A Korean-inspired marinade makes these Gochujang Chicken Thighs perfect for the grill. These chicken thighs are both sweet and tangy so they satisfy two cravings.
This recipe combines Gochujang with other Asian flavours like soy sauce to create a mouth-watering chicken that the whole family enjoys. Spicy and sweet, but not overpowering, this chicken is great for a weeknight dinner or a weekend BBQ.
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Ingredients For The Marinade for Gochujang Chicken Thighs
To make this marinade, you will need 9 ingredients that are easy to find in any grocery store.
- Gochujang sauce. This sauce is used instead of paste in this recipe and it is usually found in the international aisle of the grocery store.
- Soy Sauce. We prefer low-sodium soy sauce to make all our marinades.
- Brown Sugar. Light or golden sugar is our go-to.
- Minced garlic.
- Minced ginger.
- Rice Vinegar. Make sure it is not seasoned. We made that mistake once and it ruined a dish because of the amount of salt in the seasoned rice vinegar.
- Paprika. Our choice is smoked paprika but regular paprika also works.
- Kosher Salt.
- Black Pepper.
What Is Gochujang?
Gochujang is popular in Korean cooking. It is a red chili paste made mostly of red chili peppers and fermented soybeans. It is savory, sweet, and spicy and used in many dishes.
For this recipe, we use Gochujang sauce. The sauce is thinner than the paste.
Do The Thighs Have To Be Boneless Skinless Thighs?
No, they don’t have to be boneless, skinless thighs. We have made this recipe using bone-in, skin-on thighs. The time for cooking does change since bone-in chicken takes longer to cook than boneless.
When cooking chicken, we suggest using a thermometer to test the internal temperature.
Can Chicken Breasts Be Used Instead?
Yes! The marinade for these chicken thighs can also be used for chicken breasts. If using large chicken breasts, they may need to be marinaded for a longer time.
Another use for this marinade is to make chicken wings. The marinating time is shorter when using this marinade for wings since they are smaller.
How To Serve Gochujang Chicken Thighs
These chicken thighs go well with rice but there are other ways to serve them.
- Noodles. Serve chicken thighs over Asian-inspired noodles that have similar flavours.
- Sliders. On toasted slider buns with kimchi or vinegar-based coleslaw.
- Wraps. Chop chicken into strips to add to wraps with lettuce, tomatoes, and mild cheese. Drizzle with some reserved marinade.
- Salad. This chicken can be sliced or chopped to add to a salad.
- Rice. Stir fry rice with vegetables like peppers and broccoli and serve the chicken over top.
Storing Leftover Chicken
Any leftover chicken should be stored in the fridge in an air-tight container. Use it within 3 days.
Gochujang Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 2 kilograms boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Marinade
- 3 Tbsp Gochujang sauce
- 2 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1½ Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp grated ginger
- 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 Tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Whisk all ingredients in the marinade together in a large bowl.
- Reserve ⅓ cup of marinade for basting.
- Add chicken to marinade and stir to coat.
- Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or up to 12 hours.
- Remove chicken from fridge 30 minutes before cooking.
- Preheat BBQ to medium, about 350℉.
- Place chicken thighs on the grill, close lid, and allow to cook for 5 minutes.
- Turn chicken, baste with reserved marinade.
- Cook 4-5 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165℉.
- Serve hot over rice, noodles, or with a salad.
This recipe was easy to make and was so good. The entire family loved it