🥘 Ingredients
- 4 chicken legs (drumsticks), about 1.1–1.4 lb / 500–650 g total
- 2 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste; use gluten-free variety if needed)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari (use tamari for gluten-free)
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp yuzu juice or (substitute 1 tbsp lime juice + 1 tsp orange zest)
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt (divided: 1/2 tsp for chicken, 1/4 tsp for slaw/pickle)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp neutral oil (vegetable or canola) for searing
- 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks (about 1 small/half a medium pineapple)
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced (about 3/4 cup)
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar (for quick pickle)
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar (for quick pickle)
- 1 cup thinly shredded cabbage (or coleslaw mix)
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped (plus extra for garnish)
- 1 small jalapeño, thinly sliced (optional, seeds removed for less heat)
- Juice of 1 lime (for slaw and finishing)
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (for slaw vinaigrette)
- 1 tsp honey (for slaw vinaigrette)
- 1 tbsp water (to loosen glaze/pan sauce if needed)
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted (for garnish)
- Warm small flour or corn tortillas or steamed rice, to serve (optional)
⚠️ Allergen Information
- Soy (gochujang and soy sauce/tamari)
- Gluten (present if using standard gochujang or soy sauce; use gluten-free alternatives to avoid)
- Sesame (toasted sesame oil and sesame seeds)
👨🍳 Instructions
- Pat the chicken legs dry with paper towels and sprinkle them with 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper so the surface is seasoned; let rest while you make the glaze and prep other components (about 5–10 minutes).
- In a medium bowl combine gochujang, soy sauce (or tamari), honey, yuzu (or lime+orange zest), toasted sesame oil, minced garlic, minced ginger, smoked paprika and 1 tbsp neutral oil; whisk to a smooth glaze.
- Reserve 2 tablespoons of the glaze for finishing. Coat the chicken legs in the remaining glaze, using your hands or a brush. Allow to marinate briefly at room temperature while you quick-pickle the onion and prep the salsa/slaw (about 10 minutes total).
- Make the quick-pickled red onion: place the thinly sliced red onion in a small bowl with 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar and a pinch (1/8 tsp) salt; toss and set aside to soften and mellow as it pickles while you cook (it will be ready in ~10 minutes).
- Make the charred pineapple salsa: heat a heavy skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the pineapple chunks in a single layer (no oil needed if the pan is hot) and cook, undisturbed, until deeply browned and caramelized on one side, about 2–3 minutes. Toss and char the other sides another 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and toss with half the pickled onion (drained), chopped cilantro, sliced jalapeño (if using), a pinch of salt and 1 tsp lime juice. Set aside.
- Make the cilantro-lime slaw: in a bowl whisk the juice of 1 lime with 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp honey and 1/4 tsp kosher salt; toss with shredded cabbage and chopped cilantro. Adjust salt and lime to taste. Keep chilled or at room temperature.
- Cook the chicken: return the same hot skillet to medium-high. Add 1 tbsp neutral oil and when it shimmers, place the glazed chicken legs skin-side down. Sear without moving until the skin is deeply browned, 4–5 minutes. Flip and sear the other side 3 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, pour in 1/4 cup water (or low-sodium chicken stock) to create a small braising liquid, and spoon any remaining pan glaze over the legs. Cover the skillet with a tight-fitting lid and simmer gently for 15–18 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part (without touching bone) reads 165°F (74°C). If you prefer a crisper skin, remove the lid for the last 3 minutes and increase the heat to medium to reduce sauce and crisp the skin.
- While the chicken finishes, taste the reserved glaze and, if it's too thick, thin with 1 tbsp water. When the chicken is done, transfer legs to a plate and rest 5 minutes; spoon the reserved warm glaze over the chicken to add a glossy finish.
- Assemble and serve: place a chicken leg on a bed of cilantro-lime slaw, top with a generous spoonful of charred pineapple salsa and scatter a few quick-pickled onion slices. Garnish with chopped cilantro and toasted sesame seeds. Serve with warm tortillas or steamed rice and lime wedges on the side.
- Leftovers and tips: any leftover glaze can be refrigerated up to 3 days. For gluten-free, use gluten-free gochujang or double the tamari substitution, and confirm labels. If you have 10–15 extra minutes, marinate the chicken 30 minutes for deeper flavor.
📖 Backstory
I will admit, the dish was born from an embarrassing combination of jet lag, hunger, and the sort of culinary hubris usually reserved for people who paint murals with sriracha. I was halfway between a Seoul noodle stall and a taco cart I swear I saw on a dream map of Mexico City when inspiration struck — four noble chicken drumsticks (approximately 500–650 g, as any good legend should include precise weights) crying out for a destiny they could not achieve alone. With 2 tablespoons of gochujang in one hand and a lime (and a pocketful of optimism) in the other, I performed a marinade ritual that involved soy or tamari, a tablespoon of honey, and an argument with a pineapple that insisted it was merely a fruit and not a supporting actor. The name "Cluckin' Seoul Fiesta" came to me mid-sigh, and thus history was made, or at least a very tasty Instagram post.
The creation was theatrical: I charred the pineapple until it admitted its sweet, smoky truth, then coaxed it into a salsa that would flirt with your palate and then politely propose marriage. The gochujang-lime glaze — a sticky, lacquered manifesto of umami and tang — clung to those drumsticks like a passionate hanbok at a quinceañera. For the slaw I summoned cilantro, lime, and a small sermon on balance; the cilantro-lime slaw proceeded to cool arguments between spicy glaze and searing salsa with the dignity of a diplomat. I also honored substitutions for the practical: yuzu if you have it, or a judicious tablespoon of lime and a teaspoon of orange zest if you do not, because true culinary artistry respects both tradition and convenience.
If you make this, do so knowing you are not merely grilling chicken but reenacting a treaty between two great flavor nations — Korean depth and Mexican brightness — mediated by pineapple and honey and my quietly excessive confidence. Serve it to friends and watch them solemnly rename themselves "Devotees of the Drumstick Council." If this dish does nothing else, it will prove that with enough gochujang, citrus, and theatrical char, you can convince even the most committed skeptic that fusion cuisine is not a food trend but a minor miracle.
The creation was theatrical: I charred the pineapple until it admitted its sweet, smoky truth, then coaxed it into a salsa that would flirt with your palate and then politely propose marriage. The gochujang-lime glaze — a sticky, lacquered manifesto of umami and tang — clung to those drumsticks like a passionate hanbok at a quinceañera. For the slaw I summoned cilantro, lime, and a small sermon on balance; the cilantro-lime slaw proceeded to cool arguments between spicy glaze and searing salsa with the dignity of a diplomat. I also honored substitutions for the practical: yuzu if you have it, or a judicious tablespoon of lime and a teaspoon of orange zest if you do not, because true culinary artistry respects both tradition and convenience.
If you make this, do so knowing you are not merely grilling chicken but reenacting a treaty between two great flavor nations — Korean depth and Mexican brightness — mediated by pineapple and honey and my quietly excessive confidence. Serve it to friends and watch them solemnly rename themselves "Devotees of the Drumstick Council." If this dish does nothing else, it will prove that with enough gochujang, citrus, and theatrical char, you can convince even the most committed skeptic that fusion cuisine is not a food trend but a minor miracle.