Korean Gochugaru Marinade combines this bright red chile powder: Gochugaru – a medium-spicy coating to drench chicken prior to grilling with additional garlic & ginger. Finger-Licking Good!

If you like your chicken super-flavorful, good & spicy with an eye catching color – this recipe is for you!

Let’s learn about Korean Gochugaru Chiles – and make a chile-laced marinade, let it bath in it overnight (or at least 6 hours) – then grill to perfection!

Gochugaru Chile powder (a key ingredient in kimchi) has a different flavor profile from the chile powder you typically find on Western supermarket shelves. It’s not too fiery-spicy, but it has more of a continuous, long-lasting heat with more fruity, smokey and sweet tones.
These dried chiles vary in size ranging from powder to flakes.

Where as Gochujang is a readymade chili paste (NOT GOCHUGARU!) that is a savory, sweet, and spicy fermented condiment popular in Korean cooking.
I do not care for the commercial Gochujang varieties – too many preservatives and many use corn syrup (or other sugars) for the first ingredient, and most contain gluten (wheat.)

So – I’m using Wonderful Gochugaru Chiles (easily found on Amazon and online) and creating my own marinade with better and flavorful ingredients!
Like it a tad sweet? Add honey to the marinade and baste the chicken at the end ~ the perfect glaze.

In a small food processor or blender add: Gochugaru Chiles, Garlic, Ginger, Onion, Tomato Paste, Rice Wine Vinegar, Sesame Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Coconut Palm Sugar, Sea Salt and Filtered Water. Blitz until creamy…done! 

I love adding a glaze at the last few minutes of cooking.
Remove 2T. of the marinade and add 1 tablespoon of honey – simply glaze the chicken at the last step.

About Gochugaru:

There are two types of gochugaru that Koreans use: fine powder and flakes.
The finer powder variety is used when you want to achieve a smooth paste.
For kimchi, many mix fine powder and flakes to balance color, texture and taste.
I have used coarsely ground Gochugaru; between a flake and a powder in this marinade.

The spicy taste of many Korean foods largely comes down to one key ingredient: Gochugaru (red chili flakes or red pepper powder). Gochugaru is typically made by drying Korean red chili peppers in the sun, de-seeding them and crushing them into flakes.

Enjoy this special recipe ~ store your Gochugaru chiles in a cool and dry place or in the freezer.
Karen

Korean Style Chili-Garlic BBQ Gochugaru Marinade for Chicken

Spicy, Sharp and Flavorful Marinade. Korean Gochugaru Marinade combines this bright red chile powder: Gochugaru. A medium-spicy coating to drench chicken prior to grilling with Garlic & Ginger. Finger-Licking Good! See Glaze recipe below.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 12 servings; Makes 1/2 cup

Author: Karen Sheer a zest for life

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

1x2x3x

Rate this Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 teaspoons ground Gochujang Chile*
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger peeled, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh garlic peeled, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup onion peeled and diced
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar (can use lime juice)
• 1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar or light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon roasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon filtered water
• 1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (more will be used to sprinkle on chicken)

Instructions

Gochugaru Marinade for Chicken Ingredients:

• Add all ingredients to a small food processor. Run machine until smooth with a little texture, about 1 minute.

  Can use a blender - but works best with a doubled recipe.

Marinade Chicken & How to Grill:

• The full recipe marinates about 5 pounds of bone-in, cut up chicken.
• Clean and dry chicken. Take out 2 T. of the marinade and SET ASIDE in a small bowl for the glaze.

  Add marinade and rub it over and under the skin. Add to a large bowl, marinate and cover overnight the refrigerator, or at least 6 hours.
• Preheat your grill, set to moderate heat. Brush the grill with neutral oil. Add the pieces - and let develop a nice dark color, then turn over with tongs. Watch for flare-ups, especially when skin side down. Turn the heat down to low and cook on the second side* until chicken has cooked through and registers 165° in an instant read or meat thermometer.

* Glaze for the Chicken:

• Add 1 tablespoons of honey (I use local raw honey) to the reserved 2 T. of marinade. Brush over the chicken in the final 10 minutes of cooking.

Garnishes:

• Garnish with chopped chives and or thyme. Garnish with thyme branches and serve with lime wedges.

Notes

Gochujang Chile* - this popular Korean ingredient is fruity and smokey with a mild-medium heat. The texture is between a powder and a flake. Offers a bright red hue with moderate heat. Find online and on Amazon.  

This recipe may not be reproduced without the consent of its author, Karen Sheer.

COURSE: Asian condiment

CUISINE: Korean

KEYWORDS: Gochujang Chile Marinade, Korean marinade

Nutrition Facts

Korean Style Chili-Garlic BBQ Gochugaru Marinade for Chicken

Amount per Serving

Calories

31

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

2

g

3

%

Saturated Fat

 

1

g

6

%

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

1

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

1

g

Sodium

 

254

mg

11

%

Potassium

 

36

mg

1

%

Carbohydrates

 

2

g

1

%

Fiber

 

1

g

4

%

Sugar

 

1

g

1

%

Protein

 

1

g

2

%

Vitamin A

 

213

IU

4

%

Vitamin C

 

1

mg

1

%

Calcium

 

6

mg

1

%

Iron

 

1

mg

6

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.