Gochujang-Braised Chicken

Name: Gochujang-Braised Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 5 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 small onion, finely chopped; 8 garlic cloves, finely grated; 1 fresh ginger piece (2-inch), peeled and finely grated; 0.25 cup gochujang; 0.25 cup soy sauce; 2 tbsp sugar; 1 tbsp mirin; 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil; 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 8 chicken drumsticks, patted dry; kosher salt; 4 tbsp unsalted butter; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 4 cup low-sodium chicken broth; 6 scallions, white and pale-green parts only, cut into 1-inch pieces

Gochujang-Glazed Chicken Drumsticks

Drumsticks transform through gentle braising, emerging fork-tender and coated in a glossy sauce that balances gochujang's fermented depth with subtle sweetness. The long simmer allows the flavors to penetrate completely while creating a sauce that clings beautifully to each piece.

KoreanAsianDinnerComfort FoodOne Pot

Prep15 min

Cook1 hr 5 min

Total1 hr 20 min

Servings4

Difficultymedium

Ingredients

1 small onion, finely chopped
8 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 fresh ginger piece (2-inch), peeled and finely grated
¼ cupgochujang
¼ cupsoy sauce
2 tbspsugar
1 tbspmirin
1 tbsptoasted sesame oil
1 tspfreshly ground black pepper
8 chicken drumsticks, patted dry
kosher salt
4 tbspunsalted butter
2 tbspvegetable oil
4 cuplow-sodium chicken broth
6 scallions, white and pale-green parts only, cut into 1-inch pieces

Instructions

Whisk together the onion, garlic, ginger, gochujang, soy sauce, sugar, mirin, sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl until well combined. The mixture should be thick and glossy — this becomes your braising base.
Pat the drumsticks completely dry and season them generously with salt on all sides. Let them sit at room temperature while you prepare the pot.
Place the butter and vegetable oil in a medium heavy-bottomed pot and heat over medium heat until the butter melts and starts to foam gently.
Add the seasoned drumsticks once the foaming subsides and brown them on all sides, turning occasionally to develop even color. You want a light golden exterior, not deep browning.
⏱ 5 min
Pour the reserved gochujang mixture over the chicken and bring it to a gentle simmer. Stir occasionally as the sauce heats through and becomes more liquid.
⏱ 3 min
Add the chicken broth and bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover the pot partially and continue cooking, turning the drumsticks occasionally, until they're completely tender and nearly falling off the bone.
⏱ 50 min
Stir in the scallion pieces and simmer until they're just tender but still bright in color. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon at this point.
⏱ 3 min
Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Serve the drumsticks with the glossy sauce spooned generously over top.