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Korean BBQ Chicken Tacos with Quick Kimchi

Korean BBQ chicken tacos with quick kimchi feature glazed, caramelized chicken tossed in gochujang-sesame sauce and topped with tangy napa cabbage. Each flour tortilla gets a sweet-spicy sheen plus crunchy quick kimchi and scallion garnish.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
rest for kimchi 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Lunch
Cuisine: Korean-Mexican Fusion
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Korean BBQ chicken
  • 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 0.5 cup soy sauce
  • 0.25 cup gochujang (Korean red chili paste)
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp ginger, grated
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tsp sesame seeds for the chicken glaze and/or serving
Quick kimchi
  • 2 cup napa cabbage, thinly sliced
  • 2 tsp red chili flakes
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 0.25 salt to taste
Tacos
  • 8 flour tortillas warm for filling
  • 0.5 sliced scallions for serving
  • 1 tsp additional sesame seeds for serving

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Make quick kimchi
  1. In a bowl, combine napa cabbage, red chili flakes, minced garlic, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and salt. Mix well, then set aside for 15 minutes while you prepare the chicken.
Glaze and caramelize the chicken
  1. Mix soy sauce, gochujang, honey, sesame oil, garlic, grated ginger, and rice vinegar in a bowl. Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat, add chicken pieces, and cook for 8-10 minutes until mostly cooked.
  2. Pour the gochujang mixture into the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes more until caramelized and cooked through, stirring often to coat the chicken.
Assemble tacos
  1. Warm the flour tortillas in a dry skillet for about 20-30 seconds per side until pliable. Fill each tortilla with Korean BBQ chicken, top with quick kimchi, and garnish with sliced scallions and additional sesame seeds.
  2. Serve immediately while the chicken glaze is hot and glossy.

Notes

Pro tip: let the kimchi rest for the full 15 minutes so the napa cabbage softens slightly and takes on a bright sweet-spicy tang. Refrigerate leftover chicken and quick kimchi separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days; reheat chicken until hot, then assemble fresh. Freeze chicken only for up to 2 months (kimchi texture softens on thawing). For a lower-sugar option, reduce honey to 1 tbsp and add 1-2 tsp extra rice vinegar to keep the balance.