This spicy chicken recipe is quick and easy to make with a simple but flavorful gochujang sauce, on the table in 10 minutes! Perfect served over rice.
We're cooking up another very quick and easy recipe that is sure to please the spicy food lover in you, my friends.
I'm talking Spicy Korean Chicken Stir Fry. It's quick and easy to make, a great combo of sweet and savory, and you're going to love it.
It's got a nice level of spice to it and it's ready and on the table in only 10 minutes once you start cooking.
No one ever said a great meal with great flavor had to take a long time to cook. If you like this meal, you might also enjoy my Kung Pao Chicken recipe.
Korean Chicken Marinade
The hero of this recipe is the spicy Korean chicken marinade. You essentially marinate your chicken in a spicy, saucy mixture of soy sauce, gochujang sauce, sriracha, rice vinegar, your favorite hot sauce, ginger, garlic, spicy pepper flakes and a bit of salt and pepper.
If you're looking for a sweeter marinade, add in a bit of brown sugar or honey. Sesame oil is a nice addition as well.
The key is to get the marinade going the night before. This will make cooking the meal a snap. Get the marinade going before you go to bed, or in the morning before you leave for work.
Marinate the chicken in a bowl or baggie, then cover and refrigerate. It will be ready and waiting for you when you get home.
However, if you're strapped for time, you'll still get a good level of flavor marinating for 30 minutes, so it is definitely worth doing.
Making Korean Chicken is ridiculously simple, and the GREAT thing about it, aside from being so easy, is that you can easily adjust this to your preferred heat level, which is discussed below in the recipe notes section.
Let's talk about how to make Korean chicken, shall we?
Ingredients Needed
- Chicken. Use 2 pounds boneless chicken thighs, chopped (Or use chicken breast, or both!)
- Oil. For cooking. Olive oil, peanut oil or other vegetable oil are great. Try it with sesame oil.
- For the Korean Chicken Marinade:
- Soy Sauce.
- Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- Sriracha.
- Rice Wine Vinegar.
- Hot Sauce.
- Seasonings. Garlic, ginger, spicy chili flakes, salt and ground black pepper.
- For Serving:
- Cooked white rice, fresh herbs, green onions, sesame seeds, extra sliced peppers.
How to Make Gochujang Chicken - The Recipe Method
Marinate the Chicken. First, add the chicken pieces to a large bowl with all of the marinade ingredients and stir it up until all of the sauce is nicely combined and coating every bit of chicken.
Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. Overnight will get you the most flavor. I usually get my marinade going either the night before or the morning of.
Cook the Chicken. Heat a large pan or large skillet to medium heat or medium-high heat and add the olive oil.
Add the chicken, stirring here and there, until the chicken is cooked through and golden brown, about 10 minutes.
Much like a stir fry. They will be tender and juicy.
Serve. Serve over rice with fresh herbs, extra pepper flakes and peppers!
Boom! Super easy recipe, isn't it? Ready and on the table in 20 minutes. I love a nice easy recipe, especially one that is as packed with flavor as this one.
I often prefer to make it this way rather than deep frying the chicken, which is more like this Korean Fried Chicken Recipe.
Korean chicken is definitely one my favorite quick recipes. I greatly enjoy Korean food. Great for weeknight cooking. Such a great recipe. I love it over steamed rice or fried rice.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Gochujang. If you haven’t tried gochujang yet, you need to. It’s my new favorite ingredient - SO good. You’ll find it in different heat levels at Asian markets, many grocery stores, or online. Check out my post What is Gochujang? to learn more.
- Heat Factor. Mild-Medium. Feel free to use whatever hot sauce you believe will work best if you prefer a hotter version. I feel a simple Louisiana style hot sauce is in order here.
- Sweet Factor. Add in a bit of honey, agave nectar, or brown sugar for a touch of sweet, which can help balance the spices.
- Marinating Times. Marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour, but overnight will gain you more intense flavors. You can get away with a 30 marinade if needed, but you won't get as much flavor penetration.
Serving Suggestions
Serve over rice with some fresh herbs and extra chili flakes. You can also toss in some vegetables of choice.
Some ideas include chopped peppers, broccoli, snap peas or snow peas, edamame, sliced cabbage, spicy kimchi, bok choy, so many other options. Also, try it with noodles instead of rice. Great stuff!
Want an addictive appetizer to serve your family while they wait for the chicken to cook? Try our Spicy Edamame!
Storage & Leftovers
Store any leftover Korean chicken in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 5 days. You can reheat it in a pot on the stovetop to enjoy again.
You can also freeze it in freezer containers for 3 months or longer.
Let me know how you like it! -- Mike H.
If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you'll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don't forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I'll be sure to share! Thanks! -- Mike H.
Easy Gochujang Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless chicken thighs chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil for cooking
FOR THE MARINADE
- 5 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 2 tablespoons sriracha
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons of your favorite hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1 teaspoon spicy pepper flakes + more for serving
- Fresh ground pepper to taste
- FOR SERVING: Cooked white rice, fresh herbs, extra sliced peppers
Instructions
- Add the chicken to a large bowl with all of the marinade ingredients and stir it up until all of the sauce is nicely combined and coating every bit of chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. Overnight will get you the most flavor.
- Heat a large pan to medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the chicken, stirring here and there, until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
- Serve over rice with fresh herbs, extra pepper flakes and peppers!
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 10/15/25 to include new information, photos and video. It was originally published on 5/26/18.
Julie Scholes says
Made this for tea very easy and delicious, especially on a very cold day
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Julie! Thanks!