Buldak, aka Korean fire chicken, is a Korean style chicken in a tasty sauce that includes gochujang, a fermented chili paste. Fire chicken is often served topped with melted cheese which helps to tame, or mellow out, the spicy heat of the chicken. Another common topping is sweet corn which also helps to balance out the heat of the dish. The combination of teh spicy chicken, melted cheese and sweet corn is simply magical!
If you do not like too much heat, do not hesitate to make this! You can simply reduce the amount of chili paste and chili pepper flakes to a level that you like and it will still taste amazing!
Korean Fire Chicken (Buldak) with Cheese and Corn
Spicy hot Korean chicken covered in mellowing melted cheese and sweet corn, the perfect balance of spicy, sweet and savoury!
ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter (optional)
- 2 cups corn (optional)
- 1 pound boneless and skinless chicken thighs or breasts, thinly sliced or cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 small onion, grated
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced/grated
- 1 tablespoon ginger, minced/grated
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (gluten-free for gluten-free)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar (or rice syrup, or honey)
- 2 tablespoons mirin* (optional)
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons gochujang* (optional) (gluten-free for gluten-free)
- 1 tablespoon gochugaru* (optional) (gluten-free for gluten-free)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 cup mozzarella (or provolone), shedded
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
For the corn:
For the chicken:
directions
- Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, add the corn, toss and let it sit cooking until charred, mix it up and let it char again, about 6-10 minutes, before setting aside.
- Marinate the chicken in the mixture of the onion, garlic, ginger,soy sauce, brown sugar, mirin, vinegar, gochujang, and gochugaru, for 20 minutes to overnight.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the chicken and cook, about 10-15 minutes, before reducing teh heat and mixing in the sesame oil.
- Sprinkle the cheese on top, cover and let the cheese melt before sprinkling on the corn and green onions.
For the corn:
For the chicken:
Note: *Gochujang is a Korean style fermented chili paste. The flavour of the gochujang is important but you could replace it with a chili sauce such as sriracha or sambal oelek.
Note: *Gochugaru is a Korean style chili pepper flakes, and it can be omitted.
Note: Control the heat by using more, or less, gochujang and gochugaru.
Tip: Serve over rice, or pasta or in a sandwich!
Option: Omit the cheese.
Option: Omit the corn.
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Sabrina says
very interesting dish, thank you, love spicy chicken too!