Need a fast weeknight dinner? This easy gochujang chicken recipe is ready in 30 minutes with just one pan. You get crispy chicken coated in a sticky, sweet, spicy gochujang glaze.
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I love love love crispy Korean fried chicken, but the thought of deep-frying heavily battered chicken in a ton of oil deters me because of the mess it makes. So for this recipe, I lightly coat the diced chicken in cornstarch and shallow-fry it in less oil, which makes cleanup easier.
The cornstarch creates a crispy crust that holds up to the bold, glossy gochujang glaze for a good 1-2 hours, but for the crispiest chicken, sauce it right before serving. I adapted the sauce from my gochujang honey shrimp, which has been a hit on the blog, and those same sweet, spicy, and savory flavors work just as well with crispy chicken.
Why It Works
- Boneless chicken thighs: This juicy cut handles high-heat frying without drying out easily.
- Small frying batches: Fewer pieces prevent the oil temperature from dropping so the chicken fries instead of steaming.
- Steady oil temperature: Keeping the oil at 325-350°F creates a crisp coating without burning it.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Exact ingredient amounts are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
Main Ingredients
- Chicken Thighs: Boneless, skinless thighs stay juicy during frying. (Sub: Skinless chicken breasts; cook to 160°F and let carryover heat bring them to 165°F.)
- Onion: Cut into large pieces so they stay crisp-tender during cooking. (Sub: 1 large shallot)
- Cornstarch: Creates the crispy coating. Avoid using tapioca or arrowroot starch because the chicken pieces can stick together. (Sub: Potato starch)
- Vegetable Oil: Use a neutral, high-smoke-point oil for shallow-frying. (Sub: Avocado or canola oil)
- Green Onion
- Sesame Seeds: Use toasted sesame seeds, or toast raw white sesame seeds in a dry pan until fragrant and golden.
Gochujang Sauce
- Gochujang: Use level 1-2 for a milder sauce, and fully dissolve the thick paste so it distributes evenly.
- Garlic: Finely mince it so it distributes evenly throughout the sauce. (Sub: Jarred minced garlic)
- White Granulated Sugar: You can substitute the sugar with cane sugar or honey.
- Regular Soy Sauce: Low-sodium or light soy sauce also works but will make the sauce less salty. (Sub: Low-sodium or light soy sauce)
- Sesame Seeds
- Sesame Oil: Use toasted sesame oil rather than untoasted sesame oil for the intended nutty flavor.
- Cornstarch: Thickens the glaze so it coats the chicken. (Sub: Potato or tapioca starch)
- Water: Use cold water so the cornstarch mixes smoothly without clumping.
Expert Tips
- Shake off loose cornstarch to prevent excess starch from burning in the oil.
- Fry coated chicken immediately before the cornstarch absorbs too much moisture.
- Use a heavy-bottomed pan to keep the frying temperature more stable.
- Remove browned starch bits between batches so they don't burn and stick to the chicken.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make gochujang chicken:
- Cube the chicken: Dice the chicken thighs into even 1 1⁄2-inch cubes, place in a large mixing bowl, and set aside. Do not pat them dry; the surface moisture helps the cornstarch stick evenly.
- Mix the sauce: Combine the listed sauce ingredients in a small bowl and mix until the gochujang and sugar are fully dissolved. Set aside.
- Dredge the chicken: Add the cornstarch to the chicken and toss until every piece is evenly coated, pressing the starch onto the meat for a crispier crust.
- Fry in batches: Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan over medium-high heat to 325-350°F. Working in small batches, fry the chicken for 5-7 minutes until golden, crispy, and cooked to 165°F. Transfer to a wire rack to drain. Leave 1 teaspoon of oil in the pan and remove the rest along with any browned bits.
- Sauté and simmer: Sauté the onions for 30-45 seconds. Whisk the sauce again before adding it to the pan and simmer until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Coat and garnish: Reduce the heat to medium, add the fried chicken, and toss until evenly coated. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
Variations
- Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free tamari or soy sauce and certified gluten-free gochujang.
- Vegetarian: Swap the chicken for pressed extra-firm tofu, coat with cornstarch, and pan-fry until crisp before tossing in the thickened sauce.
- Air Fryer: Arrange the coated chicken in the air fryer basket in a single layer without overlapping. Evenly spray the chicken with oil and air-fry at 400°F for 10-14 minutes until golden, crispy, and cooked to 165°F. No flipping required.
Pairing Suggestions
Serve spicy gochujang chicken with:
- Steamed white rice: The fluffy rice soaks up the extra gochujang sauce.
- Korean Cucumber Salad: The cool, crunchy cucumbers balance the sweet and spicy chicken.
- Korean Potato Salad: The cool, creamy potatoes help balance the heat from the gochujang.
Storage & Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store the chicken and sauce separately in an airtight container for up to 3 days to keep the chicken crisp.
- Freezer: Freeze the chicken and sauce separately for up to 2 months, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: If stored separately, air-fry chicken at 350°F for 5 minutes or bake at 400°F for 8 minutes; warm the sauce over low heat with a splash of water, then toss together. If already sauced, air-fry at 350°F for 8 minutes or bake at 400°F for 12 minutes.
FAQ
How do I make gochujang chicken less spicy?
Use half the amount of gochujang and choose a mild level 1 paste. You can add a little extra sugar or honey if needed to balance the remaining heat.
What can I substitute for gochujang?
There isn't an ideal substitute as gochujang has a distinct fermented flavor, sweetness, and heat. For the intended flavor of this recipe, gochujang is worth using rather than replacing. You can easily find it at Asian or Korean grocery stores or sometimes online.
Can I fry the chicken ahead of time?
Yes. Fry the chicken ahead and keep it separate from the sauce. Re-crisp it in the air fryer or oven, warm the sauce separately, and combine them right before serving.
More Like This
Check out my other crispy chicken recipes:
📖 Recipe
Easy Gochujang Chicken (30 Minutes)
Need a fast weeknight dinner? This easy gochujang chicken recipe is ready in 30 minutes with just one pan. You get crispy chicken coated in a sticky, sweet, spicy gochujang glaze.
Ingredients
- 1 lb skinless boneless chicken thighs
- ½ small onion large diced
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- ¼ cup vegetable oil or any neutral oil
- 1 green onion finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon sesame seeds toasted kind
Gochujang Sauce:
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoon white granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoon Gochujang mild
- 2 tablespoon regular soy sauce or light soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon sesame seeds toasted kind
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil toasted kind
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 cup water cold
Instructions
- Dice the chicken thighs into even 1 1⁄2-inch cubes, place in a large mixing bowl, and set aside. Do not pat them dry; the surface moisture helps the cornstarch stick evenly.
- Combine the listed sauce ingredients in a small bowl and mix until the gochujang and sugar are fully dissolved. Set aside.
- Add the cornstarch to the chicken and toss until every piece is evenly coated, pressing the starch onto the meat for a crispier crust.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan over medium-high heat to 325-350°F. Working in small batches, fry the chicken for 5-7 minutes until golden, crispy, and cooked to 165°F. Transfer to a wire rack to drain. Leave 1 teaspoon of oil in the pan and remove the rest along with any browned bits.
- Sauté the onions for 30-45 seconds. Whisk the sauce again before adding it to the pan and simmer until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Reduce the heat to medium, add the fried chicken, and toss until evenly coated. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
Enjoyed my recipe?Please leave a 5 star review (be kind)! Tag me on social media @christieathome as I'd love to see your creations!
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Nutrition
Calories: 327kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 143mg | Sodium: 814mg | Potassium: 489mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 98IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 2mg
S Bo
Note - I only made the sauce.
The sauce is fantastic. I bought my container of gojuchang months ago but felt intimidated by it. I finally opened it for this recipe and I am so excited I can make something this good at home! Excited for my family to taste it. Thanks so much.
By the way how long will the sauce part keep in the fridge?
Christie Lai
Thank you so much making my the sauce in the recipe and for leaving this review! Glad it worked. The sauce can keep for 1 week when stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
L B
I made this for dinner, it was really good. My wife and I both thought it needed a little boost. I added a heaping tablespoon of apricot preserves. It really set it off.
Thanks
Christie Lai
Thanks for making my recipe and glad you enjoyed it with the extra boost!
Cassie
This was the first recipe with Gochujang that I tried and it is so delicious! Perfect balance of savoury, salty and sweet. I’ve made it with both chicken and tofu and both are great. Will definitely be adding this to my regular meal rotation!
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe, Cassie! Glad you found it to have a perfect balance of all those falvors.
Rita
Tried this with the leftover random gotchujang paste in the fridge to get rid of it. Very pleasantly surprised. I didn’t measure anything so it was a tad sweet but it was my fault. Added shredded carrot, beetroot and a bunch of broccolini. On diet so didn’t fry the chicken. I marinaded in the sauce and then just added it to the pan. Served with garlic butter rice. Divine. Saved this recipe for next time. Thanks so much for getting me to try something I’ve never tasted with an ingredient I’ve never used.
Christie Lai
Thanks for making my recipe and glad you found it divine with the additions!
Ciara
Hi! How many grams is the serving size?
Christie Lai
Hello! Roughly 151 grams of chicken per serving.
Larry Wilhite
I've never done something like this before, but was able to make this dish successfully. Good recipe! It took me longer than the time stated in the recipe, but that has more to do with my inexperience than anything else. : )
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe, Larry! Happy it worked out well for you.
KJ
I love this gochujang chicken so much!! And it’s gluten free even betterrr.
I’m finding it hard to get the sauce to thicken though. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m not leaving it long enough to simmer? I’ve not made a sauce like this before so please help because it’s delicious!
Do I need to leave it for a specific time? I don’t add the onion to mine because my little brother doesn’t like it haha, could it be that?
Thank you! 🙂
Christie Lai
Thanks so much for the kind review! Glad you enjoyed it.
For your case, this could be due to the removal of onions which is causes for your sauce to not thicken as quickly. So I recommend to add another 1/2 tbsp of cornstarch into the sauce mixture. This will help to thicken it. Hope this helps!
Joanne
Absolutely the best recipe. I use the base sauce and as well as the chicken and onions, I also add diced carrots, peas, tender stem broccoli (or any other veg you can stir fry). It's my family's favourite recipe! I always have leftovers which they fight over the next day. Whoever gets there first wins🤣
Christie Lai
Haha! Omgosh I loved reading this! Thank YOU so much for making my recipe and sharing this kind review. So happy this is a family favorite. I hope you all continue to enjoy this recipe, Joanne!
Maryanna
Wow! This was a wonderful find! I used rice vinegar and added carrot spirals and sweet peppers to the onion mix. My family loves it!
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for leaving such a positive review and glad your family loved it! I hope you consider leaving a 5-star review for it 🙂
Barry
Really delicious! All my family loved it.
Christie Lai
So thrilled to read this, Barry! Thank you for making my recipe!
Geoff Adair
Nice...added some bell pepper and a chili to the onion.
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for the positive feedback and for making my recipe! Glad you enjoyed it!
Archemma
Absolutely delicious. Super quick and easy.
Found this recipe after discovering I had gochujang in my cupboard and no idea what to do with it.
I used cornflour instead of cornstarch. Red onion instead of white and didn’t have sesame oil so used truffle oil (randomly in my cupboard). I love peas so added some frozen ones when I added the onion. Served with savoury rice. 5*****
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and for sharing all your substitutes with us so others may find it helpful! So glad you enjoyed it!
R
Excellent! Easy to make and quick to prepare! Full of flavor and the whole family loved it ❤️
Christie Lai
Happy to hear that the whole family loved it, thank you for making it!
Sara
This recipe was so easy to make. I adjusted the quantities as I made a larger batch. I added a bit of rice vinegar to just give it that slightly tangy kick, and some peppers. Came out lovely.
Christie Lai
Thanks so much for making it! Glad you enjoyed it!
Chris
Echo this suggestion about adding Rice Vinegar! Really gave an already great recipe a nice zing ☺️
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and appreciate the echo on the rice vinegar!