Recipe: Fire Chicken

Get ready for a fiery treat with this popular Korean pub snack. Bits of chicken are soy-marinated, slathered with a chili-laced barbeque sauce, and broiled to a crispy char. Spicy delicious!

Marinade:
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons cheongju rice wine (substitute Japanese sake)

Combine all ingredients in a measuring cup and set aside.

Barbeque Sauce:
1 Asian pear, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped (substitute pear or apple)
1 jalapeno, deseeded and coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 knob ginger root, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon dark corn syrup or honey
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon cheongju rice wine (substitute Japanese sake)
1 tablespoon kochujang Korean chili sauce (substitute chili garlic sauce or sambal oelek)
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree to a smooth paste

Fire Chicken:
4 boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into2" chunks
Roasted sesame seeds for garnish
2 scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish

Place the chicken pieces in a shallow container with a tight-fitting lid. Pour marinade over chicken, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, or overnight, turning occasionally to ensure even marinating. At cooking time, preheat the oven to 400 degrees, remove the chicken from the marinade and transfer to a mixing bowl. Pour half of the barbeque sauce over the chicken and stir to coat. Place the chicken on a lightly oiled baking sheet and broil for 30 minutes, turning after 15 minutes for even browning. Brush the chicken on both sides with the remaining sauce, set the broiler to high temperature, and broil until the chicken begins to char, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from the oven and serve immediately. Serves 4.