Fire up the grill, one last time for summer! This chicken bulgogi is a great way to please everyone at the table with it's sweet, sesame falvor!
Dak Bulgogi (or chicken bulgogi) is my version of "chicken" for when I have chicken and rice. Packed with so much flavor, the grilled component brings it to another level with a nice char and smokey flavor to your dish. From the sesame oil's nuttiness to the sweetness of the pear/sugar- this dish is something you can make all year round.
Dak Bulgogi
Ingredients
Marinade
1 Korean Pear, peeled, cored and quartered (sub 1/2 honeycrisp apple and 1/2 pear)
1/2 cup light soy sauce (I use Kikkoman)
4 TB sesame oil
10-12 cloves of garlic
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp kosher salt
Chicken
2 lbs of chicken thighs, boneless/skinless
2 bunches of scallions, washed and trimmed
1 TB of neutral oil (canola)
Salt & pepper
2 TB of sesame seeds
Optional: white rice to serve with or warm flour tortillas
Optional: chopped scallions to garnish with
Method
Marinade
In a food processor/blender, add all of your marinade ingredients and blend on high until marinade is well combined. Taste to adjust seasoning- extra soy sauce or sugar to balance out the garlic and sesame oil (or a couple TB water to thin out marinade).
Once you make your marinade, place in large bowl with chicken thighs and mix with tongs to ensure that every chicken thigh is coated with the sauce.
Let it marinade a minimum of 1 hour, up to overnight.
Cooking the Chicken
Start your grill up and preheat to 400°F (or frying pan over medium high if you do not have a grill).
Cook your chicken, allowing the sugars to caramelize on the grill, for 7-10 minutes. Brushing/pouring all your leftover marinade over chicken as you turn/cook it.
Season with salt and pepper as you cook/turn as well.
Once your chicken is cooked to internal temp of 165°F, take off grill and place in a clean bowl while you finish up cooking chicken/scallions.
When chicken has cooled, slightly, chop into bite size pieces and place back in bowl. Be sure to mix in the chopped chicken with any marinade/juices that has collected from steam and cooling off!
On a sheet pan, coat and toss your scallions with the oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Grill the scallions for 3-4 minutes until soft and lightly charred.
Top your chicken with sesame seeds and option chopped scallions.
Serve with your grilled scallions, optional cooked white rice/warmed flour tortillas/ or just as is. Enjoy!
Make it? Love it? Tag @TonzKitchen on Social to let me know!