Last Updated on January 27, 2025
Considering how complex, satisfying and delicious this dish is, you would think it was very cheffy and hard to execute—but it’s actually really simple. Start by marinating chicken breast in a shoyu and ginger marinade, then in a Korean chili paste (gochujang) and chili powder (gochugaru) mixture that’s the perfect amount of sweet and spicy. Grill the chicken and that’s it—serve it over salad greens or dressed noodles and you have a restaurant-quality meal. It’s also fantastic as a sandwich filler or atop a rice bowl.
After you try this, you’ll want to marinate all kinds of meat in gochugaru and gochujang. Try it with pork tenderloin or flank steak.
This recipe comes from Ji Hye Kim, owner of Miss Kim in Ann Arbor, Michigan, who was recently named a James Beard Semifinalist for Best Chef: Great Lakes 2023.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup soju or dry white wine
- 2 tsp ginger juice or finely grated fresh ginger
- 1¼ pounds ButcherBox Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts or Thighs, defrosted and patted dry
- 3½ tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp gochugaru Korean chili powder
- 1 tbsp gochujang Korean chili paste
- 1 scallion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic finely grated
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- Canola oil for greasing the grill grates
- Optional sides: Rice noodles dressed in soy sauce and sesame oil and seeds, or sturdy salad greens such as Romaine or thinly sliced kale
Instructions
- In a large bowl whisk together the soju and the ginger juice. Add the chicken, submerge and let sit in the soju and ginger marinade for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in another large bowl whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, gochugaru, gochujang, scallion, garlic and black pepper. Reserve 2/3 of the marinade in a small bowl.
- Once 15 minutes have passed, transfer the chicken to the large bowl with the gochugaru marinade. Massage the marinade into the chicken, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.
- Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for medium-high heat, making sure to clean the grates and lightly slick them with a kitchen rag or brush dipped in canola oil. Once hot, place the chicken on the grill and cook, brushing with the reserved marinade, until grill marks appear, the marinade has caked onto the chicken and the chicken is cooked through (an instant-read thermometer stuck into the thickest part should read 165º F), about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a serving platter.
- Serve warm with any combination of the optional sides.
