-so-adventurous husband LOVED this! It’s going into the rotation!
Oh heavens! This was amazing! I made it with tilapia instead of chicken, and coconut oil. Thank you for giving us a new go-to recipe!!
So happy to hear that! Did you pound the fish?
No, I decided to rub the spice in firmly.
Thank u… this is good