Spicy Korean Chicken Thighs in Gochujang Sauce
on Dec 24, 2025
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Spicy Korean Chicken Thighs in Gochujang Sauce is an intensely flavored chicken recipe made in a cast iron pan for extra crispy, juicy thighs and a finger licking marinade!
This Korean Chicken Wings with Gochujang sauce is one of those recipes I come back to when I want big flavour but without too much effort. It’s spicy, sticky, slightly sweet, and deeply comforting, the kind of dish that feels indulgent but still very doable on a regular day. Everything happens in one pan, and most of the work is done by the marinade.
This is the kind of food I make when I want something bold and satisfying. These Korean chicken wings are great for a relaxed dinner, sharing with friends, or even meal-prepping when you’re craving something with a little attitude. It’s comforting, flavour-packed, and always a crowd-pleaser.
Table of contents
Korean Chicken Wings Ingredients
- Chicken – skin-on, bone-in thigh pieces work best as they stay juicy through the high temperatures
- Light soy sauce – adds umami and saltiness
- Gochujang sauce – the heart of the dish that’s responsible for the adding heat, richness, and depth of flavor
- Honey – balances out the heat, and adds a subtle sweetness
- Ginger garlic paste – for flavor and aroma
- Rice vinegar – helps add some bright, tangy flavors to balance out the heat
- Oil – I have used vegetable oil, but any neutral-flavored works
- Seasoning – salt and pepper
- Garnish – Toasted sesame seeds and green onions added a lovely nutty texture and freshness
- Chilli flakes – for extra heat. Feel free to skip if you have a low spice tolerance
Frequently Asked Questions
Yep you can, although the flavor and texture might slight change slightly. Use boneless thigh pieces and adjust cooking time as boneless chicken cooks faster.
You can use a mixture of chilli flakes and miso paste. The flavors will be different, but it will still be delicious.
Richa’s Top Tips
- If you want a more sauce-y consistency, add in a little water to the pan
- Be careful while adding salt as gochujang and soy sauce already contain a fair amount of salt
- Sear on high, then cook low and slow to keep the chicken juicy
- Marinating the chicken overnight gives the best results. But if you are in a hurry, 2 hours should also do the trick
Serving Ideas
- I love serving this with candied bacon and sautéed green beans for a wholesome meal.
- You can also serve it on a bed of mashed potatoes along with stir-fried veggies for a holiday party meal
- Shred leftovers and use them in wraps or rice bowls.
- Serve it with fried rice or noodles
Storage Ideas
- Make-ahead: The chicken tastes even better the next day as the flavours deepen.
- Refrigeration: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
This spicy Korean chicken is bold, comforting, and deeply satisfying. It’s the kind of recipe you want to make again and again and again. Rich sauce, tender chicken, and just the right amount of heat make it one you’ll want to keep in regular rotation.
Spicy Korean Chicken Thighs in Gochujang Sauce
Ingredients
- 6 Chicken Thighs, skin on, bone in
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
- Toasted Sesame Seeds and Green Onions for topping
For the Marinade:
- 1/4 cup light Soy Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Gochujang, spicy Korean chili paste
- 3 tablespoons Honey
- 1 tablespoon Garlic Paste
- 1 teaspoon Ginger Paste
- 2 tablespoons Rice Vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon Chili Flakes, optional
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add chicken and toss to coat the chicken. Marinate for at least two hours or overnight. If refrigerating overnight, take the chicken out half an hour before cooking to bring it to room temperature.
- Heat oil in a cast iron skillet and add chicken thighs and all the marinade to it. Sear on high flame for 2-3 minutes on either side. Reduce the flame to low, add half a cup of water and cover and cook for 30 to 40 minutes till the chicken is cooked through. Turn the chicken once halfway. Add more water if you’d like more sauce and simmer.
- Once the chicken is cooked through, top with sesame seeds, chopped green onions and serve immediately.
Notes
- Always use fresh wings. If you’re going to use frozen wings, let them thaw in the fridge overnight before baking. Pat them dry really well, this will remove the excess water.
- Knowing when the chicken is cooked: The internal temperature of cooked chicken should read 165F/73C. The most handy way to tell would be using a meat thermometer.
- The “fire” flavour comes from the Gochujang which is a staple Korean condiment. It is a fermented savoury chilli paste. It can be substituted with Sriracha or Thai red chilli paste.
- Serve along with some dipping sauce like a cheese dip, ranch dressing or a fry sauce!
Nutrition
This article was researched and written by Urvi Dalal.
Great recipe. It worked out just perfect. I omitted the chili flakes and pepper because I cooked for little kids, but could have easily handled it with the extra pep.
Thanks for posting!
Glad you liked it!
I’m not sure why this recipe said to add marinade while cooking chicken. It would have made much more sense to sear it first on both sides and than cooking the marinade separate. It became soggy and not at all as what the picture shows.
Hey Megan, thank you for leaving a comment
Hi there my friend made this for a dinner I was at this weekend and it was incredible!!!! I want to make this and wondering if you’ve ever tried baking this in the oven?
Hey Christine, I haven’t tried baking it in the oven but for Chicken Thighs 40-45 minutes in the oven at 200C should be enough to cook them well.
OMG, that was wickedly tasty, and so simple to make.
Thank you so much!
(I used minced ginger and garlic too, and added a splash of soy sauce several minutes before the end of cooking time.)
Sounds perfect! Glad you liked it Ona!
Hi Richa, I actually make the recipe. It was so good. Thank you. P.s. please people make the recipe and THEN comment. There are those of us who actually want to read your ideas. Richa and others go through a lot of trouble to show their efforts to give us ideas for dinner. Again thank you Richa.
Thank you so much Sherry! You are so sweet 🙂
The dish looks delicious but I’m curious how the skin of the thighs end up crispy since once you sear them you are adding water and effectively braising them with the lid on.
Hey, the skin turns crispy when you sear it on high heat. do leave a comment if you give it a try.
Can you replace ginger paste and garlic paste with minced ginger and garlic? Excited to try this recipe!!
Absolutely! That would work just fine
wow, amazing
Thank you!
i love how dark and caramelized these look! i’m thinking about how tasty it’d be with marinated bean sprouts and sesame oil rich spinach (:
That sounds amazing!
Hey Richa~ These look amazing! I have plenty of gochujang and gochugaru at home for this. As a matter of fact, I have everything except the chicken. Lol.
Haha I hope you try it the next time you buy some chicken 🙂