hese Korean chicken bao buns started as a weekend experiment when Max begged me to recreate the ones we tried at our local night market. After several kitchen disasters and one memorable incident involving exploding steamer baskets, we finally nailed the recipe that brings Seoul street food right to our dinner table. The tender chicken gets coated in a sticky gochujang glaze that's just spicy enough to make your taste buds dance, while the pillowy buns practically melt in your mouth.
Why You'll Love These Korean Chicken Bao Buns
These Korean chicken bao buns solve the problem of boring weeknight dinners without requiring a culinary degree. The buns steam while you cook the chicken, so everything comes together in about an hour. The gochujang sauce might sound fancy, but it's just Korean Chicken Bao Buns chili paste mixed with honey and soy sauce - Max can even help measure the ingredients. Plus, you can prep the chicken filling a day ahead and just reheat when you're ready to eat.
What gets me excited about this recipe is watching my family's faces when they bite into these fluffy buns. The chicken stays juicy, the sauce has just enough kick to wake up your taste buds, and the pickled vegetables add that perfect crunch. Max has started requesting these for his birthday dinner, which tells you everything you need to know. They're messy to eat, but that's half the fun - sometimes the best meals require napkins and laughter.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love These Korean Chicken Bao Buns
- Ingredients for Korean Chicken Bao Buns
- How To Make Korean Chicken Bao Buns Step By Step
- Smart Swaps for Your Korean Chicken Bao Buns
- Tasty Twists on Korean Chicken Bao Buns
- Equipment
- Storing Your Korean Chicken Bao Buns
- What to Serve With Korean Chicken Bao Buns
- Top Tip
- The Korean Chicken Bao Buns Dish My Grandmother Taught Me to Love
- FAQ
- Related
- Pairing
- Korean Chicken Bao Buns
- To do:
Ingredients for Korean Chicken Bao Buns
For the Chicken:
- Boneless chicken thighs (juicier than breasts)
- Gochujang paste
- Soy sauce
- Rice vinegar
- Honey
- Fresh garlic
- Fresh ginger
- Sesame oil
- Green onions
For the Buns:
- Frozen bao buns from Asian grocery store
- Steamer basket or bamboo steamer
Toppings:
- Cucumber slices
- Pickled carrots
- Fresh cilantro
- Sesame seeds
- Extra green onions
Quick Pickle:
- Rice vinegar
- Sugar
- Salt
- Thinly sliced carrots
Equipment:
- Mixing bowls
- Large skillet
- Steamer setup
- Sharp knife
How To Make Korean Chicken Bao Buns Step By Step
Chicken Prep:
- Cut chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces
- Mix gochujang, soy sauce, honey, and rice vinegar in small bowl
- Mince garlic and ginger fresh
- Heat sesame oil in large skillet over medium-high heat
Cook the Chicken:
- Add chicken pieces to hot skillet
- Cook 5-6 minutes until golden brown on all sides
- Pour sauce mixture over chicken
- Simmer 8-10 minutes until chicken is glazed and sticky
- Sprinkle with chopped green onions
Steam the Buns:
- Set up steamer while chicken cooks
- Steam frozen buns 8-10 minutes until fluffy and hot
- Keep warm in steamer until ready to serve
Quick Pickle:
- Mix rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in bowl
- Add thinly sliced carrots
- Let sit 15 minutes while everything else cooks
Put It Together:
- Sprinkle sesame seeds on top
- Open warm bun carefully (they're hot!)
- Add spoonful of glazed chicken
- Top with pickled carrots, cucumber, cilantro
See recipe card for quantities.
Smart Swaps for Your Korean Chicken Bao Buns
Protein Options:
- Chicken thighs → Chicken breasts (cook 2-3 minutes less)
- Fresh chicken → Rotisserie chicken (just heat through with sauce)
- Chicken → Pork shoulder cut into small pieces
- Meat → Firm tofu for vegetarian version
Sauce Changes:
- Gochujang → Sriracha mixed with soy sauce (different taste but still good)
- Honey → Maple syrup or brown sugar
- Rice vinegar → Regular white vinegar
- Fresh ginger → Ground ginger (use half the amount)
Bun Swaps:
- Frozen bao buns → Dinner rolls split in half
- Store-bought → Homemade if you have all day
- Regular buns → Naan bread for fusion twist
Topping Changes:
- Sesame seeds → Crushed peanuts
- Pickled carrots → Store-bought pickled vegetables
- Fresh cilantro → Green onions only
- Cucumber → Shredded cabbage
Tasty Twists on Korean Chicken Bao Buns
Extra Spicy Version:
- Double the gochujang for heat lovers
- Add sliced fresh jalapeños to toppings
- Drizzle extra sauce on finished buns
- Keep milk ready (learned this the hard way)
BBQ Fusion Style:
- Mix gochujang with barbecue sauce
- Add coleslaw instead of pickled vegetables
- Use pulled chicken instead of chunks
- Creates smoky-sweet combination
Breakfast Bao:
- Scrambled eggs with green onions
- Crispy bacon pieces
- Hash browns tucked inside
- Weekend brunch favorite
Vegetarian Option:
- Marinated mushrooms in same sauce
- Extra pickled vegetables
- Avocado slices
- Filling and tasty
Kid-Friendly Version:
- Kids actually eat these
- Less gochujang, more honey
- Plain cucumber instead of pickles
- Mild chicken with familiar flavors
Equipment
- Large skillet for cooking chicken
- Steamer basket or bamboo steamer
- Sharp knife for chopping
- Small mixing bowls for sauce
- Tongs for handling hot buns
Storing Your Korean Chicken Bao Buns
Fridge Storage (3-4 days):
- Store cooked chicken filling in sealed container
- Keep leftover buns wrapped in damp paper towel
- Refrigerate pickled vegetables separately
- Reheat chicken in skillet with splash of water
Freezer Storage (1 month):
- Freeze cooked chicken in portions
- Wrap unused buns individually in plastic
- Skip freezing fresh vegetables (they get mushy)
- Thaw overnight before reheating
Reheating Tips:
- Steam buns for 2-3 minutes to refresh
- Warm chicken gently in microwave or skillet
- Don't reheat assembled buns (they get soggy)
- Make fresh pickles - they only take 15 minutes
Make-Ahead Strategy:
- Set up assembly station for family build-your-own
- Cook chicken filling day before
- Prep all vegetables and store separately
- Steam buns just before serving
What to Serve With Korean Chicken Bao Buns
These Korean chicken bao buns work well as a complete meal on their own, but pairing them with the right sides makes dinner even better. Simple steamed rice soaks up any extra sauce that drips from the buns, and a light cucumber salad with rice vinegar dressing cuts through the rich flavors. Asian-style slaw with sesame dressing adds extra crunch and freshness that complements the pickled vegetables already in the buns.
For drinks, cold beer works perfectly with the spicy-sweet flavors, while iced tea or sparkling water with lime helps cool your palate between bites. If you want to make it a bigger spread, add some Korean corn dogs, vegetable spring rolls, or simple miso soup. The key is keeping sides light and fresh so they don't compete with the bold flavors of the buns. These work great for casual dinners, game day snacks, or weekend gatherings where people can build their own.
Top Tip
The biggest mistake people make is rushing the sauce. When you add the gochujang mixture to the chicken, resist the urge to crank up the heat to speed things along. Medium heat lets the sauce reduce properly and coat the chicken without burning the sugars in the honey. If you go too high, you'll end up with bitter, charred bits that ruin the whole dish. Take those extra five minutes - your taste buds will thank you.
Don't skip the resting step after cooking the chicken. Let it sit in the pan for two minutes after you turn off the heat - the residual heat finishes cooking everything evenly and the sauce thickens up perfectly. Meanwhile, keep those steamed buns warm in the steamer with the heat off. Cold buns are dense and chewy, but properly warmed ones are light and fluffy. The contrast between the sticky, savory chicken and those pillowy buns is what makes this Korean chicken bao buns recipe so addictive.
The Korean Chicken Bao Buns Dish My Grandmother Taught Me to Love
My grandmother never made Korean chicken bao buns she barely knew what Korean food was living in small-town Ohio. But she taught me something more valuable: how to take ingredients that seem fancy or foreign and make them work in your own kitchen. She'd look at recipes in magazines and figure out how to recreate them with what she could find at the local grocery store, never letting unfamiliar techniques intimidate her.
When I first wanted to make these buns, I remembered her approach. Instead of searching for specialty stores or giving up when I couldn't find exact ingredients, I started with what I had and made substitutions until it tasted right. She would have loved watching me steam buns in her old metal colander, probably laughing at how complicated I was making something that just needed to be hot and fluffy. The dish she taught me to love wasn't any specific recipe - it was the confidence to experiment and the patience to keep trying until you get it right.
FAQ
What is a Korean bao bun?
Korean bao buns are soft, steamed bread rolls filled with Korean Chicken Bao Buns flavored ingredients like gochujang-glazed chicken. They're fusion food that combines traditional Chinese steamed buns with Korean spices and cooking techniques. The buns themselves are pillowy and slightly sweet, perfect for soaking up bold Korean sauces.
What are chicken bao buns?
Chicken bao buns are steamed bread rolls stuffed with seasoned chicken filling. The chicken is usually cooked in flavorful sauces and paired with fresh vegetables and pickled toppings. They're handheld street food that originated in China but now have many international variations.
What is Korean style chicken bao?
Korean style chicken bao features chicken cooked with Korean Chicken Bao Buns ingredients like gochujang, soy sauce, and sesame oil. The flavors are typically sweet, spicy, and umami-rich. Fresh toppings like pickled vegetables and cilantro add crunch and brightness to balance the rich chicken.
What do you put on a chicken bao bun?
Common toppings include pickled vegetables, fresh cucumber, cilantro, green onions, and sesame seeds. Some people add kimichi, lettuce, or avocado. The key is balancing the rich chicken with fresh, crunchy elements that add texture and cut through the sauce.
Now you have all the secrets to making perfect Korean chicken bao buns - from the sticky gochujang glaze to steaming techniques that create fluffy, pillowy buns. This fusion recipe brings the excitement of Korean street food to your dinner table without requiring special equipment or hard-to-find ingredients.
Craving more handheld favorites? Try our Crispy Korean Corn Dogs Recipe for another street food classic that's perfect for sharing. Looking for more Asian fusion? Our Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowls Recipe delivers similar flavors in a different format. Want to round out the meal? Our Quick Asian Cucumber Salad Recipe provides the perfect cooling contrast to these spicy-sweet buns!
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Pairing
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Korean Chicken Bao Buns
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Cut chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and mix the marinade ingredients together.
- Cook chicken until golden brown, then simmer with the sauce until sticky and flavorful.
- Steam bao buns for 8-10 minutes until they are soft, fluffy, and piping hot.
- Mix vinegar, sugar, and salt, then soak thinly sliced carrots for at least 15 minutes.
- Open warm bao buns, add glazed chicken, and top with fresh vegetables and herbs.
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