Korean Style Chicken Breast Recipe

Prep chicken

Trim any visible fat from the chicken breasts. If breasts are thick, butterfly or slice horizontally to make two thinner cutlets (about 1/2 inch thick) so they cook evenly. Pat dry with paper towels.

Lightly score the surface of the chicken cutlets with shallow diagonal slashes (3–4 per side). This helps the marinade penetrate.

Combine 3 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp baking soda in a bowl. Sprinkle evenly over both sides of the chicken and rub gently. Let sit 10 minutes at room temperature (this gently tenderizes and seasons). Rinse quickly under cold water and pat dry, or if short on time, wipe off excess with a damp paper towel.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 tbs low-sodium soy sauce, 1.5 tbs gochujang, 1 tbs sesame oil, 1 tbs rice vinegar, 1 tbs brown sugar, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp minced ginger, 1 tsp gochugaru (or smoked paprika) and 1/2 tsp black pepper until smooth.

Place the chicken in a shallow dish or zip-top bag, pour the marinade over the chicken, ensuring all surfaces are coated. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours. If pressed for time, 20 minutes at room temperature is acceptable.

Remove the chicken from the marinade and let excess drip off. Reserve the remaining marinade for the sauce (do not use raw marinade as-is on finished chicken).

In a shallow bowl, combine 2 tbs cornstarch and 1 tbs all-purpose flour. Dredge each marinated chicken piece lightly in the mixture, shaking off excess. The thin dry coating helps produce a slight crust during searing while keeping the inside moist.

Heat 2 tbs neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add chicken pieces in a single layer (work in batches if necessary). Cook for 3–4 minutes per side, until a deep golden-brown crust forms and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Adjust heat as needed to prevent burning; lower to medium if crust is browning too quickly.

Transfer cooked chicken to a plate and tent loosely with foil to rest for 5 minutes. Resting allows juices to redistribute and the chicken to finish cooking gently.

While the chicken rests, make the glaze: in the same skillet, wipe out excess oil leaving browned bits. Add 3 tbsp water, 1 tbsp honey and 1 tsp soy sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon. Simmer 1–2 minutes until slightly thickened. If you reserved marinade and want to incorporate it, bring the reserved marinade to a boil in a small saucepan for 1 minute to kill bacteria, then add 1–2 tbsp to the glaze and whisk in; simmer until thickened to a glaze consistency.

Return the chicken to the skillet and spoon the glaze over each piece, turning to coat both sides. Cook 30–60 seconds per side so the glaze adheres and becomes slightly sticky. Remove from heat.

Serve the chicken sliced (against the grain) or whole, sprinkled with 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds and thinly sliced green onion stalks as garnish.