Korean Fire Chicken (Buldak) with Cheese and Corn

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes Servings: 4

Spicy hot Korean chicken covered in mellowing melted cheese and sweet corn, the perfect balance of spicy, sweet and savoury!

ingredients

For the corn:

1 tablespoon butter (optional)
2 cups corn (optional)

For the chicken:

1 pound boneless and skinless chicken thighs or breasts, thinly sliced or cut into bite sized pieces
1 small onion, grated
1 tablespoon garlic, minced/grated
1 tablespoon ginger, minced/grated
2 tablespoons soy sauce (gluten-free for gluten-free)
2 tablespoons brown sugar (or rice syrup, or honey)
2 tablespoons mirin* (optional)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons gochujang* (optional) (gluten-free for gluten-free)
1 tablespoon gochugaru* (optional) (gluten-free for gluten-free)
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 cup mozzarella (or provolone), shedded
2 green onions, thinly sliced

directions

For the corn:

Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, add the corn, toss and let it sit cooking until charred, mix it up and let it char again, about 6-10 minutes, before setting aside.

For the chicken:

Marinate the chicken in the mixture of the onion, garlic, ginger,soy sauce, brown sugar, mirin, vinegar, gochujang, and gochugaru, for 20 minutes to overnight.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the chicken and cook, about 10-15 minutes, before reducing teh heat and mixing in the sesame oil.
Sprinkle the cheese on top, cover and let the cheese melt before sprinkling on the corn and green onions.

Note: *Mirin is an Asian style sweet cooking wine, and it can be omitted.
Note: *Gochujang is a Korean style fermented chili paste. The flavour of the gochujang is important but you could replace it with a chili sauce such as sriracha or sambal oelek.
Note: *Gochugaru is a Korean style chili pepper flakes, and it can be omitted.
Note: Control the heat by using more, or less, gochujang and gochugaru.
Tip: Serve over rice, or pasta or in a sandwich!
Option: Omit the cheese.
Option: Omit the corn.