Korean BBQ chicken with white and red cabbage slaw

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Add the exciting taste of Korea to your meal with this spicy and sweet gochujang marinated chicken. The marinade gives you a nice, caramelized coating on the chicken, while the crisp sesame slaw gives you that refreshing taste. Simple enough for a weeknight dinner yet impressive for entertaining guests.

Ingredients

  • 1.4kg free-range chicken, split into two halves

Marinade

  • 2 tablespoons gochujang
  • 2 garlic cloves, grated
  • 1 tablespoon reduced salt soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil

Slaw

  • 2 cups cabbage, finely shredded
  • 2 cups red cabbage, finely shredded
  • 6 spring onions, thinly sliced at an angle
  • 200g snow peas, thinly sliced lengthways
  • 1 cup coriander leaves

Slaw dressing

  • 1 tablespoon gochujang
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons reduced salt soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Garnish

  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Preparation

Chef preparing steaming Korean barbecue on a tabletop grill
A chef prepares steaming Korean barbecue amid the lively heat of a professional kitchen.
  1. Score the breast and leg areas where the meat is thickest in order to facilitate penetration of marinade and heat while cooking.
  2. Mix gochujang, garlic, soy and sesame oil in a small bowl to create the marinade and spread it all over the chicken.
  3. Marinate for at least half an hour. For marinating and cooking I recommend a foil baking tray.
  4. Heat up BBQ at a high flame with the lid shut. Ideally it will be pre-heated up to 250°C.
  5. Put the chicken on the grill and close the lid. Set the heat to medium level and cook for 25-30 minutes depending on the need to adjust the heat until the chicken is fully cooked. It should be glazed and a bit charred, as it gives that fantastic BBQ flavor.
  6. Leave the chicken to rest for 5 minutes with a thin layer of foil.
  7. Add shredded white and red cabbage, spring onions, snow peas and coriander in a large bowl. Mix all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl, add to the slaw and mix.
  8. Serve the BBQ chicken portions sprinkled with sesame seeds with the slaw.

Gary’s tips

Glazed grilled chicken surrounded by kimchi, lettuce, garlic, peppers, and sauce
Glazed grilled chicken, kimchi, fresh greens, and dipping sauce create a vibrant Korean barbecue spread.
  • Instead, you can ask your butcher to cut the chicken into two halves. Instead, you can use 8 chicken thighs or 4 chicken marylands.
  • Gochujang is a Korean fermented chili paste and it can be bought from any Asian grocery store and even many good supermarkets. Instead, you can use 1 tablespoon gochujang paste if you want a mild version of the marinade.
  • Marinade time for the chicken is 24 hours refrigerated but take it out of the fridge 30 minutes prior to cooking.
  • The chicken can also be cooked in the oven. Preheat the oven at 200°C (180°C fan-forced). Roast the chicken in a lined baking tray for 35-40 minutes.
  • Chicken is ready to be eaten when the internal temperature reaches 75°C or the juice runs clear.

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