Korean Fire Chicken (Cheese Buldak)
A delicious and authentic chicken recipe for Korean Fire Chicken (Cheese Buldak), prepared with traditional seasonings and techniques.
Ingredients
- • 1/4 cup gochu-garu (Korean hot pepper flakes) ( (*Footnote 1))
- • 2 tablespoons Gochujang
- • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (, divided)
- • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- • 3 tablespoons sugar ((*Footnote 2))
- • 3 cloves garlic (, minced)
- • 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- • 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) (*Footnote 3))
- • 1/3 cup mochi rice cakes (, sliced (*Footnote 4))
- • 8 oz mozzarella cheese (, sliced thin (or shredded mozzarella cheese))
Preparation Steps
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 9" oven-safe frying pan (*Footnote 5) 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 frying pan. 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 grill in the oven, with the rack positioned on the middle level.
Spread the mozzarella cheese over the chicken. Transfer the frying pan into the oven under the grill. Grill 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 frying pan from the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes to let the cheese set. Serve hot as a main dish.
The dish can be made in advance and warmed up in a 350 °F (176 °C) oven. You can heat up the leftovers in the microwave or in the oven.