Sticky Korean Chicken Steamed Buns with Gochujang Glaze

Sticky Korean Chicken Steamed Buns

These sticky Korean chicken steamed buns wrap juicy, sweet and spicy gochujang chicken in soft, fluffy dough. Every bun is a small parcel of big flavor: shredded chicken tossed in a glossy glaze and sealed inside a wrapper that steams up light and pillowy. They look like something from a dim sum menu, and they are easier than you think.

My first batch happened on an ordinary weeknight when a container of leftover herb roasted chicken was sitting next to a jar of gochujang sauce in the fridge.

I mixed the two together, wrapped the sticky chicken in bao dough, and suddenly the whole kitchen smelled like a Korean and Chinese mashup. That happy accident became a regular request at my house.

If you have ever ordered classic char siu pork buns, you already know the vibe: soft dough, savory sweet filling, and a little steam still rising off the top.

The dough is the same one I use for my speedy bao buns, and it is the reason this recipe fits into a real weeknight.

It uses both baking powder and instant yeast, so the shaped buns need only one 30 minute rest before they go into the steamer. There is no long first rise, no waiting for the dough to double, and no fussy shaping rules.

You can mix and knead by hand, or let a stand mixer with a dough hook do the heavy lifting.

this …

The filling is very forgiving, so use what you have. Leftover roast meat works beautifully, whether that is pulled pork or miso grilled chicken.

Roasted vegetables or stir fried vegetables make a great meatless version, and leftover curry such as butter chicken or chicken saag turns into an unexpectedly perfect bao filling. Gochujang chicken is still my favorite, but this is the kind of recipe that rewards improvisation.

The whole project takes about an hour from start to first bite: roughly 15 minutes of prep, 15 minutes of cooking, and 30 minutes of resting for the shaped buns. One batch makes 12 stuffed buns, enough for a hungry family or a small gathering.

They also freeze beautifully. Let cooked buns freeze solid on a tray, move them to a zip top bag, and steam them straight from frozen in about 10 minutes.

Serve them hot with a zingy smacked cucumber salad on the side, plus chili oil or a dumpling dipping sauce for dunking. Steamed buns are excellent party food too, because everyone can build their own plate and nobody has to fight for the last one.

Practical tip: roll each wrapper so the edges are thinner than the center. That small detail is what keeps the pleats sealed and the filling where it belongs.

Ingredients

Most of this list is pantry material, and the only item you may need to hunt down is gochujang paste. It is a Korean fermented chili paste sold in the international aisle of larger supermarkets, at Asian grocery stores, or online.

If you cannot find it, sriracha or sambal oelek will stand in and still give you a spicy, tangy glaze.

For the chicken

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

For the sticky gochujang sauce

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger, or ginger paste
• 2 tablespoons gochujang paste
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 3 tablespoons honey, or sweet chili jam

For the bun dough

• 350 g all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons neutral oil
• 180 g lukewarm water

To serve

• 1 tablespoon chili oil, or more to taste
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• 2 scallions, finely sliced
• A handful of fresh cilantro

A few notes before you start. Use instant yeast for the dough. Active yeast will only work if you mix it with the water first and let it sit for 10 minutes to activate, otherwise the granules will not dissolve and you will find them in the finished buns.

Chicken thighs are the best choice for juiciness, though chicken breasts are fine if that is what you have. Fresh garlic and ginger can be swapped for pastes with no drama, and if you want extra heat, use sweet chili jam in place of the honey.

How to make them

Set aside about an hour and work through these steps in order. The chicken and the sauce come together first, then the dough, then the shaping and the steaming.

1. Cook the chicken. Heat your oven to 400 F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Arrange the chicken thighs on the tray and scatter over 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until the chicken is charred and golden and reaches a safe internal temperature of 165 F. Let it cool for a few minutes, then shred or chop it into small pieces. If you are using leftover or rotisserie chicken, skip this step entirely.
2. Mix the sticky gochujang sauce. In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, 2 crushed garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon of grated ginger, 2 tablespoons of gochujang paste, 2 tablespoons of light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar, and 3 tablespoons of honey. Stir well, then add the chicken and toss until every piece is coated in that glossy, sticky glaze.
3. Make the dough. Add 350 g of all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, 2 teaspoons of instant yeast, and 1 teaspoon of salt to a large bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon or spatula, then add 1 1/2 tablespoons of neutral oil and 180 g of lukewarm water. Keep mixing until a rough, shaggy dough forms. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, until the dough is soft, supple, and smooth, and no longer sticky. A stand mixer fitted with a dough hook can do this in about 6 minutes.
4. Form the buns. Roll the dough into a long sausage and cut it into 12 equal pieces. Weighing the pieces gives you perfectly even buns, but do not worry if you do not have a scale. Keep the pieces you are not working with under a clean kitchen towel so they do not dry out. Roll each piece into a ball, flatten it, then roll it out to a circle about 4 inches, or 10 cm, across. Try to keep the edges thinner than the middle, which helps prevent leaks.
5. Pleat and seal. Place a couple of heaped tablespoons of the sticky chicken in the middle of a wrapper. Start at the edge furthest away from you. Pick up the edge and fold a small piece of dough back on itself. The dough sticks to itself, which makes this easier than it sounds. Repeat the fold while rotating the bun all the way around. When you complete the circle, press the dough together at the top to seal, then give it a small twist. Place finished buns in a lined steamer basket, or on a parchment lined plate and cover them if you plan to pan fry.
6. Let the buns rest. Once all 12 buns are shaped, leave them for 30 minutes to puff up a little. Depending on how warm your kitchen is, this can take a bit longer or a bit less time. They are ready when they look visibly plumper.
7. Cook the buns. To steam, set your steamer over a pot of boiling water, cover, and steam for 10 minutes, then take the basket off the pot and let the buns cool slightly. To pan fry, drizzle a little oil into a large non stick skillet with a lid, set it over medium high heat, and add the buns. Cook for a couple of minutes until the bottoms are golden, pour in enough water to come about one third up the sides of the buns, lower the heat, cover, and steam for 10 minutes.
8. Garnish and serve. Drizzle the hot buns with 1 tablespoon of chili oil, then scatter over the sliced scallions, fresh cilantro, and toasted sesame seeds. Steamed buns look great served right from the basket, and pan fried buns can go straight onto a platter.

Do not panic if a bun or two opens slightly at the top. It happens, and honestly it looks a lot like a classic char siu bun, with a little peek of filling showing through.

If you need a steamer liner, fold a sheet of baking paper in half three times, cut four slits along the folded edge, then unfold it into a perforated round that lets the steam through.

Got a question?

Can I use active yeast instead of instant yeast?

You can, but you have to treat it differently. Active yeast needs to be mixed into the lukewarm water first and left for 10 minutes to activate. If you add it straight to the dry ingredients the way you would with instant yeast, the granules will not dissolve and you will end up with speckled dough.

Can I use rotisserie chicken to save time?

Absolutely. Skip the oven step and go straight to the sauce. Shred or chop about 1 lb of cooked chicken, toss it in the gochujang glaze, and carry on with the dough.

Can I make these ahead or freeze them?

Cooked buns freeze very well. Freeze them solid on a tray first, then transfer them to a zip top bag so they do not stick together. Steam them straight from frozen for about 10 minutes.

What if I do not have gochujang?

Sriracha or sambal oelek are the closest easy swaps and will give you a similar spicy, tangy kick. The flavor will shift, but the sticky glaze still works.

Can I pan fry them instead of steaming?

Yes, and it gives you golden, crisp bottoms. Use a large non stick skillet with a lid, cook the buns until the bottoms are golden, add water to come about one third up the sides, then cover and steam for 10 minutes.

What should I serve with these buns?

A smacked cucumber salad is the perfect fresh, crunchy contrast. Add chili oil or a dumpling dipping sauce on the side, and dinner is done.

Like this recipe? Here are some others you might enjoy

If you make these sticky Korean chicken steamed buns, I would love to hear how they turned out. Leave a rating and a comment below, and tag me on social media if you post a photo of your batch. Your notes help other home cooks decide whether to try the recipe too, and I read every single one.

FAQs

Korean Chicken Steamed Bao Buns

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Sticky Korean Chicken Steamed Buns These sticky Korean chicken steamed buns wrap juicy, sweet and spicy gochujang chicken in soft, fluffy dough. Every bun is a small parcel of big flavor: shredded chicken tossed in a glossy glaze and sealed inside a wrapper that steams up light and pillowy.

• Total Time: 60 min
• Yield: 12 stuffed buns 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the chicken
1 lb boneless, skinless, free-range chicken thighs
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the sticky gochujang sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon ginger, grated
2 tablespoons gochujang paste
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
3 tablespoons honey

For the bun dough
350 g all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1.5 tablespoons neutral oil
180 g water, lukewarm

To serve
1 tablespoon chili oil
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
2 scallions, finely sliced
1 handful fresh cilantro

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1-Make the chicken (skip this step if: Make the chicken (skip this step if you’re using leftover or rotisserie chicken) Heat your oven to 400℉ (200℃) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Arrange the chicken thighs on the tray and scatter with salt and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Pop into the oven and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until charred and golden. Let cool for a few minutes, then roughly shred or chop into small pieces.
2-Mix the gochujang sauce with the chicken: Mix the gochujang sauce with the chicken. Add 2 tablespoons of gochujang paste, 2 tablespoons of light soy sauce, 3 tablespoons of honey (or sweet chili jam), 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar, crushed garlic and ginger to a large mixing bowl. Mix well, then add the chicken and toss to coat in the sauce.
3-Make the dough: Make the dough. Add 350g flour, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, 2 teaspoons of instant yeast, and 1 teaspoon of salt to a large bowl. Mix with a large wooden spoon or spatula, then add 1 ½ tablespoons of neutral oil and 180g lukewarm water. Keep mixing with the spoon until it comes together into a rough, shaggy dough. At this point, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about five minutes, until it’s soft, supple, and smooth. It shouldn’t be sticky.
4-Form the buns: Form the buns. Roll the dough into a long sausage, then cut it into 12 equal pieces. You can weigh the dough to make the pieces super accurate, but don’t worry if you don’t have a scale. Working with one piece at a time and keeping the others under a clean kitchen towel to prevent them from drying out, form them into a ball. Flatten the ball out into a circle, then using a rolling pin, roll it out to a circle about 4 inches, or 10cm in diameter. If you can, try to make the edges thinner than the middle to help prevent any leakage.
5-Pleat and seal the buns: Pleat and seal the buns. Place a couple of heaped tablespoons of sticky chicken into the middle of the dough. Start with the side furthest away from you. Pick up the edge of the dough and fold a small piece back on itself. The dough will stick to itself to make this easier for you. Repeat this action, rotating the bun all the way around as you do. As you complete the circle, press the dough together at the top to seal the bun, then give it a little twist. If you’re steaming the buns, place them into a lined steamer basket and repeat with the remaining dough. If you’re pan-frying them, place them on a parchment paper-lined plate and cover.
6-Let the buns rest briefly: Let the buns rest briefly. Once all the buns have been formed, they need to rest for 30 minutes to puff up a little. This can take longer or shorter depending on the temperature in your kitchen.
7-Cook the buns: Cook the buns. Once the buns are looking a little puffier, they’re ready to cook. If you’re steaming them, place your steamer on top of a pot of boiling water, cover, and steam for 10 minutes. Remove the basket from the pot and set it aside to cool slightly. If you’re pan-frying them, drizzle a little oil into a large, non-stick skillet you have a lid for. Set over medium-high heat, then add the buns. Cook for a couple of minutes, until the bottoms are golden, then pour in enough water to come about one-third up the sides of the buns. Lower the heat, pop the lid on, and steam for 10 minutes.
8-Garnish and serve: Garnish and serve. I like to serve these directly from the steamer basket if I’ve steamed them, as it’s easier and looks fun! If you’ve pan-fried them, transfer them to a serving platter. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of chili oil (or more if you like), chopped scallions, cilantro, and sesame seeds before serving while hot.

Last Step:

Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.

• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 15 min
• Method: stovetop

Nutrition

• Calories: 490
• Sugar: 10 g
• Sodium: 1460 mg
• Fat: 17.3 g
• Saturated Fat: 2.7 g
• Carbohydrates: 58.5 g
• Fiber: 2.3 g
• Protein: 24 g
• Cholesterol: 78 mg