Grilled Korean Chicken Thighs

I tried my fair share of Asian flavors on the grill, and these grilled Korean Chicken Thighs still impress me! Grilled to a perfect, juicy doneness, I first marinated them in a sticky, spicy gochujang marinade. I tried to eat one with a fork and knife and immediately realized I was doing it all wrong. Ignore the fork in the photo, it was just a prop!

Planning dinner with my family sometimes feels like a high-level negotiation, but magically, everyone was on board for these grilled Korean chicken thighs.

Dinner was just a few hours away, though, so I needed something delicious and easy that I could have ready in time.

The spicy gochujang marinade has a noticeable kick, but it’s the kind that makes you want to keep eating, not run for a gallon of milk.

Since chicken thighs are naturally juicy and tender, I only marinated them for two hours with the main purpose of infusing flavor. Then, I used the two-zone cooking method for the most succulent result with a quick char at the end. It sure worked!

🔪Equipment

• Grill (charcoal or gas)
• Mixing bowl
• Knife
• Paper towels
• Meat thermometer
• Ziploc bag or bowl for marinating

🛒 Ingredients

• Boneless, skinless chicken thighs – You can use bone-in but they will take a little longer to cook.
• Sesame seeds – Optional garnish

🥣 For The Marinade

• Soy sauce
• Brown sugar
• Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
• Garlic (minced)
• Fresh ginger (grated)
• Olive oil
• Sesame oil
• Green onions (sliced)

🔥 Instructions

Chicken & Marinade Prep

👉Step 1 – Remove the big pieces of fat from the thighs using a sharp knife and pat them dry using paper towels.

👉Step 2 – Add all the marinade ingredients to a small bowl and mix well.

👉Step 3 – Place the chicken in a Ziploc bag and pour in the marinade. Close the bag and give it a good shake so all the thighs are covered in the marinade. Let it sit in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

Grilling Instructions

👉Step 1 – This will be a two-zone cooking process. First, we’re grilling the chicken over indirect heat, and then we’ll give it a quick char over direct heat for the last few minutes of grilling. This way, the thighs will cook all the way through without drying out, and we still get those nice, tasty burnt edges.

*Charcoal Grill: Push the hot coals to one side of the grill for a hot zone and leave the other side empty for a cool zone.

*Gas Grill: Turn one side to medium-high heat and leave the other side off or on low.

Oil the grates before grilling.

👉Step 2 – Place the chicken skin-side up on the cool side, close the lid, and grill until the internal temp of the thighs is 165°F. This takes around 15-20 minutes, but always cook based on temperature, not time!

👉Step 3 – Move the cooked chicken to the direct heat zone (straight over the heat source) and grill the thighs for another 1-2 minutes per side to get some flavorful charring.

👉Step 4 – Let the chicken thighs rest for 5 minutes before serving. We garnished them with sliced green onions and sesame seeds, but this is optional.

They are delicious with or without the toppings!

📌 Expert Tips

✔️Pat dry the chicken really well before marinating. This will help the marinade infuse the meat better. It also helps ensure you won’t be grilling soggy chicken.

✔️Definitely use a meat thermometer. Perfectly cooked chicken is done but still juicy, and cooking based on internal temperature is key. Shoot for 165°F.

✔️The spicy gochujang marinade also makes an excellent dipping sauce! We double the recipe and keep half to use after grilling.

✔️If you’re in a rush, you can get away with just 30 minutes of marinating. Allowing 2 hours will give the thighs a more intense flavor, but overnight is ideal for the best flavor infusion.

✔️No grill? You can make this in the oven. Bake them at 400°F on a foil-lined sheet for 20–25 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165°F, then broil them for a couple of minutes to add some char.

🔄 Additions & Substitutions

🔹Chicken thighs – This marinade and grilling method works for any smaller cut of chicken. Bone-in thighs, boneless chicken breasts or tenders, you can use any of them.

The cooking time will be different (longer for bone-in thighs, and shorter for breasts and tenders), so use your trusty meat thermometer to grill these to a perfect doneness (165°F is the standard for chicken).

🔹Soy sauce – I wouldn’t skip this one. It brings saltiness and depth to the sweet and spicy elements of the marinade. If you need a gluten-free substitute, you can use tamari or coconut aminos.

🔹Gochujang (Korean chili paste) – This chili paste is fermented, so the flavor is spicy but more complex. Give it a taste if you’ve never tried it before. You can use less or mix it with ketchup or tomato paste. If you don’t like or can’t find gochujang, try Sriracha.

Serving Suggestions

⭐This time we served the Korean thighs with plain rice (Now you see why I double the marinade? The rice soaks that nicely!) and some smoked asparagus bundles. This is one of my go-to effortless BBQ sides.

⭐My wife favors them with grilled sweet potato wedges, as they go so well with the dipping sauce.

⭐Lettuce wraps, kimchi, a creamy cucumber salad, and grilled roasted root vegetables also pair beautifully with this dish.