Korean Fire Chicken with Cheese (Cheese Buldak)

This Korean Fire Chicken With Cheese (Cheese Buldak) packs a punch not just with flavor but with heat too. The sauce is hot with a subtle sweetness to it. Eat it with rice and you have yourself the perfect meal.

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**Recipe originally published: October 1, 2021, Post updated: September 13, 2023

korean spicy chicken with cheese

Korean Fire Chicken with Cheese (Cheese Buldak). Here’s a spicy treat for those who are addicted to food packed with heat.

The Korean term ‘Buldak’ literally translates to “fire chicken”, and that in itself is a huge hint as to how spicy this dish can be. The marinade consists of hot pepper flakes (gochugaru) and hot pepper paste (gochujang), making up the “fire” part of the dish.

Though the chicken is perfectly delicious just as is, pairing it up with some melted cheese gives it that extra oomph with every bite. I personally love twirling the cheese around the pieces of chicken and getting those satisfying cheese pulls.

Ingredients

(For full ingredient measurements, please proceed to the recipe card below.)

• Boneless chicken thigh: I love using chicken thighs because of how tender they are. But you can try it with chicken breast as well.
• Small cabbage
• Garlic 
• Ginger 
• Onion
• Mozzarella cheese 

Buldak sauce

• Gochujang
• Gochugaru 
• Light soy sauce
• Neutral oil
• Honey
• Sugar
• Sesame oil

how to make cheese buldak (korean fire chicken with cheese)

1. Add all the buldak sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
2. Add diced chicken, cabbage, ginger, garlic and onions in a bowl.
3. Pour the buldak sauce into the the bowl and mix well.
4. Let it marinate at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
5. Pan fry the chicken in a cast iron skillet/oven safe pan over high heat for 10 minutes or until the chicken cooks. Stirring occasionally.
6. Add cheese on top and broil for 3-5 minutes in the oven. Alternatively, use a a kitchen torch. Leave until these fully melts and serve. Enjoy! (see notes)

Notes for Korean Fire Chicken with Cheese (Cheese Buldak)

• Gochugaru: Amount of gochugaru used should be up to heat preference. Add more if you want it extra spicy. Taste as you go.
• Broil the cheese
  • If you’re using a cast iron skillet/oven safe frying pan, add the cheese on top and broil for a few minutes/until the cheese melts.
  • If you are not using a cast iron skillet/oven safe frying pan, add cheese on top after cooking and cover with a lid until it melts. You can also transfer the chicken to a microwave/oven safe serving plate. Add the cheese and microwave or place in oven until the cheese melts.
• Substitutes: Instead of chicken, you can also try to swap it out with shrimp, squid, sausages, or even mushrooms! (King oyster mushrooms might be a good option).
• Additions: You can also try to add on some Korean rice cakes to the dish!

More Korean Recipes

• Kimchi Fried Rice
• Gyeran Bap (Korean Fried Egg Rice)
• Cheesy Korean Fried Chicken
• Spicy Noodles With Korean Corn Cheese
• Mayak Eggs (Korean Marinated Eggs)

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Korean Spicy Fire Chicken with Cheese (Cheese Buldak)

This Korean Fire Chicken With Cheese (Cheese Buldak) packs a punch not just with flavor but with heat too. The sauce is hot with a subtle sweetness to it. Eat it with rice and you have yourself the perfect meal.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 35 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Asian, Korean

Servings 2

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1.5 lb boneless chicken thigh diced
• 1/4 small cabbage sliced lengthwise
• 1 tbsp garlic minced/grated
• 1 tsp ginger minced/grated
• 1/2 onion sliced – optional
• mozzarella cheese shredded

Buldak sauce

• 2 tbsp gochujang
• 3 tbsp gochugaru see notes
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp sesame oil

Instructions

 

• Add all the buldak sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
• Add diced chicken, cabbage, ginger, garlic and onions in a bowl.
• Pour the buldak sauce into the the bowl and mix well.
• Let it marinate at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
• Pan fry the chicken in a cast iron skillet/oven safe pan over high heat for 10 minutes or until the chicken cooks. Stirring occasionally.
• Add cheese on top and broil for 3-5 minutes in the oven. Alternatively, use a a kitchen torch. Leave until these fully melts and serve. Enjoy! (see notes)

Notes

*Amount of gochugaru used should be up to heat preference. Add more if you want it extra spicy. Taste as you go.

*If you’re using a cast iron skillet/oven safe frying pan, add the cheese on top and broil for a few minutes/until the cheese melts.

*If you are not using a cast iron skillet/oven safe frying pan, add cheese on top after cooking and cover with a lid until it melts. You can also transfer the chicken to a microwave/oven safe serving plate. Add the cheese and microwave or place in oven until the cheese melts.

Keyword buldak, cheese chicken, fire chicken, korean, spicy fire chicken

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