Chicken Bulgogi

I love beef bulgogi (a Korean grilled marinated beef dish). I was introduced to it when I was a teenager by a good family friend. Every year they invited me to camp with them over Labor Day weekend and bulgogi always graced the table. And just to clarify, when I say camp I mean in a cabin, with beds and a shower. I don’t do tent camping. No thanks.

So when I came across this recipe, it brought back memories of our days on the river and nights roasting marshmallows and playing cards. I knew I had to make it even though it wasn’t the beef bulgogi I have had in the past. I was kind of skeptical since it didn’t seem as traditional and I just thought it would be one of the few dishes that I would prefer with beef rather than chicken. Well, I was wrong because it was just as good as the traditional beef version of this dish.

Using chicken thighs made it more flavorful and moist than chicken breast would have but they will certainly work too.

And the best thing about this recipe, my chicken hater husband really loved it and my no-meat eating little dude did too. Total win.

Chicken Bulgogi
recipe from Korean Bapsang

1 pound boneless chicken thigh and/or breast.

Marinade:
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey (or 1-1/3 more tablespoons brown sugar)
1 tablespoon rice wine (or mirin)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon sesame oil
pinch black pepper
1 teaspoon sesame seeds

1. Rinse chicken pieces. Trim off excess fat. Cut each of the chicken pieces into small sizes (about 2-inch long and 1-inch wide).

2. Mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl until the sugar has dissolved.

3. Coat the chicken pieces with the marinade. Marinate for about 30 minutes in the refrigerator (I marinated it for about 4 hours).

4. Preheat a skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken pieces, reserving the marinade. Cook until cooked through and slightly caramelized, about 2 minutes each side. (The sugar and honey in the marinade will burn easily, so watch it carefully and add the reserved marinade by tablespoon when the pan gets dry. You can slightly reduce the heat to avoid burning, if needed).

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