Roasted Korean Chicken with Salady Bits

Ingredients

• 1 kg chicken thighs or drumsticks (skin-on preferred for crispiness)
• 100 g gochujang paste (for the chicken marinade)
• 1 tbsp sesame oil (for the chicken marinade)
• 3 tbsp dark soy sauce (for the chicken marinade)
• 1 tsp ginger powder (for the chicken marinade)
• 35 g runny honey (for the chicken marinade)
• 3 garlic (cloves, finely grated; for the chicken marinade)
• 10 g rice wine vinegar (or white wine vinegar; for the chicken marinade)
• 1 cucumber (washed and chopped into bite-size chunks)
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce (for the cucumber marinade)
• 1 tsp rice wine vinegar (or white wine vinegar; for the cucumber marinade)
• 10 g runny honey (for the cucumber marinade)
• 0.5 tsp chilli flakes (for the cucumber marinade)
• 0.5 tsp garlic powder (for the cucumber marinade)
• 2 tbsp chopped chives (for the cucumber marinade)
• 200 g white cabbage (thinly sliced (use a peeler for thin strands))
• 0.25 tsp table salt (for the slaw)
• 2 tbsp mayonnaise (for the slaw)
• 1 tbsp yoghurt (for the slaw)
• 1 tbsp sesame oil (for the slaw)
• 2 tsp roasted sesame seeds (for the slaw)

Steps

1. 1

   In a bowl, combine 100g gochujang paste, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 3 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 tsp ginger powder, 35g runny honey, 3 cloves of finely grated garlic, and 10g rice wine vinegar. Whisk well until smooth.

2. 2

   Add the chicken to the marinade and massage it thoroughly into the meat.

3. 3

   Leave the chicken to marinate for as long as possible; overnight is best, but 30 minutes is sufficient if you are in a hurry.

4. 4

   Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Place the chicken onto a lined baking tray.

5. 5

   Bake the chicken until it is cooked through (internal temperature of 75°C / 165°F).

6. 6

   Turn on the grill (broiler) for the final 5 minutes of cooking to crisp up the skin, watching closely to ensure it doesn't burn.

7. 7

   While the chicken is cooking, prepare the cucumbers: wash and chop 1 cucumber into bite-sized chunks.

8. 8

   In a separate bowl, mix 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp rice wine vinegar, 10g runny honey, 1/2 tsp chilli flakes, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, and 2 tbsp chopped chives.

9. 9

   Add the cucumbers to the marinade, mix well, and set aside in the fridge while the chicken finishes cooking to allow the flavours to intensify.

10. 10

    For the slaw, place 200g of thinly sliced white cabbage into a bowl and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp table salt.

11. 11

    Massage the salt into the cabbage and let it sit for 5 minutes to soften.

12. 12

    Add 2 tbsp mayo, 1 tbsp yoghurt, 1 tbsp sesame oil, and 2 tsp roasted sesame seeds to the cabbage. Mix well.

13. 13

    Serve the roasted chicken alongside the marinated cucumbers and sesame slaw. Optional: serve with sticky rice.

Notes

The chicken marinade recipe provided makes a double batch; feel free to halve it if you are marinating a smaller amount of chicken. For the slaw, using a vegetable peeler helps achieve very thin strands if you don't have a mandolin.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• chicken
• Korean
• dinner
• weeknight
• healthy
• low-carb
• roasted