Crispy Gochujang Chicken with Honey Butter Corn

A colorful Korean-inspired dinner made with three skillets

Servings: 4 Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes Total time: 50 minutes

Why you’ll love it

Crispy chicken, a glossy gochujang glaze, sweet honey-butter corn and fragrant scallion rice come together for a restaurant-style dinner made at home.

This recipe uses three skillets:

• 10-inch skillet: crispy chicken

• 8-inch skillet: honey-butter corn

• 6-inch skillet: scallion rice or finishing sauce

The result is a complete meal with contrasting textures, bold flavor and minimal cleanup.

Ingredients

For the chicken

• 1½ lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs

• ½ cup cornstarch

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ tsp black pepper

• 2 tbsp neutral oil

For the gochujang glaze

• 2 tbsp gochujang

• 1½ tbsp honey

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tbsp rice vinegar

• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil

• 1 garlic clove, finely grated

• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger

• 2–3 tbsp water

For the honey-butter corn

• 2 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen

• 1 tbsp butter

• 1 tbsp honey

• ½ tsp chili flakes

• Salt, to taste

• 2 tbsp chopped scallions

For the scallion rice

• 3 cups cooked jasmine rice

• 1 tbsp butter or sesame oil

• 2 scallions, thinly sliced

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tsp sesame seeds

To finish

• Sliced scallions

• Toasted sesame seeds

• Lime wedges

• Optional: chili crisp or extra gochujang

Instructions

1. Prepare the chicken

Pat the chicken thighs dry and cut them into bite-sized pieces.

In a bowl, combine the cornstarch, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt and black pepper. Toss the chicken in the mixture until every piece is lightly coated.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the gochujang, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger and water. Set aside.

2. Crisp the chicken in the 10-inch skillet

Heat the oil in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the chicken in a single layer. Work in batches if necessary so the pieces brown instead of steaming.

Cook for approximately 4–5 minutes per side, or until deeply golden and cooked through. The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F / 74°C.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour in the gochujang glaze. Toss for 1–2 minutes, allowing the sauce to become glossy and cling to the chicken.

Remove from the heat.

3. Make the honey-butter corn in the 8-inch skillet

While the chicken cooks, melt the butter in an 8-inch skillet over medium heat.

Add the corn and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly caramelized.

Add the honey, chili flakes and a pinch of salt. Stir until the corn is glossy.

Finish with chopped scallions and remove from the heat.

4. Finish the scallion rice in the 6-inch skillet

Melt the butter or heat the sesame oil in a 6-inch skillet over medium-low heat.

Add the scallions and cook for 30 seconds.

Add the cooked jasmine rice and soy sauce. Stir gently until warmed through.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

5. Assemble and serve

Spoon the scallion rice onto each plate.

Add the crispy gochujang chicken and a generous serving of honey-butter corn.

Finish with:

• Extra sliced scallions

• Toasted sesame seeds

• A squeeze of lime

• Chili crisp, if desired

Serve immediately while the chicken is still crisp and the glaze is glossy.

Optional variation

For a more dramatic three-skillet presentation, serve everything directly in the cookware:

• Chicken in the 10-inch skillet

• Corn in the 8-inch skillet

• Scallion rice in the 6-inch skillet

Place the three skillets together on a wooden serving board or heat-safe surface and let everyone build their own bowl.