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Korean Chicken Tacos with Caramelized Kimchi on flour tortillas with saucy ground chicken, caramelized kimchi, shredded lettuce, scallions, carrots, cilantro, and crushed peanuts.

Korean Chicken Tacos with Caramelized Kimchi


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  • Author: Aneta
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings (8 tacos) 1x

Description

These Korean Chicken Tacos with Caramelized Kimchi are sweet, savory, spicy, and completely crave-worthy. Juicy ground chicken is coated in a bold Korean-inspired sauce, then topped with jammy caramelized kimchi, crunchy veggies, fresh herbs, and a drizzle of sriracha mayo. Perfect for busy weeknights when you want something exciting but easy.


Ingredients

Scale

For the Chicken

  • 1 lb ground chicken
  • 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 teaspoon garlic paste)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced (or ½ teaspoon ginger paste)
  • 1 tablespoon peanut butter
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 12 teaspoons sriracha (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons warm water
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil (for cooking)

For the Caramelized Kimchi

  • 1 cup kimchi, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon avocado oil
  • 12 teaspoons brown sugar
  • Splash of rice wine vinegar or white vinegar (optional)

For Assembly

  • 8 small (6-inch) flour tortillas
  • 1 cup shredded lettuce
  • 1 cup julienned carrots
  • 1 cucumber, julienned
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • 2 green onions, sliced
  • ¼ cup crushed peanuts
  • Sesame seeds (optional)
  • Sriracha mayo (store-bought or homemade)
  • Lime wedges

Instructions

  1. Cook the Chicken:
    Heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 5–6 minutes, breaking it apart until fully cooked.
  2. Make the Sauce:
    In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, peanut butter, sesame oil, sriracha (if using), and warm water until smooth.
  3. Combine:
    Reduce heat to medium-low. Pour sauce over the cooked chicken and stir until evenly coated. Simmer 1–2 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat.
  4. Caramelize the Kimchi:
    In a separate skillet, heat 1 teaspoon avocado oil over medium heat. Add chopped kimchi and cook 5 minutes until moisture reduces. Stir in brown sugar and cook another 5 minutes until caramelized around the edges. Add a splash of vinegar if needed to deglaze the pan.
  5. Warm the Tortillas:
    Heat tortillas in a dry skillet or microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel until soft and pliable.
  6. Assemble:
    Add chicken to each tortilla. Top with caramelized kimchi, lettuce, carrots, cucumber, avocado, cilantro, green onions, and crushed peanuts. Drizzle with sriracha mayo and finish with a squeeze of lime.

Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Substitute ground turkey for ground chicken if preferred.
  • For a nut-free version, omit peanut butter or use sunflower seed butter.
  • Adjust spice level by increasing or omitting sriracha.
  • Store chicken and kimchi separately in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • Warm leftovers before assembling fresh tacos.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Korean-Inspired / Fusion

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2 tacos
  • Calories: 480 kcal
  • Sugar: 8 g
  • Sodium: 820 mg
  • Fat: 22 g
  • Saturated Fat: 5 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 42 g
  • Fiber: 5 g
  • Protein: 28 g
  • Cholesterol: 85 mg