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    You are here: Home / Recipes / Korean Chicken Meal Prep

    Korean Chicken Meal Prep

    Posted: Feb 22, 2018 Last Modified: Nov 6, 2021 by Carmy · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    Looking to change up your boring chicken meal prep or an easy weeknight dinner? Try this Korean Chicken Meal Prep! It’s easy to make, packed with flavour, and meal preps wonderfully! The chicken thighs are pan seared 5 minutes per side so you’ll have your meal ready in no time!

    A plate of chicken thighs with snap peas and rice.

    This post was originally published February 22, 2018. This post has been updated on March 31, 2021 with new photos and tips. As Asian pear was difficult for some to find, I’ve adapted the recipe to use pear juice in the marinade instead.

    Korean Chicken Meal Prep

    I’m a little obsessed with bulgogi, a Korean BBQ thinly sliced beef or pork dish. They use this sweet but savoury marinade where they blitz up an Asian pear for it’s sweetness and because it makes the meat tender due to the calpain enzyme. As I was made aware that Asian pear is difficult to come by for some (and seasonal), I retested the Korean inspired recipe with pear juice.

    Since we are using chicken thighs instead of beef like you do with bulgogi, I’m not super concerned about marinating the meat for tenderizing purposes and am just focusing on flavour, pear juice is the perfect substitute. I also added gochujang to the marinade (it wasn’t in the original recipe from 2018), to add a little bit of extra heat to the chicken.

    Meal prep container with rice, Korean chicken thighs, and snap peas.

    What You’ll Need

    Ingredients needed to marinade chicken.
    • chicken thighs — boneless skinless thighs
    • pear juice — I get mine in a large bottle from a local Korean grocery store (Galleria) but if you can’t find it locally, it can be purchased online.
    • soy sauce — I always recommend low sodium soy sauce.
    • garlic powder
    • salt
    • sesame oil
    • gochujang
    • brown sugar — I totally forgot to add it to the photo but just pretend it’s there ok?

    How to Make These Korean Inspired Chicken Thighs

    • Marinading chicken.
    • Pan seared Korean chicken thighs.
    • In a bowl, combine all pear juice, soy sauce, garlic powder, salt, sesame oil, gochujang, and brown sugar. Add in the chicken thighs and coat evenly.
    • Let marinade in the fridge for an hour or overnight if possible.
    • On medium heat, heat up your skillet or cast iron and 1 tbsp of olive oil before adding in the chicken thighs, smooth side down and then cook for 5 minutes. Flip and continue to cook for 6 to 7 minutes, or until cooked through. Do not overcrowd the pan, cook in two batches if necessary. Be sure to add more oil for the second batch.
    Close up of two Korean chicken thighs with snap peas in a plate.

    Tips For Making The Perfect Korean Chicken Meal Prep

    • I cook my chicken in a cast iron pan.
    • Chicken thighs are done when they’ve reached an internal temperature of 165F/74C. Use an instant read thermometer to check.
    My Recommendation
    This is my go-to meat thermometer for making sure that the internal temperature of my meat is good to go. It’s also magnetic so I have it on my fridge door to save drawer space!
    Get it Now!
    The Meat Thermometer I Use!
    • Avoid moving the chicken when you first place it in. Allow the chicken to sear. The chicken will come off the skillet once it’s ready. If you move it too early, the chicken will stick to the skillet and tear.
    • Chicken thighs can be swapped out for chicken breasts but you’ll have to change the cook time to avoid overcooking it.
    • Change it up by using the slow cooker (great if you want to double the recipe) and you can even shred the chicken to change up the recipe a little.

    Make Ahead Tips

    • Meal prep: store the cooked chicken in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge. I usually like to pack this with some jasmine rice and snap peas!
    • Freezer: allow the chicken thighs to cool before transferring it into an airtight container before storing them in the freezer.
    • How to prep this for the freezer: place the marinade and chicken thighs in a large freezer friendly ziploc bag, to prep this meal ahead of time. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready, thaw overnight in the fridge before cooking. 
    Meal prep container with rice, Korean chicken thighs, and snap peas.
    Close up of two Korean chicken thighs with snap peas in a plate.

    Korean Chicken Meal Prep

    Looking to change up your boring chicken meal prep or an easy weeknight dinner? Try this Korean Chicken Meal Prep! It's easy to make, packed with flavour, and meal preps wonderfully!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Rate
    Prep Time: 1 hr
    Cook Time: 15 mins
    Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins
    Servings: 4 servings

    Ingredients

    Korean Chicken Marinade

    • 8-10 chicken thighs, boneless skinless
    • ¼ cup pear juice
    • 3 tbsp soy sauce, low sodium
    • 1 tbsp garlic powder
    • 1 tsp salt, chopped roughly
    • 2 tbsp brown sugar
    • 1 tbsp sesame oil
    • 2 tbsp gochujang

    Everything Else:

    • 1-2 tbsp olive oil
    • 1 bag sugar snap peas, steams or boiled or raw if you'd like to serve
    • 4 cups cooked rice

    Instructions

    • In a bowl, combine all pear juice, soy sauce, garlic powder, salt, sesame oil, gochujang, and brown sugar. Add in the chicken thighs and coat evenly.
    • Let marinade in the fridge for an hour or overnight if possible.
    • On medium heat, heat up your skillet and 1 tbsp of olive oil before adding in the chicken thighs, smooth side down and then cook for 5 minutes. Flip and continue to cook for 6 to 7 minutes, or until cooked through. Do not overcrowd the pan, cook in two batches if necessary. Be sure to add more oil for the second batch.
    • Portion out the chicken thighs into the meal prep containers with your sides or enjoy immediately.
    Tried this recipe?Did you make this recipe? I’m always so happy to hear about it! I’d love to see how it turned out. Tag me at @CarmysHungry on Instagram so I can see it! If you enjoyed the recipe, I’d really appreciate a comment with a 5 star rating! ♥

    Nutrition Per Serving

    Serving: 4g | Calories: 588kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 215mg | Sodium: 1190mg | Potassium: 713mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 73IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 3mg
    Author: Carmy
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Meal Prep

    More Chicken Recipes You’ll Love

    • Sheet Pan Sweet and Spicy Chicken Thighs with Brussels Sprouts
    • Oven Roasted Chicken Quarters
    • Sheet Pan Chicken Teriyaki with Veggies and Pineapple
    • Dutch Oven Roasted Chicken
    • Chipotle Chicken Thighs
    • Hibachi Chicken

    More Korean Recipes to Try

    • Air Fryer Korean Fried Chicken (or my double fried Korean Fried Chicken)
    • Japchae
    • Korean Cheese Corn
    • Seasoned Spinach
    • Mayak Eggs
    • Silken Tofu Recipe
    • Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread
    • Korean Potato Salad (Gamja Salad)
    • Bacon Kimchi Fried Rice
    • Bulgogi
    • Spicy Pork Stir Fry (Jeyuk Bokkeum)
    • Gochujang Chicken

    Other places to connect with me
    Instagram: @carmyshungry
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carmyycom
    Email: [email protected]
    Shop my Amazon faves: https://www.amazon.com/shop/carmyshungry

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    Carmy is a healthy-ish living blogger based in Ontario. Here, you can find healthy-ish meal prep recipes, Instant Pot recipes, and lightened up family favourites! Follow along as she shares what she learns along the way!

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