Korean Grilled Chicken
Boneless chicken thighs marinated in a sweet and spicy gochujang sauce, then grilled using the two-zone method for an epic weeknight dinner.
Servings 4
Equipment
- Grill
- Small Mixing Bowl
- Ziploc Bag or Large Bowl for marinating
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
Marinade
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1½ tablespoons brown sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons gochujang Korean chili paste
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Garnish (optional)
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- Green onions sliced
Instructions
Prep
- Use a sharp knife to trim any large portions of fat, and then pat dry the chicken thighs with paper towels.
- Measure and add all the marinade ingredients to a small bowl. Mix until everything is combined.
- Place the chicken thighs in a Ziploc bag (or a large bowl), then add the marinade. Close the bag and give the chicken a good shake (or stir if you're using a bowl) so all the thighs are evenly covered with marinade. Let it sit in the fridge for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
Grilling
- Prepare your grill for two zone cooking.
- 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.
- Place the chicken skin-side up on the indirect heat zone, insert your thermometer probe and close the lid. Let it cook until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165°F (approximately 15-20 minutes).
- Move the cooked chicken to the hot side for 1–2 minutes per side for some charring.
- Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. Optionally, sprinkle sesame seeds and sliced green onions over it. Enjoy!
Notes
✔️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.
✔️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.