Description
A quick and flavorful weeknight dinner featuring juicy marinated chicken thighs with a sweet-spicy gochujang glaze, served on toasted brioche buns with a crisp, vinegar-based slaw.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil (divided)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon gochujang
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 head green cabbage, finely shredded
- 1 large carrot, julienned or grated
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 brioche buns, halved
- Butter for toasting
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil (vegetable or canola)
- Sriracha or extra gochujang for serving
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine shredded cabbage and carrots. Whisk together 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, salt, and pepper. Pour over vegetables, toss to coat, and refrigerate while cooking chicken.
- In a large bowl or zip-top bag, whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, brown sugar, gochujang, and black pepper until combined.
- Add chicken thighs to the marinade, ensuring they are fully coated. Marinate in the fridge for at least 15 minutes (up to 4 hours).
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with neutral oil until slight wisps of smoke appear.
- Place chicken thighs in the hot pan. Cook for 5-6 minutes on one side until deeply browned, then flip and cook for another 4-5 minutes until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Remove and let rest for 5 minutes.
- While chicken rests, butter the cut sides of brioche buns and toast face down in the same pan for 1-2 minutes until golden brown.
- Spread sriracha or gochujang on the bottom bun, add a generous scoop of slaw, top with glazed chicken, add more slaw if desired, and cover with the top bun.
Notes
Pat chicken dry before marinating for better flavor absorption. Do not skip the resting step to keep juices in the meat. The slaw can be made ahead and stored in the fridge. For a gluten-free version, use tamari instead of soy sauce and ensure gochujang is certified gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Korean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 900
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 35
Keywords: Korean BBQ, chicken sandwich, gochujang, slaw, brioche bun, weeknight dinner, easy recipe, spicy chicken