I don’t like anything spicy, how can I adjust the spice level?

Omit the sriracha and find a mild kimchi. Kimchi usually comes either mild or spicy and sometimes the spicy variety can be real spicy!

How should I store leftovers?

Store the individual components: kimchi, chicken and toppings, in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to four days. Assemble each taco as you’re ready to eat it! If you aren’t fussy about a slightly soggy tortilla you can store fully assembled tacos in the fridge (this is what I did and I thought they were delish).

I don’t like kimchi, what could I use instead?

A couple options: 1) omit it. The tacos will still be delicious with the chicken, veggies, avocado, etc. 2) use thinly sliced fresh green cabbage or 3) trust me! Caramelizing kimchi mellows it out, who knows, you might like it this way.

What’s the best way to warm tortillas?

I love to char them directly over my gas flame. You could also wrap them in a damp paper towel and warm for about 30 seconds in the microwave or wrap in foil and warm for 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

What should I serve with these Korean chicken tacos?

This cucumber edamame salad , steamed jasmine rice or steamed broccoli.

How do I make this gluten-free?

Use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce and either gluten-free tortillas or 100% corn tortillas.

How can I make this nut-free?

A couple options: 1) use sunflower seed butter instead of peanut butter or 2) omit the peanut butter from the sauce. The sauce will still be delicious without it but peanut butter does help to thicken so if you omit, consider adding a teaspoon or so cornstarch to the sauce. Omit the peanuts on top, try crispy onions instead!

Korean Chicken Tacos with Caramelized Kimchi

Name: Korean Chicken Tacos Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon avocado oil; 1lb ground chicken; pinches of salt and pepper; 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce; 2 tablespoons brown sugar; 3 cloves garlic, minced; ½ tablespoon ginger paste or 1-inch fresh ginger, grated; 1 tablespoon peanut butter; 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil; 1 teaspoon sriracha, optional; 3 tablespoons warm water; 2 cups kimchi, roughly chopped; 2 teaspoons toasted avocado oil; 2 teaspoons brown sugar; 8 fajita-size (6-inch) flour tortillas; For serving: cucumbers, carrots, avocado, fresh herbs (fresh cilantro, mint and green onions), crushed peanuts, sriracha mayo (see note), lime wedges

Description

Saucy chicken, caramelized kimchi, crunchy veggies, avocado, ground peanuts and a creamy sriracha drizzle, these Korean chicken tacos have it all! Flavorful taco dinner, here we come!

Ingredients

Units Scale

Chicken

1 tablespoon avocado oil
1lb ground chicken
pinches of salt and pepper
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tablespoon ginger paste or 1-inch fresh ginger, grated
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon sriracha, optional
3 tablespoons warm water

Caramelized kimchi

2 cups kimchi, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons toasted avocado oil
2 teaspoons brown sugar

8 fajita-size (6-inch) flour tortillas
For serving: cucumbers, carrots, avocado, fresh herbs (fresh cilantro, mint and green onions), crushed peanuts, sriracha mayo (see note), lime wedges

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Instructions

Chicken: heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground chicken and cook, breaking it up with a spatula, until fully cooked through, about 5-6 minutes. Season with pinches of salt and pepper. While the chicken is cooking, whisk together the sauce: 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 3 cloves minced garlic, ½ tablespoon ginger paste, 1 tablespoon peanut butter, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, 1 teaspoon sriracha and 3 tablespoons warm water, until smooth and well-combined. Reduce the heat to low and add the sauce to the chicken, stirring to combine.
Kimchi: in a small skillet over medium heat add 2 teaspoons avocado oil. When the oil is hot, add the chopped kimchi. Cook for five minutes, until much of the moisture has evaporated from the kimchi. Add 2 teaspoons brown sugar and continue cooking, until the kimchi is softened and caramelizing around the edges, another five minutes. If there are a lot of stuck on bits, deglaze the pan with a splash of rice vinegar or water!
Veggie prep: slice cucumbers and carrots into thin strips (aka julienne), slice an avocado, chop some fresh herbs and peanuts. Choose your journey with the toppings!
Assembly: warm the tortillas in the oven or microwave, or if you have a gas stovetop I like to ‘grill’ my tortillas for a few seconds on each side directly on the gas flame. To each tortilla add a scoop of Korean chicken, spoonful of caramelized kimchi and then pile on fresh veggies, avocado and herbs. Finish up with a hefty sprinkle of peanuts, drizzle of sriracha mayo (see note) and squeeze of lime juice.

It’s time for tacos baybay. Lucky you!

Notes

Sriracha mayo: sometimes I buy sriracha mayo but it’s very easy to make. All you need is sriracha and mayo, go figure! I like a ratio of 5 tablespoons mayo to 2 teaspoons sriracha. You could start there and adjust with more mayo if you like less spicy or more sriracha if you like more spicy. You can thin it out with a little water or fresh lime juice to make it more drizzleable. Another very delicious option is this kimchi mayo!

Refer to above blog post for tips and tricks, process photos and answers to frequently asked questions!

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Nutrition

Serving Size: 2 tacos (calculated with carrot, cucumber, avocado, fresh herbs + 2 teaspoons sriracha mayo as toppings)
Calories: 535
Sugar: 9.5 g
Sodium: 1324.3 mg
Fat: 24.3 g
Carbohydrates: 53.6 g
Fiber: 4.8 g
Protein: 28.4 g
Cholesterol: 96.3 mg