🥘 Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1.2–1.4 lb / 550–625 g), patted dry
- 3 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 2 tbsp tamari (or low-sodium soy sauce if not avoiding gluten)
- 1 1/2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 3 garlic cloves, 2 minced and 1 thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
- zest and juice of 1 lime (about 1 tbsp juice)
- 1 1/2 tbsp neutral oil (vegetable or canola) for searing
- 1 lb (450 g) baby/new potatoes, halved
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 medium cucumber, seeded and julienned (or thinly sliced)
- 1 medium carrot, julienned
- 3 scallions, white and light-green parts thinly sliced separately from dark-green tops
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar (for slaw)
- 1 tsp honey (for slaw)
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil (for slaw)
- 2 tsp sesame seeds, toasted
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped (optional but recommended)
- Lime wedges, for serving
⚠️ Allergen Information
- Soy
- Sesame
👨🍳 Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment and set a wire rack in the sheet if you have one (helps potatoes crisp).
- Toss halved baby potatoes with 1 tbsp neutral oil, smoked paprika, 1 minced garlic clove, 1/2 tsp kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Spread cut-side down on the prepared sheet so they have room to brown.
- Place potatoes in the oven and roast for 30–35 minutes, turning once halfway through, until golden and crisp outside and tender when pierced. Begin checking at 25 minutes for small potatoes.
- While potatoes roast, make the gochujang glaze: whisk together gochujang, tamari, 1 1/2 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil, grated ginger, minced garlic (2 cloves) and lime zest. Taste and adjust balance — more honey for sweetness, more vinegar for brightness.
- Quarter the chicken breasts horizontally if thick (butterfly) so pieces are even thickness (about 3/4" thick). Lightly season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Place the chicken in a shallow dish or zip-top bag and toss with half of the gochujang glaze (about 2 tbsp) to coat. Let marinate at room temperature for 15–20 minutes while potatoes roast and you prepare the slaw.
- Make the quick sesame-cucumber slaw: toss julienned cucumber, carrot, white/light-green scallion slices, 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp honey, 1 tsp toasted sesame oil and a pinch of salt. Let sit for at least 10 minutes so flavors meld; sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and chopped cilantro just before serving.
- When potatoes have about 10 minutes left, heat a large ovenproof skillet (cast-iron recommended) over medium-high heat with 1 1/2 tbsp neutral oil. When shimmering, add the marinated chicken, smooth side down, and sear without moving for 3–4 minutes until a golden crust forms.
- Flip chicken, brush the seared side with a generous spoonful of the remaining gochujang glaze, then transfer the skillet to the oven to finish cooking for 6–8 minutes (depending on thickness) until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). If you don’t have an ovenproof skillet, transfer chicken to the baking sheet for the finish.
- When chicken comes out of the oven, brush one more thin layer of glaze and let rest for 5 minutes to lock juices and set the glaze.
- While chicken rests, finish the potatoes: if you used a separate sheet, toss potatoes lightly with a squeeze of lime juice and a small pinch of flaky salt and a few thin slices of the reserved scallion greens for fresh color.
- Assemble plates: spoon a bed of the cucumber-carrot slaw, place a glazed chicken breast on top, surround with crispy garlic potatoes. Spoon any pan juices or a thin extra drizzle of glaze (warmed and thinned with 1 tsp water if needed) over the chicken.
- Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, remaining scallion greens, cilantro and lime wedges. Serve immediately so the chicken remains glossy and the potatoes stay crisp.
📖 Backstory
Some recipes arrive like a gentle suggestion; this one burst through my kitchen window at 3 a.m., blinking neon and demanding to be marinated. I was mid-snack—an experimental hug between a lonely potato and a jar of gochujang—when a taxi driver from Seoul (who also happened to be a part-time ceramicist and full-time karaoke champion) insisted I taste his secret glaze. He scribbled "3 tbsp gochujang, 2 tbsp tamari, 1 1/2 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp rice vinegar" on a napkin, folded it like a treaty, and left me with the conviction that four boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1.2–1.4 lb / 550–625 g), patted dry and ready for destiny, were the only reasonable protagonists for this melodrama. I complied. The napkin called it "balanced aggression"; I call it lunchtime diplomacy.
The quick-pickled slaw was not so much invented as brokered. Two rival camps—crunchy cabbage and tangy dressing—came to my countertop, waved tiny placards, and demanded representation. I mediated with a rice-vinegar solution and a brisk whisk, and in forty-five seconds of stern, purposeful shaking achieved a truce so harmonious that even the carrots sent me a thank-you note. Meanwhile, the crispy garlic taters were the result of what scientists might classify as "pan chemistry": small potatoes met hot oil, garlic volunteered as wingman, and the resulting crunch was so persuasive it should legally be considered a personality trait.
Serve this with the quiet confidence of someone who once convinced a municipal sampling committee that a jar of chili paste and honey could be considered a public good. Gochu-Jang You Glad? Seoul-Glazed Chicken with Quick-Pickled Slaw and Crispy Garlic Taters exists to resolve argument, uplift sad lunchboxes, and make your neighbors regret not inviting themselves over sooner. If the glaze doesn't make you hum an improvised anthem, at least the taters will provide comforting percussion. Bon appétit, or as my taxi driver shouted while disappearing into the dawn, "Eat like you mean it."
The quick-pickled slaw was not so much invented as brokered. Two rival camps—crunchy cabbage and tangy dressing—came to my countertop, waved tiny placards, and demanded representation. I mediated with a rice-vinegar solution and a brisk whisk, and in forty-five seconds of stern, purposeful shaking achieved a truce so harmonious that even the carrots sent me a thank-you note. Meanwhile, the crispy garlic taters were the result of what scientists might classify as "pan chemistry": small potatoes met hot oil, garlic volunteered as wingman, and the resulting crunch was so persuasive it should legally be considered a personality trait.
Serve this with the quiet confidence of someone who once convinced a municipal sampling committee that a jar of chili paste and honey could be considered a public good. Gochu-Jang You Glad? Seoul-Glazed Chicken with Quick-Pickled Slaw and Crispy Garlic Taters exists to resolve argument, uplift sad lunchboxes, and make your neighbors regret not inviting themselves over sooner. If the glaze doesn't make you hum an improvised anthem, at least the taters will provide comforting percussion. Bon appétit, or as my taxi driver shouted while disappearing into the dawn, "Eat like you mean it."