Outdoor Cooking & Charcoal Oven Recipes / Chicken

Korean bulgogi chicken skewers grilled over charcoal

Cooked in the Charlie Charcoal Oven

Korean Bulgogi BBQ Chicken Skewers

Pear, soy and sesame flavour these chicken thigh skewers before they meet the charcoal. The marinade gives them sweet, caramelised edges, and the remaining marinade is cooked into a sauce. Finish with sesame seeds and serve over rice. Sticky, savoury and easy to keep eating.

Tara QuickCo-founder, Charlie Oven
Grill
Prep15 minutes plus marinating
CookAbout 5 minutes
Serves4
DifficultyEasy
Oven temperature230°C (445°F)
RackCharlie Oven Cooking Rack on the lower rack, skewers directly on the bars
CharcoalAbout half a football of good quality lumpwood charcoal

Charlie Oven — https://charlieoven.com/en-au/blogs/charcoal-recipes/korean-bulgogi-bbq-chicken-skewers

Share

EmailPin this recipe

Ingredients

4 servings

For the marinade

For the skewers

To serve

Equipment

Method

Setting up Charlie
  1. Position the cooking rack on the bottom shelf before lighting the fire.
  2. Light a good amount of quality lumpwood charcoal and allow the oven to reach 230°C (445°F) with the door closed.
  3. Leave the door open during cooking with the skewer ends positioned off the rack for easy access and turning.

Marinate

  1. Blend the marinade

    Put the onion, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, black pepper and pears into a blender and blend until smooth.

  2. Prepare the chicken

    Remove the skin and any fat from the chicken thighs and cut the meat into strips.

  3. Marinate the chicken

    Add the chicken to the marinade, mix well, cover and leave for a minimum of 30 minutes, or overnight in the fridge.
    30 min timer
    Why this mattersPear contains natural enzymes that tenderise the chicken, and its sugars are what caramelise on the grill. The longer the chicken sits in the marinade, the more flavour it takes on.

Skewer

  1. Thread the skewers

    Lift the chicken out of the marinade and thread it onto steel skewers, adding onion slices between the pieces if you like. Leave a small gap between each piece so the heat can reach all sides. Keep the leftover marinade for the sauce.

Light Charlie

  1. Set the rack and light Charlie

    Put the Cooking Rack into position on the bottom shelf before you light the fire. Light good-quality lumpwood charcoal with a natural firelighter, open the vents, close the door and bring Charlie up to 230°C (445°F).
    Why this mattersThe bottom shelf sits closest to the charcoal, so it gives the direct heat you need for a quick char. It is far easier and safer to position the rack before the fire is lit than to move it once the oven is hot.

Grill

  1. Grill the first side

    Lay the skewers on the rack so the chicken grills directly on the steel rods, with the skewer ends sitting off the rack for easy turning. Leave the door open. Don't touch the skewers until they come away cleanly from the rods, which should take about 3 minutes.
    3 min timer
    Why this mattersIf the chicken sticks, it isn't ready to turn. Once the surface has caramelised it releases from the rods by itself, and forcing it earlier tears the meat and leaves the best bits behind.

  2. Cook the sauce

    Meanwhile, pour the leftover marinade into a heat-safe pan and put it in Charlie alongside the chicken. Cook it until it bubbles and sizzles for a minute or two.
    2 min timer
    Why this mattersThe marinade has held raw chicken, so it must be cooked through before it is served. It thickens as it bubbles into a glossy sauce.

  3. Turn and finish

    Once the skewers release, turn them over and cook for about 2 minutes on the second side, until the chicken is caramelised and cooked through with no pink in the middle.
    2 min timer

Serve

  1. Serve

    Serve the skewers with rice, spoon over the sauce and scatter sesame seeds on top.

Tips

  • For the best flavour, marinate the chicken overnight in the fridge. The longer the marinade sits, the more tender and flavourful the meat becomes.
  • Use Asian pears if available for a more authentic bulgogi taste, but regular pears work equally well as a substitute.
  • Steel skewers are essential for the Charlie Oven as wooden skewers will burn at high temperatures. Leave small gaps between chicken pieces to ensure even cooking.
  • Keep a close eye on the skewers as they cook quickly at high heat. The sugars in the marinade can char fast, so timing is key.
  • The reduced marinade glaze adds extra depth, so don't skip this step. It transforms the dish from great to extraordinary.

More recipes

The cook

Tara Quick

Co-founder, Charlie Oven

Tara Quick is co-founder of Charlie Oven, a lifelong foodie who loves to cook and bring people together around the table. Her approach is simple: start with great ingredients, let the oven do the hard work and cook with love. Food made with love just tastes better.

More recipes by Tara Quick

Frequently asked questions

  • Can I use something other than chicken?

    Yes. Beef, pork, prawns or aubergine all work with the same marinade. Prawns and thin slices of beef cook even faster than chicken, so keep an eye on them.

  • Can I use wooden skewers?

    Steel skewers are best. Wooden skewers burn at the high heat on the bottom shelf of Charlie.

  • Is it safe to use the leftover marinade as a sauce?

    Yes, as long as you cook it through. Heat it in a pan in Charlie until it bubbles and sizzles for a minute or two before serving.

  • Which rack should I use?

    The bottom shelf, close to the charcoal. Lower racks are hotter and more direct, which gives the chicken a quick char. Upper racks are gentler and would stew rather than grill it.

  • Can I make this in a Cheeky Charlie?

    Yes. Use the lowest rack position, bring it up to 230°C (446°F) and grill in the same way, in batches if needed.