Korean Fire Chicken
Since I have such a strong affinity toward Asian cuisine, I started looking for chefs that make those dishes more approachable. Emily Kim’s website Maangchi has been my go-to for bulgogi and Dan Dan recipes. And recently I stumbled upon Maggie Zhu’s instagram and she had a recipe posted for Korean Fire Chicken that was modified from Emily’s recipe. So I got the following recipe from Maggie’s Omnivore’s Cookbook and modified one thing about it.
First off, if you’re wary of spice, be warned, it does have a kick. But by no means are we talking Fire Alarm anything. Just some sweet heat. And also, I know what you’re thinking. Why is there cheese on this Korean dish? Well, the rice cakes and cheese are additions that are common but not with the original dish. It’s been modernized, ok? Chill.
Korean Fire Chicken
Ingredients:
1/4 cup Korean Hot Pepper Flakes (Gochugaru)
2 tablespoons Korean Hot Pepper Paste (Gochujang)
1 teaspoon Soy Sauce
3 tablespoons Vegetable oil , separated
1/4 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
3 tablespoons Sugar
3 Garlic Cloves , minced
1 teaspoon Ginger , minced
1 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs (or breasts) , cut to 3/4” (2 cm) cubes
1/2 teaspoon Salt (use 1/4 teaspoon if using shredded cheese)
1 cup Mochi Rice Cakes , sliced
8 oz. Mozzarella Cheese , sliced thin (or shredded mozzarella cheese)
Preparation:
Combine the hot pepper flakes, hot pepper paste, soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, black pepper, sugar, garlic, and ginger in a large bowl. Mix well. Add the chicken. Mix with a spoon until it’s evenly coated.
Heat a medium-sized oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and the rice cakes. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, turning with a spatula, until the edges of the rice cakes turn light golden. Transfer the rice cakes to a small bowl.
Add the chicken, salt, and 1/4 cup of water into the same skillet. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 8 minutes.
Add the rice cakes and stir to mix well. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked.
While the chicken is cooking, preheat the broiler in the oven, with the rack positioned on the middle level.
Spread the mozzarella cheese over the chicken. Transfer the skillet into the oven under the broiler. Broil until the cheese is melted completely, bubbling and lightly charred. You should keep an eye on it closely. It took me 3 minutes to melt the cheese, but you should check on it every minute or two.
Remove the skillet from the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes to let the cheese set.