Spicy Korean BBQ Chicken Recipe – Perfect for Rice Bowls or Full Korean BBQ Meal

This spicy Korean BBQ chicken is one of the easiest mains to make for a Korean BBQ night at home.

The chicken is marinated with bold flavors and cooks quickly on a hot flat-top grill. Just like in your favorite Korean restaurant!

Serve it with lettuce wraps, rice, kimchi, and other sides and mains, or turn it into a Korean BBQ chicken bowl.

Why You’ll Love This Korean BBQ Chicken

This Korean BBQ chicken recipe is flavorful, easy, and quick to cook. It has that sweet, spicy, garlicky flavor that works so well with rice, kimchi, and fresh side dishes.

Here’s why it’s worth making:

• Great with chicken thighs: Boneless chicken thighs stay juicy and tender on the grill.
• Fast to cook: Bite-size pieces cook quickly on a flat-top grill or skillet.
• Big marinade flavor: Gochujang, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and honey give the chicken a bold taste.
• Easy to serve: Make rice bowls, or serve it as part of a full Korean BBQ meal.
• Good for meal prep: The chicken can be marinated ahead and cooked when ready.
• Easy to adjust: Use less gochujang for mild chicken or more for spicy Korean BBQ chicken.

Best Chicken to Use: Chicken Thighs

For this Korean BBQ chicken recipe, I recommend using boneless chicken thighs.

They have more flavor and fat than chicken breast, so they stay juicy even on a hot grill. They also soak up the marinade really well.

Chicken breast will also work, but it dries out more easily. So if you use chicken breast, cut it into even pieces and make sure not to overcook it.

Korean BBQ Chicken Marinade

The marinade is what gives this chicken its sweet, spicy, salty, and garlicky Korean BBQ flavor.

It’s simple, and the combination of gochujang, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and honey works really well with chicken thighs.

For the marinade, you’ll need:

• Gochujang
• Soy sauce
• Toasted sesame oil
• Brown sugar (or honey)
• Rice vinegar or lime/lemon juice
• Fresh garlic
• Fresh ginger
• Black pepper, optional

The gochujang gives the chicken heat and deep chili flavor, while the brown sugar (or honey) helps the outside caramelize on the grill. The vinegar or citrus juice adds a little brightness, and the sesame oil gives that nutty Korean BBQ-style flavor.

For best results, marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour. If you have more time, 4–8 hours or overnight gives you even better flavor.

How to Make Korean BBQ Chicken

This recipe is best with bite-sized pieces of chicken cooked quickly on a hot flat-top grill, tabletop electric grill, or skillet.

Don’t have a suitable grill? Don’t worry, you can find the best Korean BBQ grills here.

Ingredients:

• 500-700g boneless chicken thighs
• 2 tbsp gochujang
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tbsp brown sugar or honey
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar or lime/lemon juice
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• Black pepper, optional
• Spring onions and sesame seeds for topping, optional

Instructions:

1. Cut the chicken thighs into small or medium bite-sized pieces.
2. Mix the gochujang, soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar (or honey), vinegar or citrus juice, garlic, and ginger (and black pepper if using) in a bowl.
3. Add the chicken and toss until every piece is coated.
4. Cover and marinate for at least 1 hour.
5. Heat a flat-top grill, tabletop Korean BBQ grill, or skillet over medium-high heat.
6. Cook the chicken in small batches, turning often, until browned and fully cooked.
7. Top with spring onions and sesame seeds before serving.

The chicken should be juicy inside with slightly caramelized edges. Don’t overcrowd the grill, or the chicken may steam instead of browning.

7 Tips for the Best Spicy Korean BBQ Chicken

This chicken is easy to make, but a few small tricks will give you better flavor and texture:

• Use chicken thighs: They stay juicier than chicken breast.
• Cut the pieces evenly: This helps everything cook at the same speed.
• Marinate for at least 1 hour: Longer is better if you have time.
• Preheat the grill: A hot surface helps the chicken brown and caramelize.
• Cook in small batches: Crowding the grill makes the chicken release too much liquid.
• Turn often: The marinade has sugar, so it can brown quickly.
• Finish with sesame seeds and spring onions: This adds flavor, color, and texture.

For a milder version, use less gochujang and add a little more sugar or honey. For extra spicy Korean BBQ chicken, add Korean chili flakes or a few sliced fresh chilis to the marinade.

What to Serve with Korean BBQ Chicken

See my guide for cooking a complete Korean BBQ meal: How to Cook Korean BBQ at Home

Korean BBQ chicken works well with both fresh and spicy sides. Since the marinade is sweet, savory, garlicky, and a little spicy, I like serving it with something crunchy and refreshing.

Good sides include:

• Quick fresh kimchi
• Cucumber kimchi
• Korean spinach salad
• Bean sprout salad
• Steamed white rice
• Lettuce leaves
• Sliced garlic and green chilies
• Bacon-wrapped enoki mushrooms
• Korean BBQ dipping sauce

You can serve the chicken as part of a full Korean BBQ dinner, or keep it simple with rice, lettuce, kimchi, and one sauce.

For a weeknight meal, the Korean BBQ chicken bowl is probably the easiest option. So next, let’s see how to make one!

How to Make a Korean BBQ Chicken Bowl

This Korean BBQ chicken is perfect for a rice bowl, especially if you want an easy lunch or dinner instead of a full tabletop BBQ setup.

The chicken already has plenty of flavor, so you only need rice, a few sides, and a little extra sauce.

For a simple Korean BBQ chicken bowl, use:

• Steamed white rice
• Cooked Korean BBQ chicken
• Fresh kimchi
• Korean spinach salad
• Sesame seeds, optional topping
• Chopped spring onions, optional topping
• Korean BBQ sauce, optional for more flavor

How to Make It: Start with a bowl of hot rice, then add the grilled chicken on top. Spoon over a little sauce, then add the kimchi and spinach salad on the side.

The spicy chicken, warm rice, tangy kimchi, and sesame-flavored greens make a really good balance!

This is also a great way to use leftovers the next day.

Can I Make This Ahead?

Yes, Korean BBQ chicken is great for making ahead because the marinade gives the meat more flavor as it rests. You can cut the chicken and mix it with the marinade a few hours before cooking.

For best results, marinate the chicken for 1–8 hours in the refrigerator. If you’re preparing for a Korean BBQ night, you can marinate it in the morning (or overnight) and cook it later for dinner.

A few make-ahead tips:

• Keep the marinated chicken covered in the fridge.
• Don’t leave raw chicken sitting at room temperature.
• Prep the rice, sauces, and side dishes before grilling.
• Cook the chicken fresh for the best texture.
• If using leftovers, turn them into rice bowls the next day.

I don’t recommend marinating the chicken for more than 24 hours, because the texture can start to change, especially with vinegar or citrus juice in the marinade.

How to Store and Reheat

Store leftover Korean BBQ chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Keep the rice, sauces, and side dishes in separate containers so everything stays fresher.

To reheat the chicken, use a skillet or flat-top grill over medium heat. Add a small splash of water if the marinade starts to stick, then warm the chicken until heated through. You can also microwave it, but the texture is better if you reheat it in a pan.

Leftover Korean BBQ chicken is great for:

• Rice bowls
• Lettuce wraps
• Fried rice
• Noodle bowls
• Quick lunch plates
• Meal prep containers

If you’re making Korean BBQ chicken bowls, warm the chicken and rice, then add cold kimchi, spinach salad, cucumber, sesame seeds, and sauce right before serving.

Easy Recipe Variations

This Korean BBQ chicken recipe is easy to adjust depending on how spicy, sweet, or saucy you want it!

Here are some of my favorite versions:

• Mild Korean BBQ chicken: Use less gochujang and add a little more honey or brown sugar.
• Spicy Korean BBQ chicken: Add Korean chili flakes or sliced fresh chili to the marinade.
• Extra saucy chicken: Make a little extra marinade and simmer it separately as a sauce.
• Grilled chicken skewers: Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto skewers and grill until browned.
• Korean BBQ chicken bowl: Serve the chicken over rice with kimchi, spinach salad, cucumber, sesame seeds, and sauce.
• Lettuce wrap version: Serve with lettuce leaves, rice, garlic, chilies, and ssamjang-style sauce.

For a full Korean BBQ night, I like making this chicken together with beef, pork, kimchi, cucumber salad, and bacon-wrapped enoki mushrooms.

I hope you like this easy and tasty chicken recipe. Enjoy your Korean BBQ!

-Joonas

See also:

• How to Cook Korean BBQ at Home