Chicken Skewers With Korean BBQ (Printable)
Marinated chicken and peppers brushed with Korean BBQ sauce and grilled until caramelized and juicy.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken and Vegetables
01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
02 - 8 wooden or metal skewers
03 - 1 red bell pepper, cut into chunks
04 - 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into chunks
05 - 1 small red onion, cut into chunks
06 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
→ Korean BBQ Sauce
07 - 1/3 cup soy sauce
08 - 2 tablespoons brown sugar
09 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
10 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
11 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
12 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
13 - 1 tablespoon gochujang (Korean chili paste)
14 - 1 tablespoon honey
15 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
16 - 1 green onion, finely sliced
# How to Make It:
01 - If using wooden skewers, submerge them in water and soak for at least 30 minutes to prevent burning on the grill.
02 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, minced garlic, ginger, gochujang, and honey until smooth and well combined. Reserve 1/4 cup of the sauce in a separate bowl for brushing during grilling.
03 - Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl and pour the remaining BBQ sauce over them. Toss to coat evenly, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours for deeper flavor penetration.
04 - Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto the skewers, alternating with chunks of red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, and red onion. Brush the assembled skewers lightly with vegetable oil.
05 - Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Place the skewers on the grill and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, turning occasionally. During the last few minutes of cooking, brush generously with the reserved BBQ sauce until the chicken is cooked through and lightly charred.
06 - Transfer the grilled skewers to a serving platter. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and finely sliced green onion. Serve immediately while hot.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The gochujang in the marinade creates a sticky caramelized crust that rivals any restaurant version.
- You probably have most of the sauce ingredients in your pantry right now.
02 -
- Do not skip reserving that 1/4 cup of sauce before marinating or you will be brushing raw chicken juice onto cooked meat.
- Gochujang varies wildly in heat between brands so taste yours first and adjust the amount.
03 -
- Marinate the chicken for the full two hours if you can because the flavor penetration is dramatically better.
- Let the skewers rest for two minutes off the grill before serving so the juices redistribute instead of running onto the plate.