Korean Spicy Chicken Skewers

Quick answer

Total time: 35 min
Level: Medium
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 9

About this dish

Spicy dak-kkochi threads boneless chicken thigh and green onion segments onto skewers, then grills them while brushing on a gochujang-based glaze in multiple rounds.

Chicken thigh meat stays moist throughout cooking due to its higher fat content, and the green onion segments sweeten and caramelize under direct heat, providing a counterbalance to the spicy sauce. The glaze -- gochujang blended with sugar, garlic, and soy sauce -- caramelizes against the hot surface to build a sticky, lacquered coating on each piece. Applying the glaze two or three times during grilling stacks distinct layers of sweet-spicy flavor that gradually penetrate deeper into the meat.

Ingredients (4 servings)

Ingredient	Amount	Unit
Boneless chicken thigh	600	g
Green onion	80	g
Gochujang	2.5	tbsp
Korean chili flakes	1	tbsp
Soy sauce	1.5	tbsp
Sugar	1	tbsp
Minced garlic	1	tbsp
Sesame oil	1	tsp
Cooking oil	1	tbsp

Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Heat

Cut 600g chicken thigh into 3cm bite-sized pieces.

Slice 80g green onion into 4cm lengths. Cutting the chicken too small makes skewering difficult and causes it to dry out quickly while grilling.
2

Season

Combine 2.5 tbsp gochujang, 1 tbsp chili powder, 1.5 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp minced garlic, and 1 tsp sesame oil in a bowl and mix until uniform.
3

Finish

Add two-thirds of the sauce to the chicken and massage it in by hand until evenly coated.

Marinate for 10 minutes. Reserve the remaining third for basting later.
4

Heat

Thread the chicken and green onion onto skewers in alternating pieces - 2 to 3 pieces of chicken followed by 1 piece of green onion, repeating. This pattern ensures even cooking and attractive presentation.
5

Control

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan over medium heat.

Cook the skewers for 3 minutes per side, 6 minutes total. Look for the chicken to be fully cooked through with slightly charred edges.
6

Finish

Brush the reserved sauce over all sides of the skewers.

Cook over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 more minutes until the sauce caramelizes, turns glossy, and the spice aroma deepens.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Chicken thigh meat stays moist under a spicy gochujang glaze during the high-heat grilling process.
Finish cue: Cook over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 more minutes until the sauce caramelizes, turns glossy, and the spice aroma deepens.
Avoid this: Brush sauce near the end to avoid sugar burning.