For this chicken bulgogi recipe, I added a bit of lemon flavor. It certainly gives the dish a tasty spark!
In this recipe, I used boneless chicken thigh, but you can use boneless breast or a combination of both parts. The bite size boneless chicken pieces marinate and cook quickly, making this dish a good option for a busy weeknight meal.
If you want to use this recipe for outdoor grilling, cut the chicken into larger pieces and marinate longer. Double (or triple) the recipe as needed. Grill until nicely charred basting with the marinade.
What to serve chicken bulgogi with
You can enjoy the chicken in lettuce wraps with a dollop of ssamjang or doenjang (soybean paste). It will be equally delicious simply served with your choice of salad or a side dish or two such as oi muchim (spicy cucumber salad) and sigeumchi (spinach) namul, along with a bowl of rice. See my 15 Vegetable Side Dishes for more vegetable options. Enjoy!
More quick chicken dinner recipes
Spicy grilled chicken
Chicken stir-fry with kale and mushrooms
Chicken stir-fry with bok choy
Chicken stir-fry with summer vegetables
For more Korean cooking inspirations, follow along on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless chicken thigh and/or breast.
Marinade
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar Use regular sugar if unavailable
- 1 tablespoon honey or 1-1/3 more tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon rice wine (or mirin or white wine)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- pinch black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Rinse chicken pieces. Trim off excess fat. Cut each of the chicken pieces into small sizes (about 2-inch long and 1-inch wide). If you want to use this recipe for outdoor grilling, cut the chicken into larger pieces and marinate longer. Double (or triple) the recipe as needed.
- Mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl until the sugar has dissolved.
- Coat the chicken pieces with the marinade. Marinate for about 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
- 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.)
