This recipe for Hoisin & Gochujang Pulled Chicken Tacos emerged when I asked Andrew to scoop me 6 chicken thighs for a client recipe. However, he mistook my request for 6 POUNDS of chicken haha! I didn’t know what to do with it all at the time so I froze it. Then, a little bit later, I cleaned my fridge from the inside out and wanted to make use of the chicken thighs. That same week, my friend Guneet was going on about his love of tacos with kimchi. One thing lead to another and so I challenged myself to use kimchi and chicken thighs! And alas! These tacos came to life and well, let’s just say it is so good that I had to share it! Scroll below to try this recipe for yourself!

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Hoisin & Gochujang Pulled Chicken Tacos

PREP TIME: 10 MIN
COOK TIME: 10 MIN
BAKE TIME: 90 MIN
SERVES: 6-9

Ingredients:

• 3-4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 Tbs avocado oil
• 1 large sweet onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups diced)
• 3” piece fresh ginger, minced (about 3 Tbs)
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced (about 2 Tbs)
• 1 tsp Chinese five spice blend (cinnamon, anise, fennel, black pepper, cloves)
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
• 3 Tbs Korean chili paste / Gochujang
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar

Topping Suggestions for Hoisin & Gochujang Pulled Chicken Tacos:

• Kimchi
• Avocados, mashed or thinly sliced
• Jalapeños, thinly sliced
• Fresh herbs like cilantro and/or scallions
• Gently pickled root vegetables (like radishes, carrots and/or red onions thinly sliced and marinated overnight in rice vinegar)
• Roasted peanuts, chopped
• Mayo mixed with sriracha (1 cup mayonnaise mixed with 3 Tbs sriracha and 2 Tbs toasted sesame oil)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. In the meantime, pat the chicken thighs dry.
2. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot with a lid, add avocado oil and bring to medium heat. Add the diced onions and cook for 5-10 minutes or until soft, then add the ginger, garlic,  Chinese five spice, salt and black pepper. Stir and cook for another minute or until thoroughly combined and fragrant.
3. Next, nestle the chicken thighs into the onions. Mix together the hoisin sauce, Korean chili paste and rice vinegar, then pour over the chicken. Push down any pieces to ensure everything is submerged into the sauce. Turn off the heat and cover with a lid.
4. Transfer the lidded pot into the oven to bake for 90 minutes or until the chicken is deliciously tender.
5. When ready, remove from the oven and use tongs to transfer the chicken thighs into a large mixing bowl. Use two forks to shred the chicken to preference. Set aside.
6. In the meantime, return the pot to the stovetop and bring the remaining sauce to high heat. Allow to boil and cook until the sauce reduces to half the amount/volume.
7. When ready, pour the thickened sauce over the shredded chicken and toss until evenly combined.
8. Serve with corn tortillas, kimchi, cilantro, scallions, jalapeños, radishes and crushed peanuts (to preference).
9. Top with sriracha mayo (1 cup mayonnaise mixed with 3 Tbs sriracha and 2 Tbs toasted sesame oil) and enjoy!

NOTES: 

• To prepare using a slow cooker, use the same ingredients and follow the recipe above, but transfer the cooked onions into a slow cooker and add the chicken thighs and sauce. Cook for 5-7 hours on low. Use the same directions to thicken the sauce. Enjoy!
• Bone-in chicken thighs with skin work just as well, simply discard the bones and skin before shredding with two forks. The results are even MORE tender, and simply requires an extra step. Also, keep in mind that the weight of skin and bones will add to the overall amount of pounds. In that case, opt for about 5-6 pounds to ensure there is enough meat for the suggested serving amount.

For more delicious recipes to create or pair alongside, visit the Kitchen Journal.