Description
This Sticky Gochujang Chicken Thighs recipe delivers irresistibly crispy skin and a rich, flavorful glaze in just 20 minutes. Featuring a vibrant mix of Korean gochujang, white miso, and honey, the chicken is pan-seared to golden perfection before being coated in a sticky, glossy sauce. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, this dish combines bold umami flavors with sweet and tangy notes for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 6 boneless chicken thighs (skin on)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon cold butter
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon gochujang
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons sake (optional, can substitute with water)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon mirin
Instructions
- Dry and Season Chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry thoroughly with paper towels to ensure crispy skin. Season both sides evenly with salt and black pepper.
- Start Cooking Skin-Side Down: Place the chicken skin-side down in a cold pan—no oil is needed. Turn the heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes or until the skin is deeply golden and crisp.
- Flip Chicken: Flip the chicken and cook the other side for 2 minutes. Once done, remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.
- Deglaze the Pan: Add sake or water to the hot pan to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits for flavor.
- Prepare Sauce Base: Reduce the heat and add gochujang and white miso paste. Sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add Sauce Ingredients: Stir in water, honey, rice vinegar, and mirin. Cook while stirring until the sauce is glossy and slightly thickened.
- Finish Sauce with Butter: Stir in the cold butter to add richness and a silky texture to the glaze.
- Coat Chicken and Simmer: Return the chicken to the pan, coating it well with the sauce. Simmer together for 1 to 2 minutes until the chicken is sticky and fully glazed.
Notes
- Patting the chicken dry is essential to achieve crispy skin without oil.
- Sake can be substituted with water if unavailable.
- Control heat carefully to avoid burning the gochujang paste when sautéing.
- Serve immediately to maintain the crispiness of the chicken skin.
- This recipe works well with skin-on chicken breasts for a leaner option.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Korean
Keywords: Gochujang chicken, Korean chicken recipe, sticky chicken thighs, quick dinner, crispy chicken skin
