Korean Gochujang Grilled Chicken Legs

Name: Korean Gochujang Grilled Chicken Legs
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: chicken leg meat 800 g; gochujang 2 tbsp; soy sauce 2 tbsp; oligosaccharide syrup 1.5 tbsp; minced garlic 1 tbsp; cooking wine 1 tbsp; sesame oil 1 tsp; cooking oil 1 tbsp; sesame seeds 1 tsp

Quick answer

Active time: 50 min
Waiting: See the steps
Level: Medium
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 9

About this dish

Chicken thighs go into a gochujang marinade, ideally overnight.

On the day, the skin side is pressed into the pan first to render the fat, then the pieces are flipped and covered so the thick meat cooks through. The glaze only turns glossy at the very end, in the last 2 minutes over high heat with the lid off.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmount

oligosaccharide syrup

As an Amazon Associate, we may earn from qualifying purchases.

Instructions

6 steps

1

Pat 800 g chicken leg meat very dry with paper towels, then make 2 to 3 cuts about 2 cm deep in the thickest parts.

Dry skin and scoring help the marinade stick and the meat cook evenly.
2

Mix 2 tbsp gochujang, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1.5 tbsp oligosaccharide syrup, 1 tbsp minced garlic, 1 tbsp cooking wine, and 1 tsp sesame oil until smooth. Break up any thick gochujang lumps so the glaze coats evenly.
3

Coat the chicken thinly with the marinade and rub it into the cuts.

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight if possible, so the odor softens and the seasoning reaches deeper into the meat.
4

Heat 1 tbsp cooking oil in a skillet over medium heat.

Place the chicken skin-side down and press lightly as it cooks for 6 minutes, keeping a steady sizzle so the fat renders and the skin begins to crisp.
5

Turn the chicken over, cover, and cook over medium-low heat for 8 minutes.

This traps steam for the thick meat; if the marinade darkens too fast, lower the heat and scrape the sauce from the pan edges.
6

Remove the lid, brush on the remaining marinade in a thin layer, and reduce for 1 to 2 minutes.

Raise the heat to high for the final 2 minutes until glossy. Insert a thermometer into the center of the thickest piece and confirm it has held at 75°C or higher for at least 1 minute; if not, cover and keep cooking over low heat. Sprinkle with 1 tsp sesame seeds and serve.