I had been craving some Korean cuisine for a while and it was finally time to satiate it. When I think of Korean cuisine I generally think spicy but a lot of the BBQ meats such as bulgogi (Korean BBQ beef) and kalbi (Korean BBQ short ribs) are actually marinated in mixture that is on the sweet side. I had been wanting to try a chicken version of the bulgogi but I also had a plan that required the chicken to have some heat. For the recipe I simply took the bulgogi , tweaked it a bit and added a good helping of gochujang , a Korean fermented chili paste. The Korean BBQ chicken turned out just as well as the beef version! I quite enjoyed the way the sweet marinade played with the heat and flavours of the gochujang and I could hardly resist snacking on the meat every time I passed it. I served the dak bulgogi with rice, kimchi and ssamjang (another spicy Korean paste) along with some lettuce leaves for wrapping. Although the meal was excellent, my craving was not satisfied, which was fine because as I said, I have a plan and I made a double batch of the dak bulgogi.
Dak Bulgogi (Korean BBQ Chicken)
ingredients
- 1 pound Chicken Breast (thinly sliced)
- 1/2 cup gochujang
- 5 cloves garlic (grated)
- 1 inch ginger (grated)
- 1 small onion (grated)
- 1 Asian pear (grated)
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 green onions (chopped)
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (toasted and crushed)
directions
- Mix everything in a freezer bag and marinate for at least an hour.
- Cook the meat on a barbecue or in a pan on the stove.
Belinda @zomppa says
February 24, 2010 at 1:35 amDELICIOUS! I wish I was easting some now.
Jin6655321 says
February 24, 2010 at 1:44 amHi Kevin!
I'm a Korean that never learned how to cook Korean dishes so I rely on your blog to learn new recipes. Thanks for all the delicious dishes!
Bethany says
February 24, 2010 at 2:01 amwow! I've never had bulgogi chicken… intriguing idea! I too love it when you post Korean food!
Zoe Sotet Art Studio says
February 24, 2010 at 2:15 amMmmm it looks delicious!
Other than pepper and brown sugar I don't have a single ingredient to make this, but I might give it a try soon.
Le Crunchy Mama says
February 24, 2010 at 2:28 amI love bulgogi beef and have wondered if a chicken version exists. YUM! This looks amazing!
Kristine says
February 24, 2010 at 2:50 amThat looks delicious! I love that you make your own korean bbq.. I have to admit that I'm lazy and haven't attempted to ever make my own since I live in LA and close to KTown, but I may just have to try this chicken version! Thanks for the recipe and love ur blog btw 😉
Amy says
February 24, 2010 at 3:05 amOh YUM. That sounds so good…my mouth is watering.
Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) says
February 24, 2010 at 3:20 amWhat would be a good substitute for Asian pear? I often use yuzu juice, which is a bit easier to find in my Asian grocery.
Jenn says
February 24, 2010 at 3:42 amBulgogi is definitely something I have to make this year. That looks really good. Wrapped up in the lettuce with some kimchi. Mmmmmm
Bridgett says
February 24, 2010 at 3:48 amThe flavors are always amazing with Korean food but you also captured the colors in your photos which makes it all the more inviting.
Nettie D. Rodriquez says
February 24, 2010 at 4:31 amNever heard of this as well Bethany but seeing the recipe made me interested.I have tried Korean food twice or thrice and i think I want more of it. Thanks for this!
Bob says
February 24, 2010 at 5:55 amThis is something I've been wanting to try for a while but have had trouble finding all the ingredients. Yours looks wicked good!
Kathleen says
February 24, 2010 at 7:01 amThis is going on my to try list right now. Delicious!
Rosa's Yummy Yums says
February 24, 2010 at 8:17 amIt looks wonderful! I could eat that now…
Cheers,
Rosa
Joanne says
February 24, 2010 at 11:15 amNow you've gone and got ME craving Korean food. I love how you upped the spice factor!
Jan says
February 24, 2010 at 11:39 amI loved bulgogi when I made it with chicken – delish!
lostpastremembered says
February 24, 2010 at 12:54 pmWhen you have an itch, scratch it! This is a great recipe and I haven't been to a Korean restaurant in forever.
Cara says
February 24, 2010 at 2:04 pmLove the use of the Asian pear!
Esther says
February 24, 2010 at 2:24 pmI don't believe I've ever seen Dak Bulgogi before, though Dak Galbi exists. 🙂 Great job!
All Our Fingers in the Pie says
February 24, 2010 at 3:22 pmThis looks really tasty. I haven't been to a Korean restaurant for a couple of years. I'll have to try this.
dawn says
February 24, 2010 at 3:54 pmkevin you have to be a chef in a past life, or a 5-star chef at least. your creations always kill me. to be honest I try my best NOT to click on your new posts in my Google reader–you make me so hungry.
ARUNA says
February 24, 2010 at 3:59 pmgorgeous spread!!!
Anonymous says
February 24, 2010 at 5:54 pmI love Bulgogi when made with beef – never considered it with chicken…. hmmmmmmmmm must try it! Lovely photo!
Jennifer says
February 24, 2010 at 6:02 pmYUM!!!!! I no longer want what I brought for lunch, this sounds fabulous! Im loving the lettuce wraps too!
shahana says
February 24, 2010 at 6:25 pmThis BBQ chicken looks really tempting as well as delicious!!
Sook says
February 24, 2010 at 7:12 pmOh this looks great, Kevin! I love Dak bulgogi! The color is just so beautiful!
Mrs. L says
February 24, 2010 at 7:49 pmI'm going to be on the lookout for some gochujang so I can try to make this dish!
Beth says
February 24, 2010 at 7:58 pmI've never cooked Korean food before (despite havin it when I eat out) – you are inspiring me.
The Short (dis)Order Cook says
February 24, 2010 at 9:54 pmI think I would sprain my tongue if I tried to read that post aloud. 😀
I have yet to venture into cooking and eating more Korean dishes (I've been to exactly one Korean restaurant in my lifetime). Love the recipe and the education.
Chris says
February 24, 2010 at 10:42 pmVery creative approach. I love the Korean flavors and how you used them in this chicken.
Kevin says
February 25, 2010 at 12:03 pmLydia (The Perfect Pantry): You could substitute any sweeter pear or apple for the Asian pear. Sometimes I see the Asian pears labeled as Korean pears at in the stores. I use fuji apples when I cannot find the Asian pears.
Esi says
February 25, 2010 at 8:16 pmSounds so good. I want to make this soon!
Julie says
February 26, 2010 at 5:00 pmI have a recipe similar to this that I love called Sticky Chicken. I will try yours to change it up for my family a bit. It sounds delicious.
Sook says
February 27, 2010 at 11:37 pmI'm making this tonight! I don't have a pear… but I think it will still turn out good. 🙂 Thanks for the recipe!
Xiao Yen Recipes says
March 1, 2010 at 7:07 amFabulous recipes! Best part, I only need to buy gochujang. I have a Korean mini market that I shop at occasionally. They have the best hot pork and short ribs. The meats are marinated and you just cook them. Of course it's better to learn to make the dish from scratch.
Anonymous says
March 4, 2010 at 4:17 pmThanks to Zook the Cook I have now found your wonderful blog! It's rare to find a blog that causes you to say, "I want to make that, and that and that one too". I have become a follower and am looking forward to seeing what your next creation will be. Cheers!
web design says
April 8, 2010 at 5:51 pmI had no idea something like that existed but it must be tasty. Thanks for posting so many Korean recipes, they're all so delicious and spicy. I love spicy food.
catering Fort Lauderdale says
July 28, 2011 at 7:13 amIt is true that most Korean dishes are spicy and they usually pair their food with rice, rice crackers or an acidic component to create balanced dishes. You can also use this recipe for creating a fried rice meal. Adding bell peppers will give it texture.
sokeleng says
February 4, 2012 at 8:08 amTried this in Korean restaurant before, husband and kids ask for this dish almost every week! Best to marinate for a while ( roughly 5-6 hours) and I added a little sesame oil, mince ginge, Maggi sauce and a bit more spicy sauce. Recently cook this for pot luck party, chicken disappeared real fast!
Thanks for sharing this great recipe.
Lisa
http://www.bakingfrenzy.com
bytemyfoot says
July 11, 2012 at 12:00 amJust made this for dinner. Very tasty!
Rebecca Pulmano says
September 4, 2012 at 2:18 amHoly deliciousness!
I fell in love with Pork Bulgoki many years ago, but the pork they use in restaurants is too fatty to eat often. If chicken is offered, the flavors never compare. I stumbled across this recipe while looking for a korean style chicken marinade. I didn't feel like making an extra stop to get an asian pear (I already had the red pepper paste from another recipe), so I used a regular pear – peeled. Instead of grating it and the onion I just pureed the whole mess (minus the green onion and sesame seeds which I added later.) I marinated the chicken for two hours, and then we cooked it on the BBQ. (The charred flavor is a must!) I served it in lettuce to wrap it, brown rice and a few Korean inspired sides.
This was beyond yummylicious! I can't wait to make it again, and I hopped on here immediately because I could not wait to thank you for sharing this amazing recipe!
D D says
March 29, 2014 at 1:25 pmI was wondering… If i want to cut the heat (my family doesn't do spicy), do I just cut out the spicy paste? Should I substitute another ingredient instead to bring out more flavor? Thanks!
kevin says
March 30, 2014 at 6:32 pmD D: Yes, just cut back on the chili bean paste to cut bcck on the heat. Enjoy!
Esta Kronberg says
June 22, 2014 at 1:41 pmAny substitution for the Korean paste? Recipe looks great…may take some time to get the paste.I love that your recipes are so simple but full of flavor
kevin says
June 22, 2014 at 1:45 pmEsta Kronberg: If you have a Chinese style chili bean paste you could try that or use a chili sauce like sriracha or sambal oelek which will give you the heat but not the flavour. If you go with the chili sauce option you will not need as much, just add some until you get the desired level of heat.