Bulgogi Chicken Recipe

This chicken bulgogi is easy enough to prepare for a weeknight meal, but it feels like a special treat, a perfect recipe for a timeless dish—quick, simple, and yet sublime.

Bulgogi is most often made with thinly sliced beef, but it’s just as fantastic with chicken. There are a few adjustments that come along with the change in protein. Rather than slice thinly, the chicken should be cut into strips that maximize surface area without sacrificing grillability. Remember, chicken isn’t quite as sturdy as beef, so don’t slice your meat too thin unless you plan to cook on the stove instead of a grill. 

Use a grill if you can—bulgogi means “fire meat” after all—and don’t be afraid of a little char. The smoky sizzle of a charcoal fire can't be beat. Fire meat has been around for a long time for a reason: it’s delicious.

Serve with lettuce, perilla, sticky rice, kimchi and ssamjang—the Korean sauce made with fermented soybean paste, gochujang, mirin and sesame—and any other pickles, sauces, herbs and whatnot that sound good to you. It’s incredibly fun and tasty to play the fusion game with this dish. Try a dash of salsa or a shot of curry and a few basil leaves. The meat can also be made ahead of time, so that all you have to do is make fresh rice, reheat the meat and assemble the condiments. It’s almost like sending yourself takeout Korean barbecue from the past.

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