Smoked chicken. Ah!
The latest addition to the Korean food craze – we can’t stop craving these delectable chicken pieces. A few months ago, we would have never fangirled about Korean smoked chicken!
However, after our recent trip to Seoul, corn dogs are not our only option when it comes to finding yummy street food in Seoul.
While we couldn’t stop raving about corn dogs, we were even more surprised to find how good Korean smoked chicken tastes! Of course, we were familiar with smoked chicken (aren’t we all?) – but the Korean version is just too good to be true!
And the thing about South Korean food is it’s abundantly available throughout the country – so we had no difficulty trying out smoked chicken from different places!
We were already fans of Korean fried chicken. But to be honest, the smoky twist is exactly what this dish needed! And now that we have had it – we are recommending these street delicacies to everyone.
So, today, all we are going to talk about is smoked chicken and all the places you must visit in Seoul to try out these treats – stay tuned!
Contents
But First, Is Smoked Chicken Healthy?
So, is smoked chicken healthy? Are there any benefits of eating these street delicacies?
There are several benefits of eating smoked chicken or smoked meat in general. Obviously, there are certain disadvantages to eating smoked meat – but these disadvantages are so minor that you can very well ignore them!
Smoked meat, including chicken, has a high quantity of protein. And naturally, eating food that is high in protein is good for our health.
Additionally, smoking the meat ensures that all the extra fat is removed. As a result, smoked chicken is not just high in protein but also low in fat.
Moreover, smoked chicken typically retains a majority of its nutrients. But, smoking the meat at a low temperature for a long time ensures that the meat is able to retain its taste, texture, and, most importantly, nutritional value. This is why meat that is smoked properly is considered to be one of the best sources of protein and low fat.
In addition, smoked meat is also a good antioxidant, not to mention a great anti-microbial agent. But if you over-indulge in smoked meat, then it can obviously impact your health negatively. So, it is better to just have a balance when you are consuming smoked meat.
FYI, Here’s What Smoking Means:
Smoked chicken or any other type of meat, such as mutton, pork, etc., offers a mouthwatering flavor – we absolutely agree! The trend of purchasing smoked meat is on the rise – but what does ‘smoking’ in this context exactly mean?
For your information, here’s what smoking your meat means:
Smoking is basically a slow cooking technique that a smoker uses. While the meat is prepared for smoking, it is salted heavily.
Moreover, some ways of smoking meat aim to preserve the meat so that you can store it at room temperature.
7 Best Restaurants to Eat Smoked Chicken in Seoul, South Korea
Korean smoked chicken has its own unique glaze and flavors. Accompanied by an insanely delicious dipping sauce, you can bake or smoke it in the oven – it takes less than an hour to make this at home!
So, before we could make these at home, we had to try out the best Seoul had to offer – and we visited over ten different places for smoked chicken.
Needless to say, we found our top 7 – scroll down to check out the 7 best places serving smoked chicken in Seoul!
(Save this article – you’ll need it when you land in Seoul!)
1. Manimal Smokehouse:
| Address | South Korea, Seoul, Yongsan-gu, Noksapyeong-daero 40-gil, 47 2 층 |
| Opening Hours | Monday – Thursday: 5 to 10 p.m. | Friday – Sunday: 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. |
| Must Try | Brisket, Smoked Chicken, Baby Back Ribs, Manimal Orginal Bacon, Street Corn, etc. |
Review By Ryan:
“Pretty good place; they’ve got the smokers in plain view. The food is pretty good and reminds me of home (USA). I ordered the meat platter, which came with enough food for 5. The meat is good, not quite Texas tender but good. The side dishes like the Mexican corn, mashed potatoes, and mac and cheese were good too.”
2. Smoke Town:
| Address | 68-6 Anjeong-ri, Paengseong-eup, Pyeongtaek-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea |
| Opening Hours | Monday – Sunday: 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. |
| Must Try | BBQ Platter, Smoked Sausages, Pulled Pork, Chicken and Brisket, Baked Beans, etc. |
Review By Bill Beikler:
“Oh my gosh, what do I say? The meat was so tender and perfectly cooked, falling from the bone! Whomever the grill master is, KUDOS TO THE CHEF! If you are craving American Style BBQ, then this is the place! The ribs were done exceptionally, as well as THE BRISKET! The price is somewhat expensive, but deservingly so! As the old adage goes, ‘You get what you pay for!’ 😉 I will definitely go back before I leave here!”
3. Linus BBQ:
| Address | 136-13 Itaewon-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea |
| Opening Hours | Monday – Thursday: 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. & 5 to 9 p.m. | Friday – Sunday: 12 to 3 p.m. & 4:30 to 10 p.m. |
| Must Try | BBQ, Smoked Chicken, Pulled Pork, Skinny Ass Fries, Jalapenos Macaroni Balls, etc. |
Review By Derek Ahn:
“The owner was super friendly, and the staff was very courteous. Most of the staff spoke fluent English, too, and the portion sizes are VERY generous! Would go again the next time I’m in Korea, for a good taste of classic Southern US cuisine.”
4. Hanndul Chicken:
| Address | 27 Cheongpa-ro 85-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea |
| Opening Hours | Monday – Saturday: 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. | Sunday: Closed. |
| Must Try | Fried Chicken, Seasoned Spicy Chicken, Garlic Sauce Chicken, Soy Sauce Chicken, Seafood Tteokbokki, etc. |
Review By Vincent K:
“This was the first place I visited for dinner when I arrived in Seoul. We ordered some Korean Fried chicken to takeaway, and it was delicious. It’s amazing how nice Korean fried chicken can be from just a local restaurant. The owner is very friendly and was helpful despite not speaking much English.
When we wanted to order the spicy version, he suggested we try tasting the sauce first before we ordered in case it was too spicy (and it was!) so we could decide if that’s what we wanted. The meal came with some daikon and Pepsi. Very reasonably priced.”
5. LOCOS BBQ:
| Address | 83 Hoenamu-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea |
| Opening Hours | Monday – Friday: 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. & 4:30 to 9 p.m. | Saturday – Sunday: 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. |
| Must Try | Locos BBQ, Smoked Brisket, Korean Spicy Ribs, Five Pork Platter, Fried Mushrooms, etc. |
Review By Michael Davis:
“This is the most authentic American-style food I’ve had since moving to Seoul two years ago. The ribs melted off the bone, and the brisket was smokey and delicious all around.
Also, their house-made sauces are amazing! If you want a little fusion, ask for some Korean-style BBQ sauce… It’s a delicious twist on Korean gochujang and sweet BBQ flavors. Also loved the Cole slaw.”
6. BBQ Chicken and Beer:
| Address | South Korea, Seoul, Mapo-gu, Jandari-ro 6-gil, 39 2층 |
| Opening Hours | Monday – Sunday: 10 a.m. to 3 a.m. |
| Must Try | Golden Olive Half-And-Half Chicken, Smoked Chicken, Garlic Fried Chicken, Black pepper/Jin King sauce chicken, Cheese Sticks, etc. |
Review By Nix:
“We ordered half half, and it tasted great and had a huge portion (more than a dozen mix cut chicken). I think it’s best for 4 people. If you don’t drink alcohol, order their peach iced tea. It’s really really good.”
7. BB.Q Chicken Myeongdong Star:
| Address | South Korea, Seoul, Jung-gu, Myeongdong 4-gil, 2 2층 |
| Opening Hours | Monday – Friday: 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. | Saturday – Sunday: 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. |
| Must Try | Spicy Chicken, Korean Fried Chicken, Half and Half Chicken, Golden Olive Chicken, Fish Cakes, etc. |
Review By Dee S:
“If you can only eat Korean fried chicken from one place in Seoul, BB.Q Chicken is a pretty good option. The meat was absolutely perfect, the breading was light and flavorful, and the spices were each delicious in their own way.
If there’s a line, wait, it’s worth it. There’s also a daikon and cracker bar where you can load up as much of the pickled white radish as you’d like!”
Bonus Section: How To Make Korean Smoked Chicken at Home?
Welcome to our bonus section!
After coming back from Seoul, we began to look for smoked chicken everywhere. And while we came across different types of smoked chicken – it just wasn’t the Korean version.
Moreover, we were not able to find smoked chicken on the menus of Korean restaurants – in fact, we could only find Korean fried chicken instead.
And while we are big fans of Korean fried chicken – it tastes delicious. But it’s no smoked chicken – trust us on this one!
It was inevitable, really.
We HAD to make it at home. Initially, we were worried it might not turn out to be great. Armed with the authentic recipe (thanks to our Korean friends from Seoul), we actually made smoked chicken at home – needless to say, those were delicious and exactly what we were searching for!
So, without much delay, here’s the secret recipe to make smoked chicken at home.
| Yields | 8 |
| Preparation Time | 5 minutes |
| Total Time | 35 minutes |
Ingredients:
Here are all the ingredients you will need to make Korean smoked chicken at home:
- Chicken Drumsticks – 4 pounds.
- Sesame Seeds – 1 tablespoon.
- Chopped parsley or cilantro – 1 tablespoon.
- Soy Sauce – ¼ cup.
- Honey – ¼ cup.
- Olive 0il – 1 tablespoon.
- Sesame oil – 2 teaspoons.
- Rice wine vinegar – 1 tablespoon.
- Sriracha – 1 tablespoon.
- Minced garlic – 4 cloves.
- Minced ginger – 1 tablespoon.
Directions:
Scroll down and follow the step-by-step recipe to make Korean smoked chicken at home:
Step 1:
First things first – preheat your over to 375℉.
Step 2:
Now, you have to blend your sauces together. Mix sriracha, honey, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, olive oil, rice wine vinegar, and sesame oil in a single bowl, and then set it aside.
Step 3:
Once you have preheated the oven and mixed the sauces, it’s time to bake the chicken. Just take a big baking dish, place the chicken in it, and pour the sauce over the chicken. Ensure you are pouring sauce over each piece of chicken.
Then, start flipping the chicken pieces to make sure that they are entirely covered in the sauce. Now, all you have to do is bake the chicken pieces for exactly 20 minutes.
Step 4:
After 20 minutes, you take the chicken out, brush some sauce on top of it from the pan, and bake it for another 15 to 20 minutes.
While doing this, if you are worried about undercooking or overcooking the chicken, just ensure that the thickest pieces of chicken register 165℉ in the middle.
Step 5:
Once you finish baking the chicken for a second time, let it rest for 5 minutes. Don’t forget to sprinkle chopped cilantro and sesame seeds generously on top of it before you finally serve it.
Smoked Chicken Is the New Roast Chicken!
While we have always loved eating roast or grilled chicken, we have never really had Korean smoked chicken before. But ever since we got back from Seoul, we have been obsessed with smoked chicken.
Since we can have smoked chicken at home now, thanks to our backyard pellet grill, we love how the chicken turns out to be once we are done cooking it – we love its burnished dark brown color. It’s the literal definition of Golden Brown – and the best part? It tastes as good as it looks like!
The meat is juicy and moist – and has this delectable flavor we are so obsessed with! Try this out – trust us, you will have a new obsession in your life!
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