Korean Fried Chicken Smash Tacos

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Korean Fried Chicken Smash Tacos

Crispy, sticky, sweet, and spicy - this Korean fried chicken smash taco mash-up is a serious contender for my favorite smash taco yet. Think juicy chicken topped with panko, pan-fried until golden, brushed with a sticky gochujang glaze, and loaded with a zingy slaw. No deep-frying, no messy coating.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: korean chicken tacos, smash tacos

Servings: servings

Calories: 575kcal

Author: Kate Phillips

Ingredients

For the tacos -

1 lb ground chicken (500g)
1- inch piece of ginger grated
2 garlic cloves crushed
1 tablespoon gochujang paste
1 tablespoon sweet chili jam or sweet chili sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
12 mini tortillas
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
Olive oil for cooking

For the sticky gochujang glaze -

¼ cup gochujang paste
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons sweet chili jam or use sweet chili sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 - 2 tablespoons water if needed

For the toppings -

½ white cabbage thinly sliced
1 cucumber diced
2 scallions finely sliced
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
Sesame seeds
A handful of cilantro leaves
Spicy mayonnaise or aioli

Instructions

Mix the chicken topping.
To a large bowl, add the ground chicken, grated ginger, crushed garlic, 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of gochujang paste, 1 tablespoon of sweet chili jam, and 2 teaspoons of sesame oil. Mix well to combine.

PRO TIP: If you'd like to check the seasoning of your topping, you can pan-fry a little of the chicken mixture and taste it now.

Press the topping onto your tacos.
Scoop up a heaped spoonful of the chicken mixture and spread it onto a tortilla, using the back of your spoon to smooth it into a thin, even layer. Roughly ¼ inch thick works well. You can go right to the edge of the tortilla. Repeat with the rest of the mixture.
Add your crispy panko topping.
Pour your panko breadcrumbs into a bowl or a lipped plate that will fit your tortillas. Press the topped tacos, meat side down, into the panko breadcrumbs.
Press down on the tortilla so the breadcrumbs stick to the topping. Carefully remove and set aside, then repeat with the remaining tortillas.
Make the zingy slaw.
To a small bowl, add the diced cucumber, shredded cabbage, sliced scallions, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar. Toss to combine, then set aside.
Make the sticky gochujang glaze.
Set a small pan over medium heat, and add ¼ cup gochujang paste, 2 tablespoons of light soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of sweet chilli jam, 2 tablespoons of honey, and 2 teaspoons of sesame oil.
Mix to combine well, and keep stirring as the sauce loosens up and starts to bubble. It should be deeply red and sticky. At this point, remove the pan from the heat. If your sauce is very thick, you can mix in a little water to loosen it up.

PRO TIP: Taste your sauce and adjust the seasoning as you prefer - add a little more light soy sauce if you'd prefer it less sweet, or add a little more honey if it's a bit spicy.

Cook the tacos.
Set a large frying pan or skillet over high heat. Drizzle the pan with a little olive oil, then add your topped tacos, chicken side down, into the pan. Use a fish slice or flat spatula to really press the tacos into the pan - this 'smashes' the tacos and ensures they cook quickly, the panko crisps up well, and helps the chicken stick to the tortilla.
Cook for four minutes, then flip and cook for a further minute to crisp up the tortilla. Remove from the pan and repeat with the remaining tacos.
Top and serve.
Drizzle the cooked tacos with some of the gochujang glaze, then spoon over the zingy slaw. Drizzle with spicy aioli, then scatter with cilantro and the sesame seeds. Enjoy while hot and crispy.

Notes

INGREDIENT NOTES: Swap ground chicken for turkey, pork, beef or a plant-based alternative. You can also blitz 1 lb of skinless, boneless chicken thighs in a food processor to make your own ground chicken if it's tricky to find. Use regular breadcrumbs instead of panko if you like. I love using this spicy gochujang aioli for the tacos, or you could use Kewpie mayo.

PREP AHEAD: You can get ahead in a couple of ways. The ground chicken mixture can be made two days ahead of time and stored in the fridge until you're ready to cook. The topped (raw) tacos themselves will keep well for 24 hours in the fridge - just use pieces of parchment paper to separate them when you store them in a container so they don't stick together. The gochujang glaze keeps well for at least one week in the fridge once mixed, and the zingy slaw can be made three days ahead of time. Store it in the fridge until you're ready to serve.

MEAT NOT STICKING? A non-stick pan definitely makes things easier, and you want to ensure there's a decent drizzle of oil in the pan. You also need to make sure it's nice and hot when you add the tacos, and you need to firmly press down on them in the pan to 'smash' and seal the meat to the tacos. If the meat doesn't stick, don't worry too much! It doesn't make a difference to the finished tacos.

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