Introducing my mouthwatering Korean BBQ Marinated Chicken recipe, also known as bulgogi chicken! This recipe brings the authentic flavors of Korean BBQ right to your kitchen, with tender chicken in a sweet and savory garlic-filled marinade. With just under 5 minutes of prep time, it’s a breeze to prepare. If you’re craving the taste of authentic Korean BBQ made with all-natural, healthy ingredients, this recipe is a must-try!
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
My Korean BBQ Marinated Chicken is a delightful blend of sweet and savory flavors, with tender chicken as the star ingredient! It’s perfect for anyone craving the authentic taste of Korean BBQ from the comfort of their own kitchen. The marinade features a sweet and savory garlic-filled blend, the same one used in my Korean BBQ Bulgogi and Korean BBQ Galbi, ensuring you experience the true essence of Korean BBQ at home!
And the best part of all of this? My recipe is nearly fail proof, so you know it will come out prefect every time! It’s a delightful taste of classic Korean BBQ flavors that you could even elevate by pairing with my Sweet Galbi Style Dipping Sauce, making it the perfect choice for KBBQ meal at home! So why wait? Let’s get making it right now!
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Chicken – boneless and skinless chicken thigh. Can substitute with chicken breast if preferred.
- Green Onion – finely chopped green onion scallions.
- Toasted Sesame Seeds – optional garnish.
- Neutral Cooking Oil (if pan frying) – only if pan frying your chicken, use high temp neutral cooking oil such as vegetable oil, safflower oil, grapeseed oil.
- Onion – yellow or brown onion.
- Garlic – fresh garlic cloves.
- Jalapeno (optional) – add a slice or two of jalapeno if you prefer some spice.
- Soy Sauce – low-sodium Soy Sauce preferred. Can also use tamari for gluten-free.
- Sweetener – use your preferred sweetener.
- Toasted Sesame Oil – 100% Toasted Sesame Oil that should have a dark brown color. Â
- Black Pepper – ground.
- Ginger – fresh ginger slices.
🔑 Marinade Secret Ingredient
Some secret ingredients to add in the marinade include 2-3 tablespoons of grated Korean Pear or 1-2 tablespoons of pressed Kiwi. These natural additions not only impart a delightful sweetness but also help tenderize the meat. Alternatively, you can opt for 1/2 cup of Cola instead of water for an extra layer of sweetness. It’s recommended to choose one of these options to avoid making the marinade overly sweet.
Essential Kitchen Equipment
- Food Processor
- Zip Lock Bags
Directions
Step 1 Blend onions, garlic, jalapeno, soy sauce, sweetener, toasted sesame oil, black pepper, and ginger until smooth using a blender or food processor.
Step 2 Place the chicken in a bowl or zip-lock bag, pour the marinade over it, and mix to ensure the chicken thighs are thoroughly coated for at least 24 hour, ideally for 36 hours.
💡 Marinating Pro Tip
If you need Extra Marinade to cover all the chicken, simply Add Water or use Cola for added flavor and sweetness.
Step 3 Preheat the grill to 350°F and grill the chicken with the cover closed for approximately 14 minutes flipping halfway through.
🔥 Grilling Pro Tip
You can Grill the Marinated Chicken Directly without the need to wash off the marinade.
🌡 Internal Temperature Check
Grill the chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. This temperature ensures both safety and optimal flavor and texture.
Recipe Variations
Swap out the chicken for beef short ribs to savor the rich and succulent flavors of Korean BBQ Galbi. Alternatively, try using sliced beef to prepare Korean BBQ Bulgogi, where the marinade infuses the beef with its signature sweet and savory flavors.
Paring Recommendations
You can pair your Korean BBQ with rice or traditional banchan Korean side dishes like Korean Spinach Salad, Kimchi, Korean Pickled Garlic, Korean Pickled Vegetables or a green salad tossed in my Korean BBQ Salad Dressing. Enjoy it wrapped in lettuce, rice paper, Korean seaweed, or pickled radish wraps. For different meat options, consider Korean BBQ Garlic Pork Belly, Korean Pan Seared Pork Jowl, or my Marinated Miso Pork Belly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I freeze these Korean marinated chicken for meal prepping?
This marinade is also ideal for meal planning. Once you've completed the marination process, simply prepare a batch of marinated chicken and store it in the freezer.
Can I grill this chicken indoors if I don't have an outdoor grill?
If you don't have an outdoor grill, there are indoor alternatives you can use. A stovetop grill pan or an indoor electric grill will work perfectly for cooking the chicken. Alternatively, you can also pan fry the chicken to achieve that delicious Korean BBQ flavor.
How long to marinate bulgogi chicken?
For best results, we recommend marinating overnight, or for 24 hours, to ensure all that juicy goodness is soaked all the way through.
What other meats to use with bulgogi marinade?
You have a variety of options when it comes to using this bulgogi marinade. It works wonderfully with beef, pork chops, chicken breast, and even vegetables.
Storage Tips
To store leftovers, place them in an airtight container in the fridge, where they will remain fresh for 5-7 days. When reheating, simply use the microwave.
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Watch How To Make It
Korean BBQ Marinated Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken
- 9 oz Chicken Thigh skinless and boneless
- 1 Stalk Green Onion
- 1 tbsp Toasted Sesame Seed
- 1 tbsp Cooking Oil if pan frying
Marinade
- 1/3 Cup Onion about 1/2 of a medium onion
- 4 Cloves Garlic
- 1/4 Whole Jalapeno optional
- 1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Water
- 2 tbsp Sweetener your preferred sweetener
- 2 tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil
- 1/8 tsp Black Pepper
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients.
- Cut chicken into small bite-size pieces, about 1/2 x 1/2 inch and place into a ziplock bag.
- Use a blender or food processor to blend soy sauce, water, sweetener, toasted sesame oil, 1/2 onion, jalapeno, garlic and black pepper together to form marinade. Transfer marinade to a zip-lock bag.
- Place zip-lock bag flat in the fridge for 24 hours (up to 36 hour flipping over at least once half way through the marinade.
- After marination is complete, cut green onions into 1 inch sticks and set aside.
- Preheat grill on high until temp reaches ~350F. Once grill is up to temp, lower heat to medium-low, transfer chicken directly on the grill, close lid and cook for 7-14 minutes until internal temp reaches 165F flipping once through. Once cooked, transfer to serving plate and top with toasted sesame seeds.
Nutrition
*Values Based Per Serving
Can I substitute coconut aminos or tamari for the soy? Also, I’ve noticed your receipts don’t include nutritional information or am I missing it?
Hey Linda! I’ve never tried any of our recipes with coconut aminos or tamari, but others have so I’m sure it would work just fine. Might alter the taste, but shouldn’t dramatically change the profiles.
As for the nutritional information, we don’t pay for the program that does this because they are often inaccurate when calculating up Asian/Japanese ingredients. Hope that helps!