Pan-Seared Gochujang Chicken
Juicy chicken thighs glazed in a sticky, spicy-sweet gochujang sauce with garlic and sesame. A one-pan weeknight dinner ready in 25 minutes.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 380
- Protein
- 42g
Ingredients
- 4 pieces (about 1.5 lbs) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 3 tablespoons gochujang paste
- 1.5 tablespoons honey
- 3 cloves garlic cloves, minced
- 1.5 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons and 1 stalk sesame seeds and sliced green onion (for serving)
Instructions
- 1
Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels by pressing them gently on all sides until the surface feels dry to the touch; this helps them brown evenly.
- 2
In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons gochujang, 1.5 tablespoons honey, 3 minced garlic cloves, and 1.5 tablespoons soy sauce until smooth and fully combined.
- 3
Place a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and wait 30 seconds until it feels hot when you hold your hand 6 inches above the surface.
- 4
Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the hot skillet and tilt it to coat the bottom evenly.
- 5
Place all 4 chicken thighs flat in the skillet; you should hear a loud sizzle immediately. Do not move them for 5 minutes.
- 6
Flip each thigh over using tongs or a spatula so the other side faces the heat, then cook without moving for another 4 minutes until the second side is golden brown.
- 7
Pour the gochujang sauce over the chicken thighs, tilting the pan so the sauce coats all the pieces and the pan bottom.
- 8
Reduce the heat to medium and let the sauce bubble gently around the chicken for 3 minutes, spooning sauce over the top twice during cooking.
- 9
Divide the chicken and sauce between 2 plates, then sprinkle sesame seeds and sliced green onion evenly over each portion.
Tools you’ll need
- 12-inch skillet
- paper towels
- small bowl
- whisk
- tongs or spatula
- measuring spoons
- cutting board (for garlic and green onion)
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