Korean Chicken with Nugget Potatoes

This excellent chicken recipe comes from home cooks extraordinaire George and Linda Froehlich of Vancouver, who describe it as “out of this world.” The Froehlichs also say:

“This chicken is super moist with crisp skin. Garlic and ginger infuse the spicy Korean BBQ sauce. The small nugget potatoes rich in chicken drippings and sauce are an amazing addition. You’ll want to make this dish over and over.” I agree! 

Korean Chicken with Nugget Potatoes:

One 2-1/2 lb. (1.13 kg) chicken

Salt, as desired

1 small lemon, quartered

1 tsp. (5 mL) Gochujang paste (See Gochujang and BBQ Sauce Note)

1/3 c. (85 mL) Korean BBQ sauce

2 tbsp. (25 mL) olive oil

1 tsp. (5 mL) grated ginger

1 tbsp. (15 mL) grated garlic

12 nugget potatoes (see Potato Note), skin on

1 green onion, finely sliced and reserved

Preheat oven to 300 deg. F. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel. Discard paper towel and chicken packaging. Wash hands throughly for 20 seconds using hot water and soap. Dry with fresh paper towel; discard that, too. 

Season inside and outside of chicken with salt. Tuck lemon quarters into chicken cavity. Transfer chicken to cast-iron Asian hot pot or large, heavy skillet. Briefly set aside.

In small bowl, combine Gochujang paste with Korean BBQ sauce, whisking well. 

Prick chicken surfaces with sharp knife before brushing with Korean BBQ sauce. Surround chicken with potatoes, coating  all sides of potatoes with sauce and turning midway through cooking.

Transfer skillet to oven, cooking 3 hr. or until legs jiggle.  Check potatoes’ doneness by piercing with sharp knife. Ovens differ: If chicken and potatoes are still not done, cook up to 30 min. more. Some chicken skin should be crisp and blackened.

Turn oven off, leaving oven door slightly open so chicken and potatoes can rest, about 15 min. (I didn’t take this step, but the chicken still turned out perfectly). Transfer chicken and potatoes to plate Garnish with green onion. Serves 2-to-3, with leftovers for another day.

Gochujang and BBQ Sauce Note: Gochujang paste is a rich, aromatic, concentrated chili paste from Korea. Add more than the recipe suggests if you like spicy food. I couldn’t find Korean BBQ sauce in the Asian specialty store I visited, so added a little extra Gochujang paste to regular BBQ sauce. 

Potato Note: I used a large potato sliced approximately 1 x 1 in. (2.54 x 2.54 cm). This worked perfectly. If potatoes are ready and chicken is not, leave potatoes in skillet.

Potato Note: I used a large potato sliced approximately 1 x 1 in. (2.54 x 2.54 cm). This worked perfectly. If potatoes are ready and chicken is not, leave potatoes in skillet.

Start with a naked chicken:
“He-e-y sailor!”

Look for Gochjujang Paste ... Here it is!

Lemon-stuffed and coated, our
chicken looks pornographic!

Et voilà!