Are you always in the market for a special meal that’s exciting and easy, fast enough even, to throw together ad hoc on a weeknight? I completely sympathize! I came across these Korean BBQ Chicken Rice Cups when I was looking for a meal that could bring me mid-week delights, fast.
You can take my word for it, because I have made these dozens of times and adjusted the marinade until the balance of flavors was just so — authentic and easy. So pin this now and thank me later! PS- See notes for the equipment that makes your cups pop out so perfectly!
Korean BBQ Chicken Rice Cups: Flavor-Packed Meal Prep Delights
Ingredients
Method
- Prepare the Rice and Start the Oven Begin by cutting your 1.5 pounds of chicken thighs into small, uniform pieces. I opt for thighs here because they remain juicy.
- Now make the rice: You’ll need 2 cups of sticky white rice, cooked. It’s simplest when the rice is warm. If using warm rice, mix in 1 tablespoon rice vinegar in a small bowl.
- The rice vinegar provides nice acidity and helps the rice to bind. Set the rice aside. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and very lightly grease a baking pan or 12-cup muffin tin so the baked eggs just slide out!
- Now heat 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Once the oil is shimmering, add 1 tablespoon of ginger (grated) and 3 cloves of garlic (minced). Cook for 30 seconds, or until they smell amazing in your kitchen.
- You don’t want to brown the garlic or it becomes bitter, and that wouldn’t be scrumptious. Now throw in your chicken pieces into the pot. Brown the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes, until it is mostly cooked and nicely browned.
- Now that rice is mostly soft and the water has been soaked up by the rice, it’s time to add some flavor. Add ½ cup Korean BBQ sauce, 2 tablespoons soy sauce and the brown sugar to the pan. Tossing until the chicken is coated. Allow this to bubble for 2 minutes. The sauce will get thick and stick to the chicken. Just, until it becomes thick and glossy take off from the heat! The chicken is now prepped for the rice cup.
- Assemble the Rice Cups This step makes (almost) or breaks the recipe! For every cup, portion roughly 1/4 cup of warm, seasoned sticky rice. Press the rice down firmly at the bottom and up the sides of a muffin hole, with an indentation in the centre. You want to press the rice very firmly with your fingers, using a small glass or second spoon – when the rice cups bake, they will hold their shape and contain the chicken filling. Repeat for all twelve cavities. And, if you have some extra rice, you can transform the rice walls into something thicker and firmer.
- Make with Filling and Finishing With Oil Fun part now! Divide the Korean BBQ chicken mixture equally in the center of each rice cup. You want a nice contrast of the shredded chicken and the BBQ sauce in each well. Just before you put them in the oven, lightly drizzle 1 tablespoon sesame oil over the chicken filling in each of the cups. It brings out all the aroma and it also serves to keep moist the filling.
- The Quick Bake and Rest Slide the muffin tin into oven and bake at 375ºF (190ºC) for approximately 10-12 minutes. Think just long enough to brown/crisp up the edges of your rice, and lets your flavors get all melty together. When you take it out of the oven, let it cool 3 minutes. This is important to use on the base; that way the rice will set and it will be easier to remove the cups! Lightly pull out of the muffin tin with a small offset spatula or butter knife.
- Garnish It Up Place your finished cups on a serving platter or dish and sprinkle liberally with some chopped scallions and toasted sesame seeds. All of these toppings serve double duty in that not only do they look good, but the scallions will provide a fresh crunch and the sesame seeds will deliver a nuttiness in flavor. Enjoy these tasty little morsels on the spot!
What Are Korean BBQ Chicken Rice Cups?
Korean BBQ chicken rice cups are just a minimalist bowl of bibimbap, but delivered to yourself in one neat little flavour-bomb of a cup.
We cook simple, slightly sticky rice until it’s still warm, season it carefully and press a portion of it into a muffin tin to create a robust cup.
A Brief Note to their Tasty Roots
The flavors are from a purely authentic Korean BBQ (you call it bulgogi), but this is also one of the fun new smart little fusion dishes.
You take the traditional Korean marinades/sauces with that sweet-and-savory absolutely perfect combination ironed out to within an inch of its life and then apply it to reinventing fast-casual.
Why We Love This Recipe
You’ll love this recipe immediately, because it’s the ultimate mix of sweet and spicy AND umami. Plus, it is delicious to eat!
The cups are perfect for meal prep, freeze like a charm and re-heat in minutes. Messy bowls and spilling ingredients you can toss out.
Tips and Solutions for The Notes Section
I’ll also share more hints and tips along the way to ensure these Korean BBQ Chicken Rice Cups are a success for you and one that you will want to make over and over.
Get Ahead to Keep it Simple
The most important thing about keeping this recipe easy is to cook your rice in advance. If the rice is pre-cooked, you’ll cut your prep time in half!
If you don’t have much time, I also recommend employing store-bought minced garlic and grated ginger.
A Family-Friendly Dinner Option
This is a great route to go that will get your family trying bolder Asian flavors with sweet BBQ sauce they all like.
If you have little ones, swapping the chicken thighs for ground turkey or beef is a breeze. They’ll still appreciate the novelty of the fun handheld shape!
Mistakes to Avoid
Use the wrong rice: You’ll want cooked (or reheated) sticky rice, such as sushi or Calrose. Long-grain rice will not stick together and the cups will fall apart.
Not Enough Pressure on the Rice: If you don’t press down on that rice, pushing it into the tin to create something more solid than an airy pile of grains, when you try to take it out of the tin later, it will be crumbly and fall apart. Pressing is critical!
Skipping the Rice Mix: Do not forget to mix warm cooked rice with ri..raiiman301stagramPost.shared:Don’t skip mixing your warm rice with rice vinegar! This is not just for fun — it cuts the richness and helps the rice taste fresh and balanced.
Store and Reheat Leftovers
These cups are perfect for extras or pre-prepping meals! When they are completely cool, transfer the cups to an airtight container and refrigerate them where they can be maintained for 4 days.
If you are going to freeze them, set the cooled cups on a baking sheet to flash freeze before bagging in a freezer bag.
Ways to Amp Up the Flavor
Make it Korean all the way? Add a little bit of Gochugaru to the chicken marinade prior to cooking it.
Making the Recipe Healthier
If you are trying to be health-conscious, however, you can enjoy this dish:
Swap the Protein: Instead of chicken thighs or even lean ground turkey, use a leaner chicken breast.
Brown Rice: Brown rice will not be quite as gooey, but you could do half brown rice and half quinoa to up the fiber.
Lower Sugar Sauce: You can sub lower sodium soy sauce plus find a Korean BBQ sauce with less sugar or make my own marinade (I would just use 1 tablespoon brown sugar).
Fun Alternatives to Try:
Tofu Cups: Replace the chicken with cubed, pan-fried extra-firm tofu for a vegetarian alternative.
Pork Bulgogi: Substitute thinly sliced pork shoulder for the chicken thighs.
Spicy Tuna: In a cold version, fill the cups with spicy tuna (basically what you would get in a sushi roll) without having the chicken heat it up.
Include Kimchi: For another sour and tangy crunch, sprinkle some chopped kimchi over the center of the chicken filling just before you bake it.
Best Partners for Serving
Because these rice cups are hearty and full, here are some light and crunchy side dishes that pair well:
Quick-Pickled Veggies: Put out a bowl of quick-pickled cucumbers and quickly-pickled daikon radishes for that nice, refreshing crunch against the richness.
Simple Green Salad: You can just throw a basic green salad and dress it lightly with a sesame ginger dressing.
Classic Miso Soup: There is nothing like a bowl of classic miso soup to warm you up and complete your meal like an Asian meal.
The Proverbial Conclusion: Flavor is a Snap as You Want It!
And there you have it – the full rundown of these awesome Korean BBQ Chicken Rice Cups! I wrote everything there was to say, I believe, about sticky rice in general and specifically the all-important 12-minute cooking time.
And the trick is, it’s straightforward: Just cram in as much of that rice as you can and there’s just amazing chicken filling right there.
No more worrying about what to prepare (or even what to cook) and plug in this vibrant-cool cups tonight! Pull that muffin tin back out!!
