Chicken & Poultry

Korean Style BBQ Chicken Burgers

Smoky grilled chicken burgers with a Korean-style gochujang marinade, offering a perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and umami flavours for outdoor cooking.

5 (3 reviews)
By Ricky Robinson Updated September 5, 2023

As we enjoy our Indian summer this week, these Korean Style BBQ Chicken Burgers are a proper way to make the most of outdoor cooking before packing away the barbecue. They bring together smoky barbecue flavour with the umami punch of Korean cooking, and they're simple to make without needing fancy ingredients or complicated techniques.

The chicken breasts get butterflied and flattened before going into a marinade made with gochujang, soy sauce, honey, and sesame oil. You grate in fresh garlic and ginger, which gives the marinade a proper depth of flavour. After an hour in the fridge, the chicken picks up all those flavours nicely.

The gochujang adds a gentle heat and rich umami that transforms these from standard chicken burgers into something special.

Whether you're barbecuing on a sunny September afternoon or cooking these on a skillet grill, they work beautifully. The marinade caramelises during cooking, creating a sticky, slightly charred exterior whilst keeping the chicken moist inside.

Korean Style BBQ Chicken Burgers recipe image
Korean Style BBQ Chicken Burgers

I like to make my own burger sauce for these by adding some mayonnaise to a small bowl, then stirring in a little gochujang and a squeeze of lime juice. It's a quick mix that brings the flavours together and adds a creamy element that balances the charred chicken. You could also try adding a touch of sesame oil to the sauce for extra depth.

These burgers are good for when you've got people over. The marinade can be made ahead, and you can prep the chicken earlier in the day, which means less fuss when you're ready to cook. They're also flexible in terms of cooking method. Whilst they're brilliant on the barbecue with that smoky char, they work just as well on a griddle pan indoors if the weather doesn't cooperate. The key is getting a good sear on both sides whilst keeping the chicken tender.

Serve them in burger buns with crisp iceberg lettuce, pickled red onion for sharpness, and a gherkin on the side. The fresh, crunchy toppings cut through the richness of the marinade and make each bite feel balanced.

Korean Style BBQ Chicken Burgers

Chicken Gochujang
Total Time 1 hr 25 min
Servings 4 burgers
Calories 420 cal
Protein 38g

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Grater
  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Grill or Barbecue

Instructions

  1. 1
    Make a marinade by mixing together the chilli paste, lime juice, ketchup, honey, soy, and sesame oil in a large bowl. Then grate in the garlic and ginger. Reserve some of the marinade to use for basting during cooking.
  2. 2
    Slice halfway into the thickest part of each breast and open it up like a book. Flatten down slightly with your hand, then add to the marinade and put into the fridge for about an hour.
  3. 3
    Grill or barbecue the chicken for about 10 minutes until cooked. Halfway through cooking, baste the chicken with the marinade you put aside earlier, turning it over so it doesn't burn but is nicely charred and sticky.
  4. 4
    To serve, place the chicken into a burger bun with some lettuce. Garnish with some pickled red onion and a gherkin.
Ricky Robinson - Recipe Author
Ricky Robinson

Home cook sharing delicious recipes with a focus on flavour and simplicity.

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Serving Suggestions

Serve in toasted burger buns with iceberg lettuce, pickled red onion, and gherkins. Top with a homemade sauce made from mayonnaise, gochujang, and lime juice.

Variations

Try swapping the chicken for turkey breast, or use boneless chicken thighs for a richer flavour. For a spicier version, add extra gochujang to the marinade.

Korean Style BBQ Chicken Burgers recipe image

Rate & Review

5 • 3 reviews

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