Spicy-sweet Gochujang. Easy-to-love chicken drumsticks. Throw Spicy Gochujang Chicken Drumsticks in the oven for a simple, crowd-pleasing way to spice up dinnertime.
Gochujang Chicken Drumsticks
There’s something about drumsticks. They’re so easy to love.
Maybe it’s the built-in handle that begs to be held. Or the petite size (compared to thigh or breast) that makes you want to eat just one more. Either way, it’s easy to fall under the spell of childhood nostalgia when eating drumsticks.
With a spicy-sweet, Korean-inspired Gochujang glaze — chicken drumsticks are especially irresistible and exciting!
They are even more convenient and easy to bake on a sheet pan. A quick broil at the end creates a sticky and saucy glaze with an appealingly glossy sheen. YUM!
Make for easy weeknight dinners. Pack leftovers into lunch boxes. Or bring Spicy Gochujang Chicken Drumsticks to your next potluck or family dinner. Spicy-sweet, sticky bites of chicken — what’s not to love?
What is Gochujang?
Gochujang is Korean fermented chili paste. It’s got a spicy-sweet flavor and tastes great as a sauce, marinade, or glaze.
Gochujang comes in a plastic tub and needs to be refrigerated after opening. The good thing about Gochujang is that it keeps a really long time, like ketchup or sriracha.
Gochujang also comes in varying degrees of spiciness. Look at the label and choose low, medium, or hot, depending on your personal preference. (I choose medium — you can add more spice but it’s hard to take it out.)
Gochujang can be found at most Asian or Korean grocers. But check your local grocery store in the International/Asian food section — it might be there, too. Even Amazon sells Gochujang now.
Ingredients:
- Chicken Drumsticks. Accessible, affordable, easy-to-handle chicken drumsticks for the win!
- Gochujang. Korean fermented chili paste.
- Soy Sauce. For deep, salty, umami flavor.
- Mirin. Korean sweet cooking wine.
- Sugar. To balance the spicy heat!
- Sesame oil. Adds fragrant, nutty flavor.
- Garlic. Lots of fresh minced garlic adds a punchy kick.
Instructions:
- Whisk marinade in a bowl. Reserve 1/3 cup of the marinade and set aside for later glazing.
- Score chicken drumsticks. The scoring will ensure maximum Gochujang flavor!
- Mix drumsticks with marinade (not the reserved 1/3 cup for later glazing).
- Bake until chicken is halfway cooked through, about 15 minutes.
- Apply reserved sauce as glaze. Brush every 5 minutes, until fully cooked — about 10-15 minutes more.
- Broil for the last 5 minutes to get those charred, crispy bits.
PRO Tips:
- Use Parchment Paper. The gochujang glaze will drip and burn. For easy cleanup.
- Be careful — Gochujang burns quickly. In the last 5-minute broil, watch closely!
- Double or triple for a larger crowd. This recipe is straightforward to multiply.
Serve with:
For a simple weeknight dinner, serve with steamed white rice. Brown rice or Korean Purple Rice are also nice options. Or, serve with Korean Soba Noodles with Perilla Oil.
For vegetables, I recommend lightly steamed vegetables such as broccoli. Or, Miso Roasted Cauliflower.
More easy recipes with Gochujang:
- Gochujang Roasted Carrots
- Gochujang Jjigae (Korean Stew)
- Gochujang Chicken Thighs
- Korean BBQ Gochujang Chicken Tacos
- Spicy Pork Belly Bulgogi
- Slow Cooker Gochujang Pork
Spicy Gochujang Chicken Drumsticks
Equipment
- sheet pan
Ingredients
- 8-10 chicken drumsticks (about 2 lbs, depending on size)
- 1/4 cup Gochujang (Korean fermented chili paste)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp mirin (or rice wine)
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp sesame oil
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
Instructions
- Whisk Gochujang, soy sauce, mirin, sugar, sesame oil, and garlic in a large bowl. Scoop 1/3 cup of the marinade and set aside in a small bowl, for later glazing.
- Score chicken with 2 or 3 cuts to each drumstick. Make sure not to cut down to the bone.
- Add scored drumsticks to the marinade, mixing until the chicken is fully coated. Turn on the oven to 350F/175C and let the drumsticks marinate while the oven preheats, about 10-15 minutes.
- On a parchment lined baking sheet, add drumsticks in an even layer. Make sure not to crowd the pan so the skin gets crispy. Bake until halfway cooked through, about 15 minutes.
- Add the reserved sauce from before, as a glaze. Brush chicken every 3-5 minutes until fully cooked, an additional 10-15 minutes. That's 25-30 minutes in total. This will ensure a deeper-flavored, glazed coating vs. roasting alone.
- When the chicken is fully cooked, broil for the an additional 3-5 minutes to get those charred, crispy bits. Watch carefully so it doesn't burn!
- Garnish with sesame seeds and green onion (optional). Serve immediately or at room temperature.
Video
Notes
- Use Parchment Paper. The gochujang glaze will drip and burn. For easy cleanup.
- Be careful — Gochujang burns quickly. In the last 5-minute broil, watch closely!
- Double or triple for a larger crowd. This recipe is straightforward to multiply.
Good recipe, but the cooking time is not enough. The internal temperature was at ~60°C after 25 minutes of cooking… I had to cook for about 15 minutes longer so I didn’t get pink chicken. Considering the vast majority of drumstick recipes recommends at least 35 minutes at 190°C, I don’t think it’s my oven that’s the problem.
The recipe was good, very Gochujang forward. The skin was flabby. Not matter what I did, air fry, convection bake it was still flabby.
Can I marinate longer?
yes, definitely! You can marinate for 1-2 days in advance. 🙂
Incredible!! I really enjoyed this recipe. I have access to the real Gochujag living and working here in Japan. The paste is easily imported from Korea. I think I used a pretty high test sauce as the first bite sent me scrambling for a glass of water. Heaven!! Thank you so much 🥰.
Thank you! If this was super spicy for you, I suggest checking the label of your gochujang as most come in a spicy level ranging from 1-5. You may accidentally have bought a super spicy 5!
So easy…,and so delicious! 🤗
We make this all the time and love it! We serve with cauliflower rice, bok choy, kimchi and kewpie mayo! Yum! Just wondering if you have the nutritional information for this dish please?
Looking forward to tasting this! What shall I serve this with?
This is a great basic that tastes good with so many sides! Noodles, rice, salad, etc. I usually serve with rice, kimchi, and any kind of grilled vegetable or sauteed greens.
Hi! I was going to make this and realized that I didn’t have any gochujang in my fridge!! What are your favorite brand(s)?
Can’t wait to try!
Thanks!
I don’t have a favorite brand but I like Gochujang but I usually buy Sunchang Gochujang which is a gochujang made in a certain city. In general, look for gochujang that’s made in Korea or imported by a Korean company. Look at the label on the back and you should be able to see where it’s made. Also, check the spicyness level as there are usually 5 different levels!
What’s the temperature for the oven?
350F for the roasting then turn on the broiler at the end!
I’m so glad to hear that! My kids love this recipe so much!!
Is the sauce the one we marinated the chicken in? Also for the cooking time after the first 15 minutes is it another 25-30 mins or 25 mins in total?
Oops sorry about the unclear directions. Thanks, I’ll make it more clear. It should be 25 min total. And yes, reserve 1/3 cup of the marinade at the beginning (before adding the raw chicken) and use it to brush on the chicken later.
Thank you for clarifying. I made this recipe last night and it was a hit! Tasted very good. Thank you!
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