Dakkochi (Korean Chicken Skewers) are a common street food in South Korea. The chicken is marinated and basted in a sweet soy glaze. I used an indoor countertop grill and the chicken still came out tender and succulent. Serve these with rice and gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste).
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Gochujang is used in many Korean dishes and as a condiment. It is made by aging red pepper, glutinous rice, fermented soybeans, and salt in a clay pot in the sun. I was able to find gochujang in the grocery store, but it is also available at many Asian food markets and on Amazon: Gochujang.
The Asian pear is native to Japan, Korea, and China. Other common names include Japanese/Korean/Chinese pear, apple pear, sand pear, and nashi pear. Compared to western pears, Asian pears are more crisp and juicy. They bruise easily, so be careful with storage (in a cool, dry place). Pick ripe pears by their strong, sweet smell. Avoid those that are bruised and soft. In Asian cooking, they are often ground and used in sauces/marinades as a sweetener. They are high in vitamin C and fiber.
Dakkochi (Korean Chicken Skewers)
Adapted from Closet Cooking
Dakkochi
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breasts
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 inch ginger peeled
- 1/2 small onion
- 1/2 Asian pear
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 green onion chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Grate the garlic, ginger, onion, and pear. Place in large bowl or freezer bag. Mix in the soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, green onion, and ground black pepper.
- Cut the chicken into 1 inch pieces and combine with the marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
- If using wooden skewers, soak in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent them from burning.
- Skewer the chicken and set aside.
- Strain the marinade through a fine mesh sieve into a small saucepan. Simmer on medium heat until slightly thickened, 5-10 minutes.
- Grill the chicken until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Baste occasionally while cooking with the thickened marinade.
- If using a counter top grill, cooking time is about 4-5 minutes total on medium high heat.
mary lucas
is this a good recipe to cook for a school function. will be served cold?
Tara
I personally don’t like meat cold, but others might. How far in advance would you be making it?
mary lucas
the same day. the function is at night. i thought of disposable chafing dishes but would have to keep warm all day.
Tara
I’ve never tried it, so can’t say how it would turn out. I would be concerned about the chicken drying out while heating all day since breast meat is used. Also have to make sure the temperature stays above food safety levels.
Tara
I also have no catering experience, so I know very little on the subject. Hope you are able to find something that works!
mary lucas
i made this recipe. the sauce was the best sauce i have ever had. i added fresh ginger!! the chicken coating wouldn’t stick to the chicken so the it wasn’t crisp. what can i do to make the it stick?
Tara
So glad you enjoyed it! Fresh ginger definitely makes a difference 🙂 The sauce isn’t really meant to stick. The chicken is marinated in it, then I baste the chicken a few times with the heated sauce as it grills. This helps to absorb more of the flavor. I baste it one last time right before it comes off the grill to give it an extra boost of flavor.