Gochujang Grilled Chicken Skewers: Sticky, Spicy Korean BBQ Skewers

⏱ Marinate: 30 min 🔥Grill: 20–25 min 🌡Heat: 400°F–450°F 👤Makes: 6–8 skewers

Gochujang grilled chicken skewers are what happens when Korean BBQ meets your backyard grill, and the result is the most flavor-packed skewer you will ever make. Boneless chicken thighs cut into 1-inch cubes, marinated in a gochujang sauce of honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, garlic and ginger, grilled over high heat until the edges char and the glaze caramelizes into something sticky, spicy and completely irresistible. Thirty minutes of marinating. Twenty minutes on the grill. The kind of dinner that makes everyone at the table go quiet.

I made these for the first time on a Tuesday night with no plan and they have been on monthly rotation ever since. That is the highest compliment I give any recipe.

Ingredients

For the chicken

• 2 lbs (900g) boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch (2.5cm) cubes. Thighs only, they stay juicy on the grill where breast dries out. Cut pieces to uniform size for even cooking.

For the gochujang marinade

• 3 tablespoons gochujang, Korean fermented chili paste, the heart of this dish. Available at H Mart, Whole Foods, Asian grocery stores and Amazon. Gochujang varies in heat level by brand, taste yours before adding and adjust. Substitute: 1 tablespoon tomato paste plus ½ teaspoon sriracha per tablespoon of gochujang needed.
• 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey, creates the sticky caramelized glaze during grilling
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar, light or dark both work
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil, adds nutty depth. Do not substitute with regular oil.
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, adds tang and tenderizes the chicken. Do not marinate more than 6 hours with vinegar, it will make the chicken mushy.
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely grated, or ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil or vegetable oil, for brushing the grill grates
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Optional skewer additions

• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
• 1 cup (160g) fresh pineapple, cut into 1-inch cubes, the sweetness of pineapple against the spicy gochujang is extraordinary

To serve

• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• 3 spring onions, finely sliced
• Steamed jasmine rice
• Pickled white radish, traditional Korean accompaniment, cuts through the richness of the glaze

How to make it

1. Make the marinade. Combine gochujang, soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, sesame oil, rice vinegar, minced garlic and grated ginger in a large bowl. Whisk until completely smooth. Taste the marinade directly, it should be sweet, spicy, savory and tangy in equal measure. Adjust: more honey for sweetness, more gochujang for heat, more soy for saltiness.Divide the marinade, pour half into a separate container and refrigerate immediately. This reserved half becomes the basting sauce. Never use the marinade that has touched raw chicken for basting without cooking it first.
2. Marinate the chicken. Add the chicken cubes to the bowl with the remaining marinade. Toss thoroughly to coat every piece. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes, 4 hours is better, overnight produces the deepest flavor. The rice vinegar means you should not marinate longer than 6 hours total.
3. Prepare skewers. If using wooden skewers, soak in cold water for at least 30 minutes before grilling, this prevents them from burning. Metal skewers need no preparation. Thread the marinated chicken onto skewers, 4–5 pieces per skewer, not too tightly packed. If adding bell pepper and pineapple, alternate between pieces of chicken.
4. Heat the reserved basting sauce. Pour the reserved marinade into a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened. This kills any bacteria and concentrates the flavor for basting. Set aside with a brush.
5. Grill. Preheat grill to 400°F–450°F (200°C–230°C). Brush grates with avocado oil, it has a high smoke point and will not impart any flavor. Place skewers on the grill. Cook 5–6 minutes per side without moving, turning every 5 minutes, 20–25 minutes total. During the last 5 minutes, baste generously with the cooked reserved marinade at each turn.The gochujang and honey will caramelize and develop dark spots on the chicken, this is correct and delicious, not burning. Only pull back if you smell actual scorching.
6. Check doneness. The chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and the glaze is sticky, caramelized and deeply charred at the edges. Rest 3 minutes before serving.
7. Serve. Arrange skewers on a platter over steamed rice. Scatter toasted sesame seeds and sliced spring onions over the top. Serve with pickled radish alongside. The contrast between the spicy sticky chicken and the cool, crunchy radish is exactly the Korean BBQ balance.

The difference

Gochujang is not interchangeable with sriracha, sambal or any other chili sauce in this recipe and the difference is not subtle. Gochujang is fermented. That fermentation produces a deep, complex, slightly funky savory quality underneath the heat that no fresh or vinegar-based chili sauce replicates. The flavor is simultaneously spicy, sweet and umami-forward in a way that makes these skewers taste as if there are twice as many ingredients as there actually are. Gochujang is available at H Mart, Whole Foods, Korean grocery stores and Amazon. Buy it. Keep it in the fridge. Use it on everything. Full explanation of gochujang and how to cook with it is in the gochujang guide.

Make it ahead

Claire’s note

Marinate the chicken the night before and store it in the fridge, dinner becomes a 25-minute grill job with zero prep. The overnight marinade produces significantly deeper flavor than the 30-minute version. Make the basting sauce at the same time and refrigerate separately, it keeps for 5 days. These skewers also work beautifully in the oven if you do not have a grill: broil at 450°F (230°C) on a wire rack over a foil-lined tray for 10 minutes, flip, baste, broil 8–10 more minutes. Check at 165°F. The char from the broiler is not as dramatic as the grill but the flavor is identical.

Complete the meal

Serve these skewers with steamed jasmine rice, quick-pickled cucumber (slice 1 cucumber, toss with 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon sugar and a pinch of salt, ready in 10 minutes) and a spoonful of extra gochujang on the side for heat lovers. For the full Korean BBQ experience at home, the cuts, the other marinades and the complete spread, the Korean BBQ guide covers everything. The full Korean recipes collection have everything else you need.

Add these skewers to your weekly meal planner, marinate Sunday night, grill Monday in 25 minutes. And for more recipes, follow us on Pinterest.

Gochujang Grilled Chicken Skewers

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• Author: Claire Bennett
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 6–8 skewers 1x
• Diet: None

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Description

Flavor-packed gochujang grilled chicken skewers that combine Korean BBQ with backyard grilling. Juicy pieces of chicken marinated in a spicy-sweet sauce and grilled to perfection.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 lbs (900g) boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch (2.5cm) cubes
• 3 tablespoons gochujang
• 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely grated
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil or vegetable oil
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares (optional)
• 1 cup (160g) fresh pineapple, cut into 1-inch cubes (optional)
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds for serving
• 3 spring onions, finely sliced for serving
• Steamed jasmine rice for serving
• Pickled white radish for serving

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Instructions

1. Make the marinade. Combine gochujang, soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, sesame oil, rice vinegar, minced garlic and grated ginger in a large bowl. Whisk until completely smooth. Taste the marinade directly, it should be sweet, spicy, savory and tangy in equal measure.
2. Divide the marinade, pour half into a separate container and refrigerate immediately. This reserved half becomes the basting sauce.
3. Marinate the chicken. Add the chicken cubes to the bowl with the remaining marinade. Toss thoroughly to coat every piece. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes, preferably longer.
4. Prepare skewers. If using wooden skewers, soak in cold water for at least 30 minutes. Thread the marinated chicken onto skewers, alternating with bell pepper and pineapple if using.
5. Heat the reserved basting sauce. Pour it into a small saucepan and simmer for 2–3 minutes.
6. Grill. Preheat grill to 400°F–450°F (200°C–230°C). Brush grates with avocado oil. Place skewers on the grill and cook 20–25 minutes, turning every 5 minutes.
7. Check doneness. The chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and the glaze is sticky and caramelized. Rest for 3 minutes before serving.
8. Serve. Arrange skewers over steamed rice, sprinkle with sesame seeds and spring onions, and serve with pickled radish.

Notes

For best flavor, marinate the chicken overnight. This recipe also works well in the oven using the broiler method.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Category: Main Course
• Method: Grilling
• Cuisine: Korean

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 skewer
• Calories: 250
• Sugar: 9g
• Sodium: 700mg
• Fat: 10g
• Saturated Fat: 2g
• Unsaturated Fat: 8g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 17g
• Fiber: 1g
• Protein: 25g
• Cholesterol: 90mg