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Korean Chicken Bao with Gochujang Sauce and Fresh Toppings Recipe

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★★★★★

4.5 from 51 reviews

This Korean Chicken Bao recipe features soft, fluffy steamed bao buns filled with crispy, marinated fried chicken coated in a flavorful, spicy-sweet Korean gochujang sauce. Topped with fresh cucumber, red onion, coriander, and sesame seeds, this dish offers a perfect balance of textures and bold tastes ideal for an exciting homemade Asian-inspired meal.

Ingredients

Scale

Bao Bun Dough

  • 450 g (3 3/4 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
  • 2 tbsp caster sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 tsp (equivalent to one packet or 7g) instant dried yeast
  • 3 tbsp whole milk
  • 210 ml (3/4 cup + 2 tbsp) warm water
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter (very soft)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil (for brushing)

Korean Chicken Marinade

  • 4 chicken breasts (sliced into bite-size chunks)
  • 240 ml (1 cup) buttermilk
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp white pepper
  • ¼ tsp garlic salt

Crispy Coating for Chicken

  • 180 g (1 1/2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • ½ tsp garlic salt
  • ½ tsp celery salt
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp chilli flakes
  • Vegetable oil for deep frying (at least 1 litre / 4 cups)

Korean Sauce

  • 2 tbsp gochujang paste
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 4 tbsp brown sugar
  • 4 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 cloves garlic (peeled and minced)
  • 2 tsp minced ginger
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil

Toppings and Garnish

  • 1 small red onion (thinly sliced)
  • ¼ cucumber (chopped into small pieces)
  • Small bunch of fresh coriander (cilantro, roughly chopped)
  • 2 tsp black and white sesame seeds

Instructions

  1. Make the bao dough: In a large bowl, mix the flour, caster sugar, salt, and instant yeast together. In a jug, combine milk, warm water, and very soft butter, stirring until the butter melts. Gradually add this liquid to the dry ingredients, mixing first with a spoon then kneading by hand on a floured surface for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Alternatively, use a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook to knead.
  2. First proving of dough: Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with cling film or a damp tea towel, and allow to prove in a warm place until doubled in size, about 90 minutes to 2 hours.
  3. Marinate the chicken: While the dough proves, combine chicken pieces with buttermilk, salt, white pepper, and garlic salt in a bowl. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  4. Shape the buns: Once the dough has risen, punch it down and knead briefly on a floured surface. Divide into 20 equal balls. Using baking parchment, roll each ball into an oval approximately 6cm x 9cm. Brush each oval with olive oil.
  5. Form the bao puckers: Fold each oiled oval over by placing a chopstick lengthwise in the middle. Fold the dough over the chopstick and then remove the chopstick carefully to leave a space in the middle fold. Place each folded bun on a small square of baking parchment to prevent sticking.
  6. Second proving of buns: Arrange the buns on baking trays with the parchment, cover loosely with cling film or a carrier bag, ensuring the plastic doesn’t touch the dough, and let them prove again for about 1 hour until puffed up.
  7. Preheat and prepare for frying: Preheat the oven to a low setting to keep cooked chicken warm. Heat vegetable oil in a large deep pan or deep fryer to around 180°C (356°F). To test, drop a small bread cube in the oil; if it rises quickly with bubbles, the oil is ready. You will need about 1 litre (4 cups) of oil.
  8. Prepare the crispy coating: In a small bowl, combine plain flour, salt, pepper, garlic salt, celery salt, dried thyme, paprika, baking powder, and chilli flakes. Mix thoroughly.
  9. Coat the chicken: Remove chicken from buttermilk marinade a piece at a time, letting excess liquid drip off. Dredge each piece thoroughly in the crispy coating mixture and place on a tray. Repeat for all pieces.
  10. Fry the chicken: Fry the chicken in batches, adding 10-12 pieces at a time to the hot oil without overcrowding. Fry for 3-5 minutes until golden brown and cooked through (no pink inside). Use a knife to check doneness if needed.
  11. Keep fried chicken warm: Transfer cooked chicken to a tray and keep warm in the low oven while you fry remaining chicken.
  12. Steam the bao buns: Bring water to boil in a large steamer. Place buns on their baking parchment squares into the steamer basket in batches (up to four per layer). Steam for 10 minutes until soft and fluffy. Remove and keep warm.
  13. Make the Korean sauce: In a saucepan, combine gochujang paste, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, minced garlic, minced ginger, vegetable oil, and sesame oil. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
  14. Toss chicken in sauce: Place all fried chicken in a bowl, pour sauce over, and toss well to coat fully. Optionally, slice chicken into smaller pieces.
  15. Assemble the baos: Open each steamed bao bun carefully. Fill with a portion of the coated Korean chicken. Top with sliced red onion, chopped cucumber, fresh coriander, and sprinkle with black and white sesame seeds before serving.

Notes

  • Use warm water (not hot) to activate the yeast properly during dough making.
  • Keeping the baking parchment under the buns during steaming helps prevent sticking and ease handling.
  • If you don’t have a deep fryer, use a heavy-based deep pan suitable for frying and a thermometer to maintain oil temperature.
  • Do not overcrowd the frying pan to ensure even cooking and retain crispiness.
  • For a spicier sauce, adjust the amount of gochujang or add extra chilli flakes.
  • These baos are best eaten fresh but can be kept covered at room temperature for a few hours; reheat by steaming before serving.

Keywords: Korean chicken bao, bao buns, Korean fried chicken, steamed buns, gochujang sauce, Asian street food, homemade bao

Find it online: https://recipeswithria.com/korean-chicken-bao-with-gochujang-sauce-and-fresh-toppings-recipe/