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Chicken Bulgogi Bowl

Name: Chicken Bulgogi Bowl
Prep time: 17 min
Total time: 1 h 7 min
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: boneless chicken — 680 g; soybean soy sauce — 118 g; brown sugar — 38 g; apple — 180 g; garlic — 12 g; ginger — 15 g; dark sesame oil — 27 g; black pepper — 3 g; english cucumber — 200 g; rice wine vinegar — 11 g; salt — 5 g; vegetable oil — 27 g; scallions — 100 g; short-grain white rice — 355 g; ground toasted sesame seeds — 5 g

Chicken Bulgogi Bowl reads umami 7.7, salinity 6.2 and richness 5.7 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Korean main, about 1 hr 7 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 8.6 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 5.5 / 10
Sour & Bright — 3.5 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 1.2 / 10
Rich & Fat — 7.0 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 4.7 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.7 · Salinity 6.2 · Richness 5.7 · Nutty 4.4 · Sweetness 4.3 · Allium 4.1 · Fruity 3.8 · Sourness 3.5 · Funk & Ferment 3.0 · Warm Spice 2.4 · Floral 2.3 · Herbaceous 2.1 · Bitterness 1.0 · Earthy 1.0 · Heat 0.8

What's in it (15)

boneless chicken — 680 g
soybean soy sauce — 118 g
brown sugar — 38 g
apple — 180 g
garlic — 12 g
ginger — 15 g
dark sesame oil — 27 g
black pepper — 3 g
english cucumber — 200 g
rice wine vinegar — 11 g
salt — 5 g
vegetable oil — 27 g
scallions — 100 g
short-grain white rice — 355 g
ground toasted sesame seeds — 5 g

Time & effort: about 1 hr 7 min (17 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 180.1 kcal, 14.1 g protein, 4.7 g fat, 20.2 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

Whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, grated apple, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and black pepper in a large bowl.
Add the chicken to the marinade, toss to coat completely, cover, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
Toss the cucumber with the rice vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt in a small bowl; set aside to quick-pickle while the chicken marinates.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat until shimmering. Lift half the chicken from the marinade with tongs, letting the excess drip back into the bowl, and reserve the remaining marinade.
Add the lifted chicken to the skillet in a single layer and sear undisturbed until deeply browned on the first side, 3-4 minutes; flip and cook until the second side is browned and the chicken reaches 165°F, about 3 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.
Repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the rest of the chicken.
Return all the chicken to the skillet, add the reserved marinade and the scallion whites, and cook, stirring, until the sauce reduces to a glossy glaze that coats the chicken, 2-3 minutes.
Season with the remaining salt to taste.
Divide the warm rice among bowls, top with the glazed chicken, quick-pickled cucumbers, scallion greens, and sesame seeds.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Sheet-Pan Korean Beef Bulgogi Bowls — Korean
Braciole in Sunday Gravy — Italian-American
Teriyaki Beef Skewers — Japanese
Hunan Chicken — Chinese · Hunan
Korean-Style Grilled Short Ribs (Kalbi) — Korean

Keep reading: what umami, salinity, richness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.